Donald Trump drew a mixture of fans from his TV days and his presidential campaign supporters to the Prince William County Fairgrounds Wednesday night.
The billionaire, reality TV star turned presidential candidate spoke for one and a half hours about foreign policy, about building a wall to stop illegal immigration from Mexico, and he took the time to bash President Obama, Democratic frontrunner Hilary Clinton, and his fellow Republican candidates also seeking the GOP nomination for president.
Trump worked to convince supporters that he would address issues with MediCare and Social Security, and repeal the federal health care mandate.
“We’re going to get rid of Obamacare which is a disaster,” Trump said to applause. “We’re going to replace it with something great. There’re so many alternatives that are so much better.”
Trump said “Obama lied” when he said the federal health care program would allow people to keep their current physicians and insurance plans, and he said that wasn’t the case. Trump cited reports that Obamacare users are unhappy with high deductibles, and that the national health care program is seeing falling approval ratings.
Trump also talked about the need to build a wall across the southern U.S. border with Mexico to curb illegal immigration.
“We’re going to build a wall, it’s going to be a great wall, it’s not going to be a little toy, we’re going to build it for not a lot of money…” said Trump.
The wall would span 2,000 miles across the border, with 1,000 of the wall and the rest “natural barriers,” he said.
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“We’re going to stop people from coming into our country illegally…and if they want to come in legally we want them to come in, and they have to go through the process…” added Trump.
Trump also turned his attention to Hillary Clinton and the email controversy, where Clinton stored public emails on a personal server at her New York home.
“Hillary shouldn’t be allowed to run because what she did is illegal,” said Trump, who added he wants face Clinton for the presidency.
The Republican also promised reforms in the Veterans Affairs medical system and praised its doctors but denounced its administrators. He also promised to bring jobs back to the U.S. that have been outsourced to countries like China, Japan, and Mexico, giving more college graduates the opportunity for work.
“They’re choking with debt,” Trump said of recent college graduates. “They’ve went two years or four years to college, and they can’t get a job when they get out.”
A U.S. Secret Service official said 1,200 packed the Commerical Building at the fairgrounds to see the candidate. Trump said heavy rain during the days leading up to his appearance nearly forced the cancelation of the event.
A spokeswoman at the fairgrounds said the Trump campaign requested an indoor space to hold the rally. Previous rallies by major political candidates were held outdoors in a field at the fairgrounds.
Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders, a Democrat seeking the presidency visited the fairgrounds in September. Obama also rallied at the fairgrounds during his run for office in 2008.
Prince William, a “swing county” and second-largest jurisdiction in the commonwealth, and continues draw the attention of politicians who see it as a political bellwether for Virginia. Prince Wiliam is made up of a majority-minority, population, and the county is considered “purple” with Fairfax to the north a “blue” county and Stafford to the south firmly “red” territory.
Jason Sulser, of Fredericksburg, unfurled a Confederate battle flag inside the Commerical Building before Trump took the stage. He flag was obstructing the view of some at the rally, and he was escorted out by police.
An Alexandria woman brought a Bernie Sanders campaign sign into the building and was asked to move to the back of the room. Signs were prohibited from the rally and were confiscated at a security check, some rally attendees said.
A group of protesters also gathered outside the entrance of the Commerical Building, linked hands and shouted “dump Trump.” The protesters were asked to leave, and the majority white group began shouting “black lives matter” as police escorted them out.
Trump supporters said they like that the candidate “speaks his mind” and because he seen as a political outsider.
“If he all of a sudden says ‘I’m going to do something about the second amendment, if he changes it, he’d be off my list really quick. I like that he protects it a lot,” Brian Aiello, of Fairfax. “If he goes the other way, so will I.”
