Trump attracts thousands of supporters to Waco rally
WACO (CBSNewsTexas.com) — Former President Donald Trump returned to Texas to hold his first campaign rally of the year.
His event before thousands of supporters at the Waco Regional Airport is another reminder of how important Texas is in Republican Party politics.
"2024 is the final battle. That's going to be the big one. You put me back in the White House, their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again."
Trump is back in the national spotlight as he faces a potential indictment in Manhattan.
The district attorney there, Alvin Bragg, is investigating him for falsifying business records to hide campaign violations related to payments made to adult film star Stormy Daniels.
Trump denies any wrongdoing and criticized Bragg's office. "They have nothing and yet it went on and on and it continues to be stacked - his office with DC operatives."
He rejected President Joe Biden's policies. "You can take the 5 worst Presidents in American history and put them all together and they would not have done the damage that Joe Biden has done in just two and a half short years."
When it comes to the southern border, Trump called for mass deportations. "We will use all necessary state, local, federal, and military resources to carry out the largest domestic deportation operation in American history."
Texas Democratic Party Chair Gilberto Hinojosa criticized Trump in a statement Friday saying, "Donald Trump's brief presidency was a disaster for hard-working Texas families, and we as Texas Democrats are confident that, if he is the Republican nominee in 2024, our state will reject his vision."
Trump also criticized potential rival, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, calling him disloyal after Trump endorsed him in the GOP primary in 2018.
"He wins the election because of you. Two years later, the fake news media is up there saying, 'will you run against the President, will you run?' And he says, 'I have no comment.'"
The Real Clear Politics Average of polls show Trump is ahead of DeSantis by about 15 percentage points.
But it's still early.
The first vote is the Iowa Republican Caucus in February and the Texas primary is March 5th.
