• About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Photo Gallery
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Citi TV
Monday, May 29, 2023
Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Showbiz
  • Coronavirus
  • Infographics
  • Livestream
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Showbiz
  • Coronavirus
  • Infographics
  • Livestream
  • Videos
No Result
View All Result
Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana
No Result
View All Result

Trump calls Biden ‘enemy of the state’ over FBI raid

Delali Adogla-BessabyDelali Adogla-Bessa
September 4, 2022
Reading Time: 11 mins read
ShareShareShareShare

Donald Trump has called President Joe Biden an “enemy of the state” at his first rally since the FBI searched his Florida resort for sensitive files.

Speaking to thousands of supporters in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, the ex-president accused Mr Biden of weaponizing the FBI against him.

The raid was “one of the most shocking abuses of power by any administration in American history”, Mr Trump claimed.

He was in the state to promote two Republican candidates.

Dr Mehmet Oz is running for the US Senate, and state Senator Doug Mastriano is in the race to become Pennsylvania’s next governor.

Both spoke only briefly – as always, the rally on Saturday night was really about one person: the headliner.

Mr Trump, 76, spent the first part of his nearly two-hour speech criticising the FBI search early last month.

FBI agents conducting the search found dozens of empty folders marked as classified, and top secret files were recovered from his personal office.

Mr Trump, who is being investigated over his handling of classified records, denies wrongdoing.

Apart from the raid, the former president returned to familiar themes at the Pennsylvania rally: false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him, attacks on rivals in the Democratic Party, and promises to “save our country”.

Several times, he called for people who deal drugs to receive the death penalty.

Here are four key things you need to know about Donald Trump’s rally.

Punching back at the Department of Justice (DoJ)

The former president is currently involved in a legal tussle with federal authorities over a cache of classified documents that the FBI seized last month.

Government authorities say Mr Trump improperly took and stored White House documents, including some marked “top secret,” at his Florida home – the Mar-a-Lago resort.

Federal prosecutors now say he may have obstructed the investigation into his possession of the documents.

Supporters cheer Donald Trump at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Photo: 3 September 2022

Mr Trump has previously spun investigations and attacks against him as “witch hunts,” and it was no different on Saturday.

He came out swinging, calling the FBI’s search “the shameful raid and break-in on my home in Mar-a-Lago” a “travesty”.

The former president has long built his appeal by casting himself and his supporters as political outsiders and persecuted figures.

Mr Trump linked his personal legal troubles to his supporters’ political frustrations, claiming: “We are being assaulted… by the FBI and DOJ”.

“It was not just my home that was raided… it was the hopes and dreams of every citizen who I’ve been fighting for since the moment I came down the golden escalator in 2015, wanting to represent the people,” he said, drawing boos from the crowd.

Supporters think Trump was ‘set up’

The crowd was on his side when it came to the FBI’s search.

This region supported Mr Trump in the 2020 election, even though Pennsylvania overall slipped from his grasp and chose Mr Biden.

Two supporters had already procured “Defund the FBI” T-shirts to wear to the rally.

Gail McCloskey, from the city of Altoona, nearly a three-hour drive away, told the BBC she thought the FBI visit was “a set up”.

Meanwhile, Kelly Borgogelli, 60, who had driven four hours from Buffalo, New York, to see Mr Trump, said: “They’re just going after him for pure hate.”

Asked if she believed any of the multiple accusations made against Mr Trump over the years – that he incited a violent mob to storm the US Capitol last year, that he improperly pressured Ukraine’s president to investigate his political enemies, or that he falsified claims of election fraud in 2020 – Mrs Borgogelli replied she did not.

“They’ve never given us any proof,” she said.

Her companion, Maureen Ewart, 62, said if the justice department actually charged Mr Trump, the country would be “divided”.

“It will be crowded out there, the streets will be full,” Ms Ewart said, emphasising that she did not condone violence – but feared any criminal charges against the former president could spark civil unrest.

At one point, Mr Trump himself claimed that the latest investigation into his possession of government documents was “going to produce a backlash” the likes of which the country had not seen before.

His visit to Pennsylvania is a strategic choice

Mr Trump’s name might not be on the ballot in Pennsylvania this year, but Trumpism certainly is.

