TRUMP FORCE ONE — Former President Donald Trump focused on attacking President Joe Biden during his first stop in New Hampshire since announcing his third presidential bid. He warned Thursday about what he believes would happen under a possible second term for his opponent.
The Daily Caller flew with Trump to Manchester, New Hampshire, on his first trip to the state since launching his third presidential bid in November. Trump remains the frontrunner for the Republican presidential nomination in 2024, most national polling shows. (RELATED: Trump Makes First Iowa Stop For 2024 Campaign, Announces Leadership Team)
Before takeoff, Trump approached reporters and asked about an Emerson College poll released Thursday that showed him up in the polls by 46% and higher against his GOP primary opponents.
Trump delivered his speech at the DoubleTree by Hilton Hotels in downtown Manchester in front of what the campaign said was 2,000 people. The Trump campaign also said they had to turn thousands of others away in Manchester. Trump spoke for nearly two hours, hitting Biden on the economy and a number of other issues.
“When I left office, we handed Joe Biden the fastest economic recovery ever recorded — all with no inflation,” Trump said during his speech. “He took that booming economy and he promptly blew it to shreds.”
He did not focus as much on Republican Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, whom Trump has repeatedly criticized.
DeSantis spoke at an event in Manchester earlier in April, at the same venue Trump held his speech Thursday night. DeSantis is seen as Trump’s main rival, though the governor has not yet announced a run for president.
Trump also announced his leadership team for the state, which includes 50 members of the legislature. The campaign says that group makes up 25% of Republicans in the New Hampshire House of Representatives.
WATCH:
NOW: Trump gets into motorcade from Trump Force One in New Hampshire. Headed to speak in Manchester. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/Vs4VgkwSSL
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) April 27, 2023
Trump is in the building. This is where he will be speaking. Large crowd of supporters here in Manchester, NH. I am told there was a ton of people outside trying to make it in. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/0ZAoWo8Od9
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) April 27, 2023
The crowd awaiting Trump to take the stage here in Manchester, NH:@DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/OrXKwDxEzg
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) April 27, 2023
Trump posing on stage with NH’s victory team. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/BBWmwtcHfc
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) April 27, 2023
NOW: Trump greets supporters after his speech. Signs hats, shirts, etc. @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/eOOUjdzQGo
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) April 27, 2023
NOW: Trump boards Trump Force One after his Manchester, NH speech: @DailyCaller pic.twitter.com/zBjaJTTq6S
— Henry Rodgers (@henryrodgersdc) April 27, 2023
During the speech, Trump said, “the choice in this election is now between strength or weakness, between success or failure, between safety or anarchy, between peace or conflict, and prosperity or catastrophe.” (RELATED: Trump Details Endless Legal Fights In Primetime Mar-A-Lago Address After Indictment)
Along with the economy, he mentioned several issues facing the country, including the border crisis and rising crime and inflation. He also gave Biden a new nickname, saying he is no longer going to be calling Hillary Clinton “Crooked Hillary” and will now be using the word “crooked” to describe Biden.
“I will be retiring the name ‘Crooked’ from Hillary Clinton,” Trump said. “I’m gonna give her a new name. I don’t know, like, maybe ‘Lovely Hillary’ or ‘Beautiful Hillary,’ but I’m going to retire the name ‘Crooked’ so that we can use the name for Joe Biden, because he’ll be known from now on as ‘Crooked Joe’ Biden.”
After the speech, Trump approached the crowd and signed shirts, hats, shook hands and took selfies with his supporters. He then headed to a famous establishment in Manchester called Red Arrow Diner. Trump greeted supporters there as well and ordered a Trump Tower burger before boarding his plane back to West Palm Beach, Florida.
On the flight back, Trump’s team ate McDonald’s and an assortment of different desserts from the local diner and watched the NFL Draft.