GREENVILLE — The United States is in its Golden Age, but that will only continue if the Republican Party retains control of Congress, President Donald Trump said during a campaign rally Tuesday at Pitt-Greenville Airport.
“If you elect a Republican House and Republican Senate on Nov. 3, you’re going to get $5,000. If we lose, you ain’t going to get nothing,” Trump said in the closing minutes of his nearly two-hour speech. He also pledged to make tax cuts approved in the last 17 months permanent, including no taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security.
Trump’s fifth appearance in Greenville was his second North Carolina stop in 34 days. He said several times he planned to return prior to Nov. 3.
He reminded the audience several times that he won North Carolina in all three of his presidential bids.
Trump’s appearance was designed to rally his base to turn out and vote for U.S. Senate candidate Michael Whatley, his hand-picked successor to retiring Sen. Thom Tillis, along with Congressional candidates Laurie Buckhout and Jennifer Balkcom. Although all three spoke prior to the president’s arrival, he brought them back to the stage for additional remarks.
“I believe you need a fighter and I will fight for you every single day,” Whatley said. “President Trump needs an ally who will work to lower your costs, create more jobs, protect your families and preserve the American dream.”
“All of this energy the president has brought to North Carolina is for naught unless you get out and vote early,” said Buckhout, who is challenging U.S. Rep. Don Davis for North Carolina’s 1st Congressional District.
Trump said he pushed for Whatley to assume leadership of the Republican National Committee in preparation for a presidential run in 2024. After winning, he urged Whatley to run for the Senate.
“I’m the one who got him into this,” Trump said.
“He’s so competent, he is so good. He loves this state. He will not be allowing 86 or 85 murderers out of jail because we have a new cold virus coming up,” Trump said.
The statement was followed by the first of several outbursts from protesters at the event. As the disruptors were escorted out, the audience chanted, “USA! USA!”
The president said new economic opportunities are coming to North Carolina and brought up Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick to make an announcement.
“The president has as one of his fundamental objectives, is to bring semiconductor manufacturing home to America,” Lutnick said.
Sibelco is going to be a quartz manufacturing operation, “basically the foundation of semiconductors,” in North Carolina, investing hundreds of millions of dollars, Lutnick said. He offered no additional information.
Sibelco currently operates a quartz manufacturing facility in the western North Carolina community of Spruce Pine.
The Department of War is investing $1.5 billion in the production of semiconductor chips in North Carolina, Trump said. He offered no more details.
The president said his administration is settling a longstanding lawsuit involving U.S. Marines and their families who contracted cancers and other illnesses after being exposed to contaminated water while stationed at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune between the early 1950s through the late 1980s.
Trump said his administration was delivering a $1 billion settlement to the Marines and their families. He said if Republicans win Congress, he’ll direct the Department of Justice to quickly settle all remaining claims.
“If we don’t win, there’s no money. If we do win, we’re getting it and it’s going to be finally over, that nightmare that has been going on for so many years,” Trump said.
The president also said gas prices will come down once the war with Iran ends. He repeated that temporarily high gas prices were a small price to pay for keeping a nuclear weapon away from Iran and said that Iran would quickly end the war once the Nov. 3 elections were over.
Trump said not enough attention is being paid to the positive aspects of the nation’s economy, such as a growing number of manufacturers building new factories. He said record-low poverty levels and decreasing levels of poverty among African Americans, Hispanics and other ethnic groups are not being reported.
As the president discussed his accomplishments and future plans, he kept coming back to the U.S. Senate race.
Although polls consistently show Whatley trailing Cooper, Trump said, “14 days from now North Carolina is going to defeat pro-crime, radical left disaster Gov. Roy Cooper.” Trump dismissed the numbers, calling polls fake.
Trump then compared Cooper to former Massachusetts governor Michael Dukakis. The Democratic presidential nominee in 1988, Dukakis’ campaign faltered when Republicans linked him to Willie Horton, who escaped from a furlough program only to be later arrested on charges of kidnapping, armed robbery and rape.
Trump and Whatley said Cooper was responsible for the release of more than 3,500 state inmates in 2021. Multiple individuals were later re-arrested for crimes ranging from armed robbery to murder.
“This is far worse than Michael Dukakis and Willie Horton,” Trump said. “People think of (Cooper) as a moderate; he’s actually a radical lunatic left.”
North Carolina and other states were compelled to release prisoners in order to settle a 2021 lawsuit that showed prison systems couldn’t meet safety standards related to COVID-19.