- “They’re not coming after me, they’re coming after you and I’m just standing in their way”: Donald Trump speaks to sold out venue at the NCGOP State Convention on Saturday.
Former President Donald Trump delivered remarks on Saturday evening during the Grand Old Party Dinner at the 2023 NCGOP State Convention in Greensboro.
Speaking to a capacity crowd, the former president discussed a wide array of topics and pushed back against those he believes hate the United States and want to destroy it.
“For seven years we’ve been engaged in an epic struggle to rescue our country from the sinister forces who actually hate it and want to destroy it,” said Trump. “These forces are much stronger than China, Russia, North Korea, and Iran all put together. If we have the right leader, all of those countries are absolutely no threat. Together we stand up to the globalists; we stand up to the Marxists; we stand up to the RINOs [Republicans in name only]; we stand up to the communists and the environmental extremists; we stand up to the open borders fanatics, the radical left democrats and their lawless partisan prosecutors, and the fake new media.”
During the speech, Trump promoted the accomplishments of his former administration and put forth an ambitious domestic and foreign-policy agenda in the event he wins the Republican nomination and ultimately the presidency in 2024, The agenda centers on ending the war in Ukraine, improving care for U.S. military veterans, brokering fair trade deals, redeveloping major U.S. cities, gaining independence from China, making the U.S. the No. 1 manufacturing superpower in the world, and taking a hard line stance against illegal immigration with a focus on deportations.
On confronting the threat of China, Trump said, “When I’m back in the Oval Office I will revoke China’s most-favored-nation trade status.”
China was given most-favored-nation trade status in 2000, but given the communist nation’s hostility toward the United States in recent years, legislation has been proposed to revoke their designation.
Trump did not shy away from attacking the record of President Joe Biden.
“For three years, Joe Biden and his corrupt allies in Washington have waged economic warfare on the hardworking citizens of our country,” said Trump.
After the speech, Carolina Journal spoke with Cooper Falls, a delegate from Pitt County and president of the Republican Women of Pitt County organization. She believed that Trump’s stance on countering China is the correct one and that he communicated well.
“I thought it was a great speech,” she said. “There were a lot of points that he hit on. I think he is very accurate about the threat that China poses. He’s pretty blunt about what he thinks is going on in Washington, but I can’t argue with it. I might have delivered it differently, but everyone has their own way of communicating. He is very clear to understand, and I think we are very fortunate that we have very strong candidates running for president.”
Delegates were also receptive to Trump’s stance regarding the on-going war between Ukraine and Russia.
“He’s the only one who we have really heard say anything about the war machine and getting out of Ukraine,” said Karen Bentley, a delegate representing Mecklenburg County. “That’s why I voted for him the first time. My view is that what I saw from Trump during those 4 years proved to me that he could get it done. He had a list of things he wanted to get done and he got it done. What we have seen of him since his loss is a continued backbone of steel and to not fold in the face of everything that continues to be thrown at him.”
Kyshia Brassington, who represents North Carolina as committeewoman with the Republican National Committee told CJ that Republicans need to focus on the important issues Trump discussed in his speech.
“Everything he is saying is what we need to focus on,” she said. “Our kids, our schools, the border, and business deals. I can’t wait to get back to a Republican cycle and a Republican presidency.”
The former president also leveled criticism at his main primary opponents, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former Vice President Mike Pence, who both spoke at the convention.
Trump entered the Republican primary field in November of 2022, but since then he has been plagued by a flurry of lawsuits and indictments stemming from his handling of classified documents after leaving office in January 2021. He responded to the recent indictment in a video posted to his Truth Social page.
Despite this, polling indicates that he remains the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president in 2024. Trump is also the leading candidate among N.C. primary voters.
For full coverage and recap of the NCGOP State Convention, visit www.carolinajournal.com or follow on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and Youtube.