5 takeaways from Trump rally at UNLV in Las Vegas — PHOTOS
Former President Donald Trump predicted that Nevada will flip for him, which would mark the first time the Silver State elected a Republican for president since 2004.
“With your help, 12 days from now, we are going to win Nevada,” he told a large and enthusiastic crowd at UNLV’s Thomas & Mack Center.
Trump encouraged his supporters to get out and vote during the Thursday night rally organized by Turning Point Action, just 12 days before the Nov. 5 election. His surrogates told attendees to find 10 people to vote with them.
The rally, hosted by Turning Point, featured a long lineup of political figures. Trump said about 29,000 people were in attendance with more people waiting outside. A Turning Point Action spokesperson said 12,500 people were in attendance.
In a speech that lasted nearly 90 minutes, Trump made his usual campaign talking points, from his plans for tariffs and for a mass deportation program to his common attacks on his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
He recited his usual “The Snake” poem with the message of betrayal, and he showed campaign videos of immigrant gang members.
Here’s the five biggest highlights from the event.
Trump, surrogates express confidence in turning Nevada red.
Trump told the crowd he is “leading by a lot” in Nevada, saying Republicans are winning states that weren’t previously in play.
Nevada’s early voting period started Oct. 19, and Republicans are ahead in early voting turnout, though Democrats are leading with mail ballots.
Surrogates also themed their speeches around praising Trump, getting voters out cast a ballot for Republicans and to convince others to do the same.
“Come election night, you think it’s loud here today,” asked Trump senior advisor and Nevada GOP Chairman Michael McDonald. “Wait ‘till we have the opportunity to call Donald Trump ‘Mr. President’ one more time.”
Trump makes his usual campaign pledges.
The former president outlined his biggest policy promises that he’s given throughout his campaign.
He promised to get the criminals out and make the U.S. safer and stronger. He repeated his plans to bar taxes on tips, overtime and Social Security benefits, asking the crowd for a poll on which one they prefer the most.
He pledged to end inflation and bring back the American Dream, and he promised to “frack, frack, frack,” and “drill, baby, drill.” He also repeated his plans to implement tariffs.
To make housing more affordable, he will open up more federal land in Nevada for housing, Trump said, shouting out Gov. Joe Lombardo who has pushed for the streamlined release of federal land.
Trump also highlighted his “mass deportation” plan though did not say how the process would work. He said he wants to implement the death penalty for any undocumented immigrant who kills an American citizen.
He pledged to invoke the Alien Enemies Act of 1798, which is a wartime authority that allows the president to detain or deport the natives and citizens of an enemy nation. The authority is well known for its role in Japanese internment camps, according to the Brennan Center for Justice.
“The US used to be an occupied country, but it will be an occupied country no longer,” he said.
He talked about the “enemy within” and took swings at Harris, calling her a radical leftist.
“Nevada, you have to stand up and you have to tell Kamala Harris that you’ve had enough and you can’t take it anymore,” Trump said, receiving loud cheers.
Speeches centered around ‘Faith, family and freedom.’
Surrogates themed their speeches around praising Trump, getting voters out cast a ballot for Republicans and to convince others to do the same. They spoke of “Faith, family and freedom.”
Some emphasized God when speaking about the first Trump assassination attempt in which his ear was struck by a bullet.
Nevada RNC Committeewoman Sigal Chattah, who previously ran for Nevada attorney general, prayed in Hebrew and English.
She added the election will be “handed to Trump by the hand of God.”
Both campaigns featured former members of their opponent’s parties.
Tulsi Gabbard, a former Democratic presidential candidate, spoke at the rally why she’s voting for Trump, saying he will bring peace and prosperity.
Ahead of the rally, the Harris campaign held a press conference with Republicans, or former Republicans, who plan to vote for Harris.
Dr. Sherif Abdou, a physician who has lived in Las Vegas for over 30 years, said he has been a Republican for most of his life but is now a registered independent.
“As an Egyptian immigrant, I grew up in a Christian Orthodox Church and the Republican Party always aligned with our values, but Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans do not represent me, my family, or our values,” he said.
Supporters showed enthusiasm Thomas & Mack hours before Trump’s speech
Hours before the event kicked off, Trump supporters began to trickle into the arena.
Merchants scattered outside the venue sold pro-Trump gear while volunteers asked attendees to sign petitions.
During the event, the crowd booed loudly at videos of Harris, with some yelling “lock her up.”
Shayla Novak attended the event with her parents. She said it would be her first time seeing Trump live. She said she’s voted for three times.
“It will be interesting to see how everyone rallies together to support,” Novak said. “I just hope he wins…we need to ‘Make America Great Again,’ it’s the bottom line.”
Adam C. Moreno, sporting a red “Make America Healthy Again” baseball cap, said he was a longtime supporter of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the former independent presidential candidate who dropped out of the race and endorsed Trump.
Moreno moved to Las Vegas about three months ago, with enough time to register to vote, which he said he planned to do for Trump in the next couple of days.
He encouraged people to vote early and touted Trump’s “coalition between all these experiences and parties.”
Moreno said he was “not really appreciating some of the things that the Democratic Party is standing for as of lately.”
Asked what he expected from the event, Moreno said: “I just hope that it’s safe and hope that people are kind.”
The event marked just one of the former president’s visits to Southern Nevada leading up to the election. He will also speak in Henderson on Halloween at Lee’s Family Forum.
Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X. Contact Ricardo Torres-Cortez at rtorres@reviewjournal.com.