Donald Trump's latest campaign focus: Two assassination attempts
WASHINGTON - Look for President Donald Trump to make the two recent assassination attempts a major part of his campaign.
“These encounters with death have not broken my will," Trump said at the top of a rally Wednesday on Long Island in New York. "They have really given me a much bigger and stronger mission. They’ve only hardened my resolve to use my time on Earth to make America great again for all Americans."
As he did during a town hall in Michigan on Tuesday, Trump talked at length about the July 13 shooting during a rally in Butler, Pa., and the Sunday arrest of a man who had aimed a rifle at his golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla.
While lawmakers have criticized the performance of the Secret Service, Trump again praised security and Florida law enforcement officials during the rally at the old sports arena in Uniondale, N.Y.; he again invoked a higher power.
"God has now spared my life ... not once, but twice," Trump said.
Other takeaways from Long Island:
Springfield-bound
Trump said he plans to visit Springfield, Ohio, the site of the migrant dispute that spawned the most memorable moment of last week’s debate with Harris. Trump falsely claimed that Haitian migrants in the city were eating dogs and cats, but there is no evidence of that ever happening.
"I'm going to go there in the next two weeks,” Trump told supporters in Long Island. “I'm going to Springfield.”
Trump also said he plans to travel to Aurora, Colorado, site of another migrant dispute involving misinformation.
'I love the Teamsters'
Trump played up good news from the Teamsters while exaggerating what the union did.
"I was honored to receive the endorsement of the rank-and-file membership of the Teamsters," Trump said, but the union itself announced it would not make an official endorsement of him or his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
The Teamsters did release internal polling data showing that most of its members support Trump.
The leadership's decision to stay neutral was a setback for Harris and the Democrats, much to Trump's delight.
"I love the Teamsters," Trump said.
Iran hack resurfaces
Trump seized on - and distorted - news that Iran hacked into his campaign and sought to give campaign information to people associated with what was then President Joe Biden's campaign.
The former president falsely said that "Biden is working with Iran" and added that "Iran doesn't exactly like me." He said Iran stole campaign material and "gave it to the Biden campaign," but that did not happen.
In a statement, Harris-Walz spokesperson Morgan Finkelstein said the campaign has cooperated with authorities since learning that "individuals associated with the then-Biden campaign were among the intended victims of this foreign influence operation."
New York: Mission Impossible?
Trump used the Long Island appearance to talk big about possibly carrying New York state in November - a nearly impossible task, if polls are to be believed.
Although he is a native New Yorker, Trump polled less than 37 percent of the Empire State vote in both the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. No Republican nominee has won New York state since President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
On the other hand, New York could well play a role in the race to control the U.S. House Representatives. It has several competitive congressional districts.
Why Long Island?
The Long Island rally was initially designed to be the first event after Trump's sentencing for his conviction in the New York hush money case. The sentencing had been scheduled for Wednesday, July 18.
Earlier this month, however, the judge delayed sentencing until after Election Day, which is Nov. 5.
A 9/11 national monument
In discussing New York issues, Trump paid tribute to the victims of the 9/11 terrorist attack and honored the police force, fire departments, and emergency personnel who responded.
Trump said if he is elected he plans to designate Ground Zero - the former site of the destroyed World Trade Center - as an official national monument to be maintained by the U.S. government.
"So that hallowed ground - and the memory of those who perished there - will be preserved for all time, preserved forever," Trump said.