Donald Trump’s latest campaign rally was rocked by repeated protests on Wednesday as the US president urged Texas voters to back embattled Senate candidate Ken Paxton. At least half a dozen demonstrators interrupted the US president during his remarks in San Antonio, with some led away by police. One was physically assaulted by an older Trump supporter as he tried to leave the arena.
Trump briefly stepped away from the microphone after one protester appeared to approach the stage. He mocked their appearance and claimed without evidence that “they’re paid by enemies of our nation”. The president also used Wednesday’s rally to address recent comments in which he appeared to suggest that Iran could destroy Los Angeles or San Diego, earning widespread condemnation from Democrats.
In remarks that were again less than crystal clear, Trump said: “I said it the other day, let them hit a missile into San Diego or Los Angeles on the way. Let them hit – you want to see a horror show? You want to see problems?
Let them hit Los Angeles and you want to see some bad things happen. We’re not going to let that happen. We protect our cities, we protect our country, we’re not letting that happen.
They’d use it.” Trump was making his third trip to Texas in less than a month as Republicans pour money into races they had expected to win comfortably in November’s midterm elections. Paxton, whom Trump endorsed during the Republican primary after turning against the incumbent senator John Cornyn, was called on stage by the president and thanked him for his support. He’s a fantastic man.” The Republican campaign to maintain control of the Senate has become increasingly focused on Texas, where Democrat James Talarico has emerged as a serious threat.
A New York Times/ Siena College poll released last weekend showed Talarico leading Paxton 51% to 45% among likely voters. Texas has not elected a Democrat to the Senate since 1988. Trump won the state by almost 14 percentage points in 2024, but his approval rating has fallen sharply.
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