“I was surprised she didn’t do a lot of interviews, but she’s not good at it, I guess,” Trump stated.”Now everyone’s watching, and now we see she’s defective. She’s a defective person, and we don’t need another defective person as President of the United States.”
Trump’s appearance at the annual Moms for Liberty event was a strategic move to galvanize support among his base. The group, known for its efforts to remove mentions of LGBTQ+ identity and structural racism from K-12 curricula, has been a significant force in conservative circles. The majority of its 130,000-plus members support Trump’s stance on education and oppose racial equity programs and transgender accommodations in schools.
However, Trump risks alienating moderate voters who view Moms for Liberty’s activism as too extreme. The group’s influence, once seen as a potential asset for the Republican ticket, has recently faced scrutiny due to scandals and lackluster local results.
Moms for Liberty has also been linked to Project 2025, a controversial blueprint for a conservative presidency that Trump has distanced himself from. Despite this, the group remains active, with notable successes in recent Florida primaries and endorsements of several first-time candidates.
At the conference, Trump did not reveal specifics about his speech but highlighted his education proposals, including promoting school choice and opposing transgender athletes in girls’ sports. He also criticized the Biden administration’s approach to public education.
The event, marked by a lively atmosphere and Trump’s characteristic style, included his usual rhetoric on illegal immigration and manufacturing. Amidst the festivities, Trump continued to criticize Harris and Democratic policies, using the occasion to reinforce his campaign themes.
As Trump addressed the crowd, he underscored his stance on issues like fossil fuel production, leveraging Pennsylvania’s significance to bolster his arguments. Despite the festive mood, the event was also marked by an incident involving a man who breached the media area before being subdued by law enforcement.