He hand-picked the US Senate candidate, celebrity medical expert Dr Oz, and endorsed the far-right election conspiracy theorist Mr Mastriano for governor after his surprising primary win.

Dr Mehmet Oz speaks at a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. Photo: 3 September 2022

Their performance in the November election will be seen as a referendum on the strength of Mr Trump’s endorsement, and the political ideologies he’s unleashed on the Republican Party.

The outcome could have ramifications for 2024.

Mr Trump has not announced another presidential campaign, but has left the door wide open.

Should his candidates prevail, the Republican Party will see it as a sign of Mr Trump’s continued dominance of their base voters.

Should they lose, however, it could indicate to Mr Trump’s potential 2024 rivals that they may have a chance at the White House after all.

Rallygoers were far more enthused about Mr Mastriano – a candidate more closely forged in the former president’s mould – than they were about Dr Oz.

The crowd roared when Mr Mastriano was brought onstage. However Dr Oz was invited to join Mr Trump onstage well over an hour into the rally.

The celebrity doctor spoke for less than two minutes, and after his remarks, someone in the back of the crowd shouted “he’s a Rino!” or “Republican in name only,” a criticism that Dr Oz is not sufficiently conservative.

Both parties eye Pennsylvania

The state is vital to Democrats’ hopes as well. They want to pick up a US Senate seat by propelling Lt Gov John Fetterman to victory.

The governor’s race has taken on extra significance with Mr Mastriano’s landslide win in the Republican primary. He attended the 6 January 2021 attack on the US Congress and played a key role in efforts to overturn the 2020 election results in Pennsylvania.

Should he win the governorship, he would have significant power over the state’s election implementation.

To oppose him, Democrats have put forth the state’s attorney general, Josh Shapiro, and President Biden held several high-profile events in the state in recent days to help whip up the Democratic base.

In fact, he also visited Wilkes-Barre, on 30 August to give a major speech about guns and public safety and two days ago he gave a primetime address in Philadelphia.

He argued that Trump’s ideology – which he called “Maga Republicans” after his predecessor’s famous campaign slogan – threatened American democracy.

“Not every Republican, not even a majority of Republicans, are Maga Republicans,” Mr Biden said.

“But there’s no question the Republican Party today is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the Maga Republicans, and that is a threat to this country.”

On Saturday, Mr Trump called Mr Biden’s address the most “vicious hateful and divisive speech ever delivered by an American president”.

ShareTweetSendSend
Previous Post

Uganda prophet accused of whipping worshippers detained

Next Post

CSOs must pressure Auditor General to effect surcharge duties – Martin Kpebu

Related Posts

International

Donald Trump pleads not guilty to 34 criminal charges

April 5, 2023
International

US election: Trump tears into rising Republican rival DeSantis

November 12, 2022

US midterms: Trump and Biden fire up voters as election looms

November 7, 2022
International

Trump says FBI agents raided his Florida home

August 9, 2022
Top Stories

Capitol riots: Prosecutors probe Trump role in election challenge – report

July 27, 2022
CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 21:  Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and his daughter Ivanka Trump test the teleprompters and microphones on stage before the start of the fourth day of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Ivanka will introduce her father before he gives his acceptance speech tonight, the final night of the convention.  (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
International

Capitol riot hearing: Trump dismisses daughter Ivanka’s testimony

June 11, 2022
Next Post

CSOs must pressure Auditor General to effect surcharge duties - Martin Kpebu

TOP STORIES

Govt keeps COVID-19 levy despite calls for removal

May 28, 2023

Running to IMF for bailout was a painful decision – Nana Addo

May 28, 2023

Akufo-Addo’s address on end of Covid-19 emergency and IMF programme [Full text]

May 28, 2023
Load More
ADVERTISEMENT
Citinewsroom – Comprehensive News in Ghana

CitiNewsroom.com is Ghana's leading news website that delivers high quality innovative, alternative news that challenges the status quo.

Archives

Download App

Download

Download

  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Photo Gallery
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Citi TV

© 2021 All Rights Reserved Citi Newsroom.

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News
  • Business
  • Sports
  • Showbiz
  • Coronavirus
  • Infographics
  • Livestream
  • Videos

© 2021 All Rights Reserved Citi Newsroom.

We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept All”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent.
Cookie SettingsAccept All
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checkbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT