by Sharon Rondeau
(Jul. 26, 2022) – Shortly after 3:30 p.m. EDT on Tuesday, 45th President of the United States Donald J. Trump, assuming a somber tone and facial expression, spoke about rising crime throughout the country and actions he envisions need to be taken to restore public safety.
He suggested “drug dealers” receive the federal death penalty and that “the federal government can and should send the National Guard…without waiting for the approval of some governor that thinks it’s politically incorrect to bring them in” in instances where Americans’ lives are at risk due to major crime waves.
In the opening minutes, Trump referred to the “next president” as an unnamed Republican and recounted instances of brutal crime against innocent citizens, including that of a 73-year-old man taking a walk who a group of Philadelphia teens bludgeoned to death with a traffic cone with glee.
He urged legislation authorizing federal action when governors hesitate to deploy adequate law enforcement to criminal hot spots and the launch of a federal task force to identify gang members and other career criminals.
As his first trip back to Washington, DC since leaving on January 20, 2021, Trump said he did not recognize the city, which now is littered with refuse and homeless encampments. He remarked that foreign leaders are avoiding visiting the U.S. due to its crime problem.
Shortly after 4:00 p.m., Trump suggested an initiative to “build tents” on a temporary basis to rescue those living in the streets, then provide rehabilitation to assist them to return to society.
At 4:08, he invoked the open southern border with Mexico, but only briefly, returning to the topic at 4:17.
“We must restore the age-old right to self-defense,” he said, changing the subject. “We’re all heard the story of the bodega worker,” he said, referencing Jose Alba, who Manhattan DA Alvin Bragg originally charged with murder, sending him to Rikers Island with an untreated wound from the knife attack he suffered before killing the attacker in self-defense.
At 4:11, he said “federal, state and local” officials must enforce statutes aimed at “stopping the sexualization of our children,” including “puberty-blockers,” the nature of which he said he doesn’t fully understand.
“And by the way, we should not allow men to play in women’s sports,” he added to the sound of applause and cheers.
He said the House and Senate will need to enforce immigration law and reduce illegal crossings, hallmarks of his time in the White House, but that the person in the White House must lend his support, something absent now. At 4:21, Trump said he believes in that regard, “help” is “on the way,” and “sooner than people think” (paraphrased).
“To undo the damage that Biden has done,” Trump said, many more ICE officers will need to be hired. “We have to get ICE back, and the Border Patrol,” he said, the employees of which he said “want to do their job.”
He suggested increasing “jail time” for repeat immigration-law violators and fine those overstaying visitor visas.
He said the “one good thing” coming out of the Biden presidency is that “we’ll be able to get it done faster” than had Biden never assumed the White House. “We have to get it done as soon as we possibly can…and when you look at the violence…and so many other things…the damage that’s been caused,” he said at 4:37.
“I look forward to laying out many more details in the weeks and months to come,”Trump then said.
Summarizing at 4:39, he said children need to be protected from the “Marxist teachers’ unions” and parental rights in regard to their education.
“I won a second time; did a lot better the second time,” he said to raucous applause. “…and we may just have to do it again…” he added.
He then said anyone fired from the military as a result of “COVID mandates” should be reinstituted “with an apology” and that Congress should make it easier to “fire rogue bureaucrats.”
On election integrity, Trump said at 4:45 p.m., “We need to have same-day voting with paper ballots.”
His remarks can be viewed here as well as the remainder of the program, which is sponsored by the non-profit AFPI.