‘They are the enemies of our nation’: Trump lashes out at protesters during disruption of Texas rally | Today’s news
US President Donald Trump was repeatedly interrupted by protesters during a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas on Wednesday (October 7th) as he tried to drum up support for Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.
Several protesters heckled Trump during his remarks at a packed Freeman Coliseum, prompting security and police to escort them out of the venue. At least 10 protesters were ejected, with some incidents also involving clashes between protesters and rally participants.
Trump reacted angrily to the disruption, accusing the protesters of being paid by “enemies of our nation”.
“Get out of here,” Trump told protesters as the disruption continued.
At one point, Trump briefly stepped away from the microphone as the commotion in the crowd grew. According to The Associated Press, the interruptions occurred as he criticized Paxton’s Democratic opponent, James Talarico.
Trump mocks protesters after ejection
Trump continued to address the protesters even as security repeatedly escorted them out.
“He’s going home to his mom,” Trump said of one protester. “But what he doesn’t know is that his mother voted for Trump.
The president also mocked some of those removed from the assembly, commenting on their appearance and weight.
“One has to lose a lot of weight,” Trump said, while calling the others “really bad looking people.”
Video from the scene showed some Trump supporters confronting protesters as they were being removed. In one incident, a participant appeared to grab another man by the hair.
Repeated disruptions forced Trump to pause or interrupt his remarks several times before continuing his speech.
Trump doubled down on San Diego, Los Angeles comments
The rally wasn’t focused exclusively on the Texas Senate race. Trump also returned to controversial remarks he made earlier in the week about the possibility of Iran attacking American cities.
Trump has previously suggested that Iran might try to “take out” Los Angeles and San Diego, comments that drew criticism from California officials.
At a rally in San Antonio, Trump repeated the warning, arguing that the United States would protect cities.
“And I said that the other day, whether they hit a missile on the way to San Diego or Los Angeles,” Trump said.
“You want to see a horror show? Let them hit San Diego. Let them come to Los Angeles,” he added. “We will not allow that. We protect our cities. We protect our country.”
The White House defended Trump’s earlier statements, saying the cities were safe because the US had prevented Iran from developing a nuclear weapon.
Trump promotes Ken Paxton
Trump’s main political goal in San Antonio was to boost Paxton, who faces Talarico in a closely watched Senate race.
Trump described Paxton as “perhaps the greatest attorney general in the United States of America” and praised him for remaining loyal to the president.
“He was tough and he was with us the whole way,” Trump said. “He’s a fantastic man.
Paxton later joined Trump on stage to thank the president for attending the rally.
Trump has repeatedly attacked Talarico over, among other things, the death penalty, an issue with particular resonance in Texas, which leads the US in executions.
Trump reiterated his support for the death penalty for “big-time drug dealers, human traffickers and anyone who kills a police officer.”
He also mentioned the execution of Nidal Malik Hasan, a former Army major convicted of killing 13 people in a mass shooting at Fort Hood in 2009. Trump said Hasan would be executed by firing squad after approving the method earlier this week.
Texas is becoming a key battleground for Republicans
The rally comes as Republicans are devoting more resources to Texas ahead of the Nov. 3 election.
Texas has long been one of the most reliably Republican states in the country, with Trump winning it by nearly 14 percentage points in 2024. But Republicans face a more challenging political environment this year due to Trump’s low approval ratings, the Iran war and rising fuel prices.
A Reuters/Ipsos poll released on Monday put Trump’s approval rating at 32%, matching the poll’s lowest level ever.
Wednesday’s appearance was Trump’s third trip to Texas in less than a month to campaign for Paxton. Republican officials have more than $300 million to spend on statewide elections.
The president’s political standing was also underscored by the absence of Republican Governor Greg Abbott from the rally. Abbott, who won re-election in 2022 by about 11 percentage points, is himself facing a competitive re-election bid against Democratic state Rep. Gina Hinojosa.
Trump also used the rally to announce that former baseball pitcher Roger Clemens would receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor.
Trump called the award a “step up” from Clemens’ failure to get into the Baseball Hall of Fame.
Read also | Trump pledges $5,000 to woo voters: Inside GOP scramble to save midterms amid Iran war
