Donald Trump boasts he's leading in early voting and calls Joe Biden a 'criminal' as Michigan crowd calls for Gov. Gretchen Whitmer - who was almost kidnapped - to be 'locked up'
President Donald Trump boasted that he's leading in early voting and said he was aiming for 12 years in office during his first of two campaign stops Saturday in Muskegon, Michigan - despite polls showing he is trailing Joe Biden.
The president called his Democratic rival Joe Biden a 'criminal' and knocked around the state's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer - who was almost kidnapped in a recent plot - sending his raucous crowd into chants of 'lock him and her up'.
Trump then went on to mock the idea of replacing Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day and hit out at protesters who have gathered nationwide calling for racial equality, saying that seeing them being 'pushed about' by federal agents was 'beautiful'.
Michigan marked the first stop on his three-day campaign trip across four key swing states and comes just one week after he held his first public event following his four-day stint in hospital for COVID-19.
President Donald Trump appeared Saturday in Muskegon, Michigan for his first of two campaign rallies. He's on a three-day spring through four key states and will also hold a fundraiser in California
President Donald Trump arrives Saturday in Muskegon, Michigan for a campaign rally during a tour of four swing states over three days
He told the crowd the Democrats needed to be shown a 'thundering defeat at the ballot box.' 'And by the way, it seems to be happening,' the president said
He admitted that he thought the election would have been in the bag had the coronavirus pandemic not happen
Trump said he was aiming for 12 years in office during his first of two campaign stop Saturday in Muskegon, Michigan
The president called his Democratic rival a 'criminal' and knocked around the state's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer - with his raucous crowd chanting lock him and her up
more videos
Woman launches shocking attack on fellow shopper not wearing a mask
Don't squeal! Dog headbutts two-timing friend who tattled on him
Parents and pupils lay flowers for teacher killed in attack
Married At First Sight David Pugh retells his home invasion fight
UK Hospitality's Kate Nicholls says restrictions will affect jobs
The Royal Navy unveil flying Iron Man style exoskeleton
Adorable puppy snuggles into owner's slipper to keep warm
Woman rescued after snake wraps itself around her leg
Anti-lockdown protesters descend on London as COVID restrictions tighten
Jacinda Ardern delivers speech after win in New Zealand election
Shocking moment a truck RAMS a cyclist off their bike
People believed to be migrants arrive in Dover
'It just came out, we're leading - early voting,' the president told thousands of supporters packed outside the Muskegon County Airport Saturday evening.
He told the crowd the Democrats needed to be shown a 'thundering defeat at the ballot box.' 'And by the way, it seems to be happening,' the president said.
He admitted that he thought the election would have been in the bag had the coronavirus pandemic not happen.
'This thing wasn't going to even be an election,' he said and then referenced the 'plague.'
'I didn't have to come to Michigan,' Trump added, claiming he would have won the state because manufacturing had come back.
However he later flip-flopped between an uncharacteristic lack of confidence in his ability to secure a second term and a claim that he will secure not only a second but a third term in office - a move that would mean overturning current laws around the seat of government.
Trump said he would be in office until January 20 - when the next president is inaugurated - before quickly changing tact and saying '12 will be now the gold standard'.
'We go up to January 20,' he said in a rare moment of uncertainty.
'But I don't think we need to worry... we'll get the next four years and then if we decide to go for an extra four, or eight, or something,' he said, sending the crowd chanting '12 more years!'.
'I think 12 will be now the gold standard that will be the new chant.'
Upon arriving in Muskegon, Trump realized that the wind may do some damage to his hair.
'Get me a hat out of that plane,' he said nodding toward Air Force One.
He also joked that he was hat-less in a seat of Trump and winter hats before aide John McEntee came onstage and handed the president a red 'Keep America Great' hat.
