Former President Donald Trump took the stage in Waco, Texas, for a campaign rally, where he insulted those investigating him and declared his innocence. Trump claimed that he would soon be indicted for concealing a payment to porn actress Stormy Daniels during the 2016 presidential race. He stated that Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and the Department of Justice are investigating him for something that is not a crime, misdemeanor, or an affair.
Trump’s rally drew thousands of supporters and started with a J6 Prison Choir featuring Trump singing the National Anthem. He referred to the 2024 election as the final battle, and his spokesman clarified that Waco was the ideal place to gather supporters from across the state and neighboring states.
PolitiFact analyzed Trump’s promises in 2016, which showed that half of his promises were broken, a quarter delivered, and the rest midway. While he renegotiated NAFTA, he failed to bring manufacturing to the country, grow the economy by 4%, and repeal the ACA. Trump followed through on promises not to cut Social Security, cancel the Paris climate accord, and defund Planned Parenthood.
Regarding Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Trump said that it’s never good to mess with Social Security and raise the minimum age too high. However, DeSantis joined 103 Republicans in a failed resolution in 2013 to raise the eligibility age for Medicare and Social Security to 70 years. He backtracked on this stance in 2023.
Trump also made misleading statements about the Green New Deal, alleging that it would lead to the country’s destruction. He also claimed that the 2020 presidential elections were rigged, which was unsubstantiated.
Furthermore, Trump propagated a specious argument about aid to Ukraine under former President Barack Obama, where he claimed that he provided javelins while Obama provided pillows and sheets. However, the United States pledged more than $600 million in security assistance to Ukraine between 2014 and 2016, and Congress set aside $850 million for aid to Ukraine from fiscal years 2016 to 2019.
In conclusion, Trump made false or misleading statements during his rally in Waco, Texas, regarding various topics such as DeSantis, the Green New Deal, the 2020 presidential elections, and aid to Ukraine.
