US President-elect Donald Trump addressed thousands of enthusiastic supporters in Phoenix, Arizona, on Sunday. The event was his first public rally since his election victory in November.
For more than 75 minutes, Trump celebrated his return to power, experimented with a message of national unity, and struck his usual combative tone on both foreign and domestic issues.
Key highlights include:
President Trump balances message of unity with trademark aggression
President Trump’s speech combined familiar rhetoric with calls for unity. President Trump declared his victory over Vice President Kamala Harris a “landslide” and emphasized a newfound national pride, saying, “There’s a spirit now that wasn’t there a while ago.”
He extended an olive branch to Democrats, saying: i will try. I’m really going to try,” the Associated Press reported.
Despite these conciliatory notes, much of the speech stuck to President Trump’s signature style, including quips about being “cheated” by foreign countries and Joe Biden It included false claims that he, not the president, had won.
A tough story about the Panama Canal
President Trump has targeted the Panama Canal as a new issue in his “America First” policy. He criticized Panama’s “unfair” shipping charges and floated the idea of regaining control of the canal, which the United States handed back to Panama in 1999.
President Trump called former President Jimmy Carter’s decision “stupid.”
President Trump declared, “If the moral and legal principles of this generous donation are not upheld, we will demand that the Panama Canal be returned to the United States.”
Panamanian President José Raúl Mulino flatly rejected this idea, saying: “Every square meter of the canal belongs to Panama and will always remain so.” Murino, a conservative leader often aligned with President Trump, defended the toll system as necessary to maintain the canal’s operation and sovereignty.
About President Elon Musk
President Trump addressed rumors of his growing influence and rejected the idea that he had ceded power to billionaire Elon Musk. Referring to the proposal from Democrats, President Trump said, “No, no. That’s not happening. He’s not going to be president.”
Musk’s recent social media posts helped derail a bipartisan budget deal and contributed to tensions in Washington. President Trump empowered Musk by appointing him co-chair of a committee focused on cutting federal spending, but his comments suggest that Musk’s rising profile could overshadow Trump’s authority. He suggested that it was not something that would make it worse.
Avoid tariff and budget disputes
President Trump avoided discussing the Washington budget fight after failing to persuade House Republicans to raise the national debt ceiling. Instead, he focused on broader economic goals and avoided detailing his proposed tariffs, a key element of his platform.
Celebrating Republican advances from all walks of life
President Trump emphasized the Republican Party’s broad coalition and thanked Turning Point USA for its efforts to mobilize young, Hispanic and black voters. “You had a grassroots army of turning points,” Trump said, adding, “It’s not my victory, it’s your victory.”
The rally boosted Trump’s popularity among conservatives while demonstrating his continued reliance on a combination of fiery rhetoric and grassroots mobilization to achieve his policy goals.
(With input from AP)
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