During a rally on Friday night in Detroit, Michigan, former President Donald Trump experienced massive technical difficulties which caused him to stop his speech to the half empty arena after he appeared to nod off on stage at an earlier event.
The former president’s mic appeared to cut out mid-speech and Trump was seen pacing around the stage while the screen behind him read ” Technical Difficulties: Complicated Business.” The event was two hours delayed, according to CNN, and the arena appeared to be only half filled when Trump began to speak. Trump also appeared to nod-off on stage
Both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris made appearances in the battleground state on Friday, with Trump earlier in the day participating in a round-table with voters in Oakland County. Trump during that appearance appeared to nod off on stage during the event. Kamala HQ, Harris’ social media page, was quick to seize on the opportunity posting a video of the event on their official Twitter page. Meanwhile Harris held a rally in Grand Rapids, Lansing and Waterford Township.
Michigan is one of three “blue wall” states that, along with Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, will help decide the election, and the diverse voting blocs are key to winning the state. Both Trump and Harris, his Democratic rival, made a push for union workers and Black voters as they worked every angle for support.
David Plouffe, a top campaign adviser for Harris, told CNN that he believed all of the swing states were still in play, but the key was zeroing in on specific groups of voters.
“We’re going to treat every cohort like they’re a swing voter,” he said. “We’re going to fight for every vote.”
Trump has tried to capitalize on frustration with Harris over the U.S. backing of Israel’s offensive in Gaza and its invasion of Lebanon, following the Oct. 7, 2023, attack by Hamas on Israel.
His allies have held meetings for months with community leaders in Michigan, which has a sizable population of Arab Americans, particularly in and around Detroit. Asked about the Hamtramck mayor’s endorsement, Trump said: “I mean, frankly, it’s an honor. I’ve got a lot of endorsements, Arab Americans, from a lot of people.”
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AFP via Getty Images)
Trump on Friday also made an unplanned stop in Hamtramck, Michigan to visit a new campaign office ahead of the rally in Detroit. Trump met with Hamtramck Mayor Amer Ghalib who had recently endorsed Trump. Hamtramck has a large Arab-American and Muslim population. Amer asked Trump about his promises to conduct mass deportations if elected in November.
“One thing that the Democrats keep sending to our community to scare them (is) that you will come and deport them, although some of them are second and third-generation immigrants. So I want you to respond to these accusations and hear delivering to our community. What would you say to them?” Amer said. Trump responded saying “Fake news.’
