Former President Donald Trump spoke to a sold-out audience Friday at the annual Alabama Republican Party summer dinner in Montgomery.
Trump, who launched his reelection campaign last November, picked up the endorsements of Sen. Tommy Tuberville and every Republican congressman in the state on the day of his arrival in the Yellowhammer State.
“Eight years ago this month, we held one of the very first rallies of the 2016 campaign right here in Alabama,” Trump said. “Together we launched the greatest political movement in the history of our country.
“Alabama patriots like you are going to do it again. We are going to do it even bigger and better than 2016.”
Trump also highlighted some of his policies during his term as president, and labeled the left as “communist.”
“We said no to open borders, no to globalist trade deals, no to endless wars, and no to the the godless values of the communist left.” he said. “That’s what they are. They skipped socialism. Remember I used to say this will not be a socialist country. I was right. They skipped that station.
“We always put America first. In response our enemies unleashed an army of rabid left-wing lawyers, corrupts, and really corrupt Marxist prosecutors. These are dishonest people, bad people.”
Primary opponent and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis was another topic the former president appeared keen to discuss.
“You wonder why I don’t like him.” Trump said. “I got him elected. He was losing badly.
“He was down many many points. I think like 38 or 40 or some ridiculous number. He came to my office with tears in his eyes saying “Please can I have your endorsement?”
Trump talked about transitioning to being more aggressive toward the Biden administration.
“You know I’ve never hit him that hard, if you have followed me, and many of you have,” he said. “I never hit him that hard, because I had to respect the office of the president, the presidency and I did, I had a great respect.
“But when they indicted their political opponent. I said ‘now the gloves are coming off.’”
Trump also made a promise to the crowd.
“On election day 2024 we are going to evict crooked Joe Biden from the White House,” he said. “We are going to expel the criminals and the thugs from the halls of power in Washington, D.C.”
Trump is the Republican front runner for the 2024 presidential election. So far, he’s raised $35 million in the second quarter of 2023, more than doubling last quarterin which his campaign raised $18.8 million.
ALGOP Chairman John Wahl told the audience of some 2,700 the event brought in a record $1.2 million for the state party.
Austen Shipley is a staff writer for Yellowhammer News.
