TIPP CITY — Donald Trump Jr., eldest son of President Donald Trump, made an appearance in Tipp City Wednesday during a campaign rally at Cedar Springs Pavilion.
Trump Jr. spoke to a crowd of about 300 people. State Sen. Steve Huffman, R-Tipp City, and Rep. Jena Powell were in attendance, with Powell speaking briefly before welcoming Trump Jr. onto the stage.
“Over the last four years, our president has fought for lower regulation, less taxes, (and) we’re on the verge of overturning Roe V. Wade,” Powell said. “President Trump has continued campaigning on opening up our community and our state, and what we’ve heard from Joe Biden is that (he) will shut down our country, with himself and all his cronies in Washington, D.C., in the next four years.”
An opening prayer was provided by Mary Beth Kemmer, president of the Ohio Foundation of Republican Women, and Miami County Sheriff Dave Duchak led the crowd in reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
Trump Jr. spoke for about 30 minutes, touching on the topics of COVID-19, the Bidens, Democrats, Hillary Clinton, Nancy Pelosi, and more. The speech was overall upbeat, and even comedic in nature, prompting applause, laughter and cheers from the audience throughout.
“What Hunter Biden did with Russia — (receiving) $3.5 million from a known Putin associate — I’d be in jail,” Trump Jr. said. “I’d be phoning in this little talk, feeding quarters into a payphone on Riker’s Island.”
Trump Jr. also shared thoughts about the mainstream media.
“Their dream — the media and the Democratic National Committee, because they’re the same — was for me to have done a fraction of what Hunter Biden did,” he said. “They accused me, went after me and tried to put me in jail for accusing me of doing a fraction of what Hunter did. Now, it turns out I did nothing, but that didn’t stop them.”
Trump Jr. said while he isn’t a politician himself, he is out advocating for his father’s campaign as a service to his family and the country.
“I’m doing this because it matters,” he said. “I’m doing this because I want to give my kids back a country that they recognize; one where there is equal justice under the law; where there isn’t that sort of hypocrisy.”
Troy resident Carol DeHart was a volunteer at Wednesday’s rally, also having volunteered at two Trump Sr. events last week, which included a campaign bus tour stop and a visit by Trump Sr. at an airport near Dayton.
Along with volunteering, DeHart is a member of the Miami County Republican Women’s Club, a group that focuses on supporting conservative principles.
“He did a great speech,” she said Wednesday. “(He had) no notes, no teleprompter, nothing; just like his dad.”
Englewood resident Jim Fultz was also in attendance and said he voted for Donald Trump in 2016 and is looking forward to doing so again in November. Fultz said Wednesday’s event was the first official Trump campaign rally he’s attended.
“I really liked it,” he said. “(Trump Jr.) is a great speaker; he’s motivating, and it was exciting.”
