Donald Trump Jr. Visits State College
STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — Donald Trump Jr. stopped by State College on Tuesday as part of his father’s re-election campaign.
It was an energetic atmosphere outside of the University Park Airport, with a crowd of several hundred cheering for much of the event. Trump Jr. started the rally by calling upon the younger generation to lead the United States in the future. Trump himself was impressed by the turnout.
“This is the 2016 campaign on steroids,” Trump Jr. said.
Heading into the event, folks were hoping to hear how Trump would handle the economy and pandemic. Despite their wishes, Trump Jr. never mentioned the word “coronavirus” once.
Landon Wiest is a resident of the State College community. Wiest, a supporter of the current administration, hopes that this Trump Jr. event can help people see a new perspective.
“This is a very purple area,” Wiest said. “Are these a bunch of minority-hating white supremacists, or are these people who care about their families and religion?”
“More than any other place that I've ever lived, I've seen a beautiful diversity amongst people in this community,” Wiest continued. “I've lived in both California and Utah, but here in State College, the two sides have been able to have a good dialogue and reach compromise.”
Trump Jr. attacked Biden in his unscripted speech. He made his audience aware that they need to fight for Trump.
“The economy is on the table and your freedom of speech is on the table,” Trump Jr. said. “Even your second amendment is on the table. We need to fight for it."
The energy from the crowd was prevalent. With chants of “four more years” and “U.S.A.” raining down, Trump Jr. fed off the energy. After all, it’s what he and his father are so well known for.
Trump Jr. had a sense of humor and he reacted to folks yelling from the crowd. One supporter even complimented his hair, which made the whole crowd laugh.
Following the event, Trump Jr., without a mask on, jumped from the stage and into the crowd. Hundreds of people swarmed him asking for autographs and pictures. Trump Jr. gave his time to nearly anyone who wanted to say hello. He was gracious for their support.
Following the conclusion of the event, a small crowd of protesters gathered outside on the street. They peacefully held up Biden/Harris and Black Lives Matter signs.
This created an interesting dichotomy, as Trump supporters gathered on the opposite side of the road. With a police escort, Trump Jr.’s vehicles drove right between them.
Pennsylvania has the fifth-most electoral votes in the United States and has voted for the winning candidate in each of the last three elections.
Kyle Cannillo is a junior majoring in journalism. To contact him, email kcannillo1@gmail.com.
