In the aftermath of his warning about the risks of “death and destruction” that could hit the United States if he were to be impeached by American justice, Donald Trump maintained his belligerent rhetoric in front of his supporters on Saturday evening in Waco, Texas, opening its first election campaign rally for the 2024 presidential election to the notes of its song Justice for All which he recorded with the “January 6 Choir”.
This atypical choir is made up of inmates currently serving prison sentences for participating in the 2021 Capitol insurrection aimed at overthrowing the government of newly elected Joe Biden. The Republicans have been seeking for several months to make them martyrs, victims of justice guided by the Democrats, according to them.
Galvanized by the hundreds of supporters who came to meet him, in this ultra-conservative bastion of Texas, the populist again denounced the “instrumentalization of justice” by the Democrats, he claims, to silence the political opponent he is called upon to ‘destroy’ the ‘globalists’, the ‘communists’, the ‘open border fanatics’, to save the country.
“Either the deep state destroys our country or we destroy the deep state,” he said, setting the tone for a campaign that, for a third time, will once again seek to capitalize on the conspiracy theories that the ex-president likes to feed.
“I am your warrior, I am your justice, he added, even if I take a lot of blows in this race. But I am your reward”.
Hundreds of supporters
All week, Donald Trump has called an “abuse of power” the ongoing criminal investigation into whether he was guilty of misrepresentation and breach of campaign finance laws by having paid money. money to silence porn actress Stormy Daniels over adultery involving her.
A “witch hunt”, according to him, led by the management of the “Ministry of Injustice”, when there is “neither crime nor misdemeanor”, he argued, to applause and shouts of approval from the crowd.
“It’s the effect it has on people,” said Jennifer, who traveled from Houston to southern Texas to attend the political rally. Trump did nothing wrong. There’s tons of evidence in this case that clears him, but justice only chooses what suits him. »
From the early hours of Saturday morning, hundreds of populist supporters converged on Waco Regional Airport to attend the rally. Kara, a data analyst in his early twenties, and his companion David, a local trucker, were among them.
“This is my first time attending one of his rallies,” she said while proudly wearing a pink cowboy hat promoting Trump’s 2024 candidacy. he is not afraid to speak his mind. Some criticize him for that. But that’s what we need: openness and honesty to get out of the dark times we’ve entered. »
“When he was president, everything was fine,” added David. Now everything is overpriced. I do not like it. With my salary, I can barely pay my bills. Why can’t we make enough money to live on anymore? »
For Randy, a young retiree from the construction industry who arrived the night before to secure a place of choice in the assembly, this first stop in Waco for Donald Trump is certainly no coincidence, he said. he says, recalling that in this city, 30 years ago, “patriots” stood up to the government.
In fact, for 51 days, members of the Davidians sect opposed the authorities who accused them of drug production and arms trafficking. The siege ended in the mass suicide of 82 of its members, becoming a national tragedy that several Republicans and conspirators are now seeking to politicize.
“It’s a birthday,” Randy said. It forces people to look at what happened here. It is a symbol of the abuse of power of which citizens, like Donald Trump, can be victims. »
Waco, city symbol
On Saturday, during the day, the billionaire’s campaign officials denied having set their first milestone in this city, on purpose. “This is the perfect place for so many supporters from across the state of Texas and neighboring states to attend this historic rally,” said spokesperson Steven Cheung, quoted by the Associated Press. , referring to the strategic position of the small town of 130,000 inhabitants located near four major urban centers, Dallas, Houston, Austin and San Antonio.
On stage, Donald Trump also made a point of evoking the memory of this resistance, preferring instead to summon the memory of the patriots of Fort Alamo, further south, who led to the founding of Texas, by also holding a sits opposite the government of Mexico.
“There is no connection to be made between the Waco headquarters and Donald Trump, said in an interview with the Duty Lacey Riley, political organizer for the Republican Party in Denton County, north of Dallas. The Branch Davidians were a cult, not Trump. Yes, he has committed supporters, but he is not a guru. »
A few hours before the arrival of the Republican candidate in Texas, Todd, in his early fifties, said he was ready to do whatever his candidate was going to ask of him “to save the country”, he said, and this , even though he was arrested for participating in the storming of the Capitol on January 6, 2021 in Washington. “I lost my job, I was sentenced to four months in prison for trespassing and trespassing, but that won’t stop me,” he said. Trump asked us to protest [contre la menace d’une mise en accusation] and that’s why I’m here. That’s what most people are here for. Protest does not mean mayhem. But if I had to do a January 6 again, I would. The situation is too critical in our country for us to sit idly by. »
In front of his audience, Donald Trump warned that the campaign he officially launched on Saturday will be “our last battle. You send me back to the White House and the country will be free again,” he said.
More than a year from the presidential election, the polls announce the prospect of a tight race between Donald Trump and Joe Biden, if the rematch were to be played today. With a slight lead granted to the populist.
This report was financed thanks to the support of the Transat International Journalism Fund.The duty.