Donald Trump seemed to realise mid-rally on Monday morning that his campaign appearance in Raleigh, North Carolina, would be his last in the state.
The former president processed that realisation in real time, going off-script before veering back into ominous territory with his written remarks.
“Think of this: I won’t be doing this anymore with North Carolina,” he said. “And I won’t be doing this anymore with — after today, this is, I’m just thinking this, I’m going through this, that this will be our final moment.”
“But, the really, the more exciting moment is going to begin,” he continued.
Trump spoke at JS Dorton Arena, taking the stage 40 minutes after his planned arrival amid reports of a lower-than-expected turnout at the 7,610-seat venue. Video from reporters at the rally indeed showed quite a few empty seats one day before Trump faces Democratic nominee Kamala Harris at the polls.
“See, these moments of hundreds and hundreds of the most incredible rallies in any country — no country’s ever seen anything like this — but these moments, these moments that we’ve had together, these really were just to create what we’ll hopefully create tomorrow, which is we’re going to make America great again,” Trump said. “So we’ll have many meetings but we won’t have rally meetings. We’re going to have — maybe we’ll rally in that we’ll rally in our success.”
Trump then returned to his teleprompter, where his written remarks hinted darkly at what’s to come should he be elected.
“After all we’ve been through together, we stand on the verge of the four greatest years in American history,” he predicted.
“With your help we will restore America’s promise and we will take back the nation that we all love so much. We are one people, one family, and one glorious nation under God.”
Trump, who was impeached for attempting to overturn the 2020 election results by urging a violent mob to attack the US Capitol, then promised to “never, ever surrender.”
“Together we will fight, fight, fight, and will win, win, win,” he said. “Nov. 5 will be the most important day in the history of our country.”