Coup
At a rally held just a week before the November 5 election, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump made a baseless claim that the Democrats had staged a “coup” to force President Joe Biden out of the 2024 presidential race.
Speaking at his Florida estate, Trump suggested that the Democrats had unfairly pressured Biden to abandon his re-election bid, recalling his unfounded claims of election fraud from the 2020 election, where he continues to assert that the presidency was stolen from him.
“They stole the presidency of the United States. You can call it a coup or whatever you like, but it wasn’t right,” Trump told his supporters, referring to Biden’s decision to withdraw from the race in July amid concerns over his age and ability to face a rematch against Trump.
Biden, at 81 years old, dropped his re-election bid after growing pressure from Democratic Party members who feared his age would be a disadvantage. Trump, at 78, continues to campaign against Democratic nominee Kamala Harris.
Trump also aimed strong criticism at Vice President Kamala Harris, calling her “dangerous” and attributing foreign conflicts and high levels of immigration to her tenure.
Harris, now the Democratic frontrunner, was preparing to speak at a rally later that day at the Ellipse near the White House—a symbolic location where Trump had previously urged his supporters to march on the Capitol during the January 6, 2021, insurrection.
At the event, Harris is expected to speak about her plans to reduce costs and bolster the middle class, while reminding voters of Trump’s past actions that led to the violent Capitol attack.
Harris’ lead over Trump has been steadily shrinking, with a recent Reuters/Ipsos poll showing her holding a narrow lead of 44% to Trump’s 43%.
Throughout her campaign, Harris has sought to emphasize Trump’s threat to democracy, particularly with respect to reproductive rights, while Trump has focused on criticizing the Biden administration’s economic management.
At the rally, Trump continued to attack Harris, linking her to economic concerns like rising prices of food, utilities, and housing. He emphasized that, despite these issues, the U.S. economy had outperformed others in the developed world since the pandemic.
Immigration also featured prominently in his speech, with Trump criticizing Harris for allegedly weakening U.S. borders. He highlighted a case from Houston, where two Venezuelan men were accused of killing a 12-year-old girl, blaming Harris for what he described as a failure to control illegal immigration.
Trump’s campaign faced controversy earlier in the week after a rally in New York where his ally, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, made vulgar and racist remarks.
Hinchcliffe disparaged Puerto Rico, referring to the U.S. territory as a “floating island of garbage,” and also made offensive comments about Black Americans, Jews, and Latinos. Despite the backlash, Trump continued his campaign tour, planning a visit to a predominantly Hispanic city in Pennsylvania.
I am a dynamic professional, specializing in Peace and Conflict Studies, Conflict Management and Resolution, and International Relations. My expertise is particularly focused on South Asian Conflicts and the intricacies of the Indian Ocean and Asia Pacific Politics. With my skills as a Content Writer, I serve as a bridge between academia and the public, translating complex global issues into accessible narratives. My passion for fostering understanding and cooperation on the national and international stage drives me to make meaningful contributions to peace and global discourse.