Trump was then matching many of the maskless revelers in the crowd - with only around a third of the thousands of people gathered at the airport venue were wearing masks to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
Supporters smile as they listen to the president speaking in Michigan. Many wore red MAGA hats but very few wore face masks
Supporters hold up Make America Great Again banners for Trump at the rally where he boasted he had 'done more in 47 months than Biden has done in 47 years'
Maskless crowds listen to Trump hit out at Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for keeping the state locked down
He also downplayed a recent right-wing militia plot to kidnap Whitmer saying 'they're saying she was threatened. And she blamed me. And our people were the ones who worked for her people'
more videos
Woman launches shocking attack on fellow shopper not wearing a mask
Don't squeal! Dog headbutts two-timing friend who tattled on him
French resident films shooting of man who beheaded teacher
France's Macron arrives at scene of 'terror attack' where teacher died
Married At First Sight David Pugh retells his home invasion fight
The Royal Navy unveil flying Iron Man style exoskeleton
Adorable puppy snuggles into owner's slipper to keep warm
Woman rescued after snake wraps itself around her leg
Anti-lockdown protesters descend on London as COVID restrictions tighten
Jacinda Ardern delivers speech after win in New Zealand election
Shocking moment a truck RAMS a cyclist off their bike
People believed to be migrants arrive in Dover
At the rally, Trump hammered Michigan's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer for keeping the state locked down.
'You got to get your governor to open up your state, okay?' he told the crowd of mainly maskless supporters.
'And get your schools open.'
He also downplayed the recent right-wing militia plot to kidnap her.
'They're saying she was threatened. And she blamed me. And our people were the ones who worked for her people,' Trump told the crowd.
In response a Trump fan shouted 'liar!' before a 'lock her up!' chant erupted.
At another point a supporter shouted 'lock him up!' - a cue that was directed at Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.
Trump repeatedly hit out at his rival candidate during the rally.
A Michigan crowd filled with Trump supporters chanted 'lock her up!' about the state's Democratic Gov. Gretchen Whitmer as the president downplayed a recent right-wing militia's plot to kidnap her
'He's a criminal. He's committed crimes,' Trump said.
Later, he falsely accused Biden of firing a Ukrainian prosecutor who was looking into the company Biden's son Hunter was advising.
'He makes 'Crooked Hillary' look like amateur hour,' Trump said.
He added later in the rally: 'I did more in 47 months that sleep Joe Biden did in 47 years,' he claimed before saying 'a vote for Republicans is a vote for the American dream'.
He added: 'Can you imagine if this sleepy guy gets in?'
As well as laying into Biden, Trump launched an attack on Representative Ilhan Omar and appeared to mispronounce her name - one day after Republican Sen. David Perdue was labeled a 'racist' for appearing to mock the first name of Democratic vice-presidential candidate Kamala Harris.
Trump blasted that Omar 'doesn't love our country too much, I don't think.'
The president famously said of Omar and other congresswomen of color in the past that they should 'go back' to the 'totally broken and crime infested places from which they came.'
Trump spooned Michiganders some of his trademark culture war fodder including that Democrats want to 'blow up' Mount Rushmore and 'take down' the Jefferson Memorial and the Washington Monument.
'This is what we're dealing with folks,' Trump said to cheers.
He mocked liberals who want to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day, pointing out they probably lost the Italian-American vote.
He sang the praises of his third Supreme Court pick, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who will likely get confirmed by the Republican-led Senate before Election Day.
'Amy is going to, she's done amazing, it's amazing to watch her,' Trump gushed, calling her much more impressive than the 'radical left senators.'
'Unlike Joe she doesn't need notes, it's nice,' Trump said.
Trump launched an attack on Representative Ilhan Omar and appeared to mispronounce her name - one day after Republican Sen. David Perdue was labeled 'racist' for appearing to intentionally missay the first name of Kamala Harris
He sang the praises of his third Supreme Court pick, Judge Amy Coney Barrett, who will likely get confirmed by the Republican-led Senate before Election Day
Trump went on to boast about having 'super duper missiles' adding that they were 'all made in the US by the way'
Trump stepping off Air Force One on arrival at Michigan for the rally as he ramps up the campaign trail with just over two weeks until election da
more videos
Woman launches shocking attack on fellow shopper not wearing a mask
Don't squeal! Dog headbutts two-timing friend who tattled on him
French resident films shooting of man who beheaded teacher
France's Macron arrives at scene of 'terror attack' where teacher died
Married At First Sight David Pugh retells his home invasion fight
The Royal Navy unveil flying Iron Man style exoskeleton
Adorable puppy snuggles into owner's slipper to keep warm
Woman rescued after snake wraps itself around her leg
Anti-lockdown protesters descend on London as COVID restrictions tighten
Jacinda Ardern delivers speech after win in New Zealand election
Shocking moment a truck RAMS a cyclist off their bike
People believed to be migrants arrive in Dover
Trump also poked fun at an aide and a crew member of vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris' contracting the coronavirus. 'We wish her best,' he said sarcastically. 'She's in seclusion,' Trump also added.
