Trump criticises 'crooked' country in rambling speech

As Harris goes for Black vote ahead of polling day tomorrow

- SAM RKAINA

Donald Trump and Kamala Harris hit the campaign trail yesterday in one of the closest US presidential races in recent memory. The former president attended events in Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Georgia, three closely fought swing states that could well determine the result in the coming days.

During a two-hour address on his first stop of the day at Lancaster airport in Lititz, Pennsylvania, Mr Trump gave a profane and conspiracy-laden speech in which he mused about reporters being shot and labelled Democrats as “demonic.”

Noting the ballistic glass placed in front of him at events after a gunman nearly assassinated him at a July rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, Trump talked about places where he saw openings.

“I have this piece of glass here,” he said. “But all we have really over here is the fake news. And to get me, somebody would have to shoot through the fake news. And I don’t mind that so much.”

It was the second time in recent days that Mr Trump has talked about guns being pointed at people he considers enemies after he suggested former representative Liz Cheney, a prominent Republican critic, would not be willing to support foreign wars if she had “nine barrels shooting at her”.

His campaign later sought to clarify his meaning. “President Trump was brilliantly talking about the two assassination attempts on his own life, including one that came within 1/4 of an inch from killing him, something that the media constantly talks and jokes about,” campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung said in a statement. “The president’s statement about protective glass placement has nothing to do with the media being harmed, or anything else.”