Republican nominee, at rally in Tucson, Arizona, attacks ABC moderators and says there will not be another debate
Donald Trump delivered his first public remarks since his debate against Kamala Harris at a campaign event on Thursday in Arizona, a key swing state that both candidates are eager to secure.
An estimated 5,000 people braved the blazing temperatures – which hovered just above 100F (37.8C) through the afternoon – to wait in line outside the Linda Ronstadt Music Hall in Tucson, an auditorium rented by the campaign that holds about 2,300 people. Meanwhile, city emergency crews responded to dozens of calls for heat injuries before Trump took the stage, according to local public radio reporter Alisa Zaira Reznick.
Trump stood before a backdrop etched with his campaign promises of “make housing affordable again” and “no tax on tips” – a signal that the speech would focus heavily on amplifying his economic platform. But instead, the former president used much of his time to reframe his debate performance – which even Trump’s own aides have admitted will not win him new voters – by casting it in a far more favorable light.
“We had a monumental victory over comrade Kamala Harris,” Trump said to cheers, using a deriding nickname and intentionally mispronouncing the vice-president’s first name. His depiction came in stark contrast to the widespread criticism over his sub-par performance from conservatives and progressives alike.
Trump blamed the moderators, who he called “low-life anchors”, complaining of mistreatment from the two veteran journalists who fact-checked his attempts at spreading misinformation during the debate.
