The event in Pickens was Trump’s second major rally of the 2024 campaign — the first was in Waco, Texas, in March.
Trump South Carolina Rally: Former President Donald Trump attracted a massive crowd during his rally in South Carolina on Saturday, surpassing the population of the town where it took place.
The prominent Republican presidential candidate held a rally in Pickens, a town with approximately 3,400 residents. According to Pickens Police Chief Randal Beach, more than 50,000 individuals gathered at the downtown venue and lined the surrounding streets to hear Trump speak. Beach noted that the exact number was difficult to determine but estimated the attendance to be somewhere between 50,000 and 55,000 people.
South Carolina’s presidential primary, being one of the earliest in the region, makes it a popular destination for GOP candidates. Many contenders have already held events in the state, but none have drawn an audience of Trump’s magnitude. He continues to maintain a dominant position in the 2024 polls.
According to the former president’s campaign, the unmatched enthusiasm witnessed in Pickens is a result of no other candidate having achieved the same level of accomplishments for the American people as Trump did.
In a statement provided to Fox News Digital, the Trump campaign highlighted Supreme Court decisions related to ending racist college admissions, safeguarding religious liberty, and halting an unlawful student loan forgiveness program. They emphasized that these decisions served as a reminder of Trump’s commitment to fulfilling his promises to voters. Furthermore, the campaign acknowledged the dedication of the tens of thousands of patriotic individuals who attended the rally in Pickens, South Carolina, despite sweltering temperatures exceeding 90 degrees Fahrenheit. The statement concluded by stating that the “Trump train” has set off and will persist until President Trump occupies the Resolute Desk once again.
Saturday’s event marks a resumption of large-scale rallies reminiscent of President Trump’s previous presidential campaigns. The important meeting effectively shut down activity in Pickens’ quintessential Southern downtown area.
On Saturday, Trump expressed his enthusiasm for being on Main Street to commence the Fourth of July weekend, surrounded by thousands of diligent South Carolina patriots who share his values of faith, family, and country.
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Thousands of people attended Saturday’s rally, and attendees began lining up the night before, echoing the president’s sentiments.
Greg Pressley and his wife, Robyn, said they drove more than three hours from their home in Tennessee to see Trump, the candidate they have supported since his first White House bid in 2016.
“Donald Trump is the best president in history,” Gregg said. “I love his policies. I love the man. I’m here to support him to get back to where he needs to be, to start over.”
Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy have all held events in the state. The two South Carolinians in the race, former Gov. Nikki Haley and Sen. Tim Scott campaigned there too.
Shelley Fox of Spartanburg said she has supported Trump since 2016 and is not thinking about other candidates for next year’s election.
“I’ll write him off,” she said when asked if she’d considered another hopeful. “No question — I’ll write him.”
Senator Lindsey Graham and Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, R-Ga., also spoke at the event.
In 2016, Trump won 32.5% of the vote and the state’s 50 delegates during a crowded Republican primary. Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz came in second and third, respectively, both receiving nearly 22%.
The massive event shows that Trump is firmly in the driver’s seat of the Republican Party and that his supporters have stood by his side relentlessly during his third bid for the White House.
Unlike his 2016 and 2020 campaigns, which drew thousands to rallies in states across the country, Trump’s 2024 effort is very different.
It was Trump’s second major rally of the 2024 campaign — the first was in Waco, Texas, in March. Another public rally in Iowa in May was canceled due to tornado warnings.
The former president has largely focused his efforts on smaller events, such as speeches before state party organizations, frequent media interviews and town halls, working relationships with representatives and local officials, and unannounced stops at restaurants in the cities he visits.
Trump has also appeared at several multi-candidate events in the primary season so far, including last week’s Moms for Liberty rally in Philadelphia.
Saturday’s massive demonstration comes as Trump faces indictment in New York on hush-money charges, federal charges related to his retention of classified documents after leaving the White House, and several other investigations.