Out of caution, Harris cancelled all of her campaign travel until Monday, but she's not technically under quarantine.
As for his own battle with the virus, Trump joked about having droves of doctors surrounding him.
'And each one of them wanted to touch a different part of my body,' Trump said to laughs.
At one point, Trump erupted into his law and order rhetoric saying he will fund more police while calling the heavy-handed tactics federal agents have taken against protesters calling for racial justice 'beautiful'.
'There's something about that, when you watched everybody getting pushed around, there's some very beautiful about it. I don't care what anyone says. Not politically correct,' he said.
He also also boasted he has so much support from police groups that 'he couldn't read the list because it is so long.'
'We even got the endorsement of New York law enforcement,' he beamed.
Trump went on to boast about having 'super duper missiles' adding that they were 'all made in the US by the way'.
The president closed out the rally with what has become his signature move - dad dancing to the YMCA.
Overall Saturday's trip will take him through four key swing states: Michigan, Wisconsin, Nevada and Arizona, with just 17 days to go before the 2020 presidential election.
He'll also fly to California Sunday for an Orange County fundrasier at tech mogul Palmer Lucky's estate.
Since recovering from the coronavirus, Trump has held rally after rally, making his official return to the campaign trail Monday.
He traveled to Florida, Pennsylvania, Iowa, North Carolina, back to Florida for his Thursday NBC News night town hall, Georgia and then Florida again.
President Donald Trump makes his way to board Air Force One at Andrews Air Force Base on Saturday as he departs for a three-day campaign blitz with rallies in four key swing states
Ted Nugent warms up the crowd before a Trump rally on Saturday in Muskegon, Michigan. After testing positive and recovering from coronavirus, President Trump has ramped up his schedule of public events
Vendors lined the entranceway to a Trump rally at the Muskegon County Airport in Michigan on Saturday
Supporters of President Donald J. Trump wait in line to participate in his campaign rally at the Southern Wisconsin Regional Airport in Janesville, Wisconsin on Saturday
more videos
Woman launches shocking attack on fellow shopper not wearing a mask
Don't squeal! Dog headbutts two-timing friend who tattled on him
French resident films shooting of man who beheaded teacher
France's Macron arrives at scene of 'terror attack' where teacher died
Married At First Sight David Pugh retells his home invasion fight
The Royal Navy unveil flying Iron Man style exoskeleton
Adorable puppy snuggles into owner's slipper to keep warm
Woman rescued after snake wraps itself around her leg
Anti-lockdown protesters descend on London as COVID restrictions tighten
Jacinda Ardern delivers speech after win in New Zealand election
Shocking moment a truck RAMS a cyclist off their bike
People believed to be migrants arrive in Dover
Florida, as well as North Carolina, seem to hold more promise for Trump than the Midwest, which had traditionally been Democratic until he flipped Wisconsin and Michigan in 2016.
But that hasn't stopped the president from traveling there anyway.
Trump first heads to Muskegon, Michigan, and then on to Janesville, Wisconsin for back-to-back rallies Saturday.
The president arrives in Wisconsin as the state broke a record for new positive coronavirus cases Friday.
It's the third time a new record has been hit in the state in a one-week span.
Wisconsin also hit record highs in hospitalizations and deaths, according to The Associated Press.
The state's Democratic Gov. Tony Evers publicly expressed worries about the president holding the Saturday rally in his state.
'Unless something extraordinary happens between now and then, he'll be encouraging a super-spreader event,' Evers said. 'As governor or the state of Wisconsin I sure would ask him personally, have people wear a mask, have them be physically distant.'
Despite Trump, first lady Melania Trump, Barron Trump, Hope Hicks, Stephen Miller and a slew of other Trump aides and Congressional allies contracting the coronavirus since late September, the president hasn't changed his tune on the virus, nor implemented additional safety measures at his rallies.
He has, however, tossed out branded masks to his crowds.
Democratic Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers accused Trump of 'encouraging a super-spreader event' with his Janesville rally. Above, people line up to attend the Wisconsin rally hours before it is scheduled to begin on Saturday
Democratic Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers accused Trump of 'encouraging a super-spreader event' with his Janesville rally. Above, people line up to attend the Wisconsin rally hours before it is scheduled to begin on Saturday
Trump makes his way to board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base for the rallies Saturday
Trump supporters gather in Janesville ahead of a rally there as Trump launches a three-day campaign blitz
The president arrives in Wisconsin as the state broke a record for new positive coronavirus cases Friday