While facing felony charges in court, Donald Trump made an impromptu campaign stop at a bodega in Harlem, drawing a large and enthusiastic crowd.
Chants of support filled the streets as Trump exited his vehicle.
Supporters on the street shouted, “I love you, Trump,” and “We love Trump!”
The crowds later chanted, “USA” and “four more years.”
“We are really pleased with you to come in and to recognize the work that we the bodega owners [do]. We are always on the lines, in the pandemic work, we were always on the front lines. We need to have respect, and we need more police safety,” one Bodega Association member said to Trump.
“We went from being heroes to being abandoned by our local elected officials,” another member said.
Inside the bodega, Trump praised the owners and Bodega Association members, who expressed gratitude and a need for more policing amid rising crime.
“This is a very exciting time for me,” Trump said.
Trump said the trial is forcing him to campaign locally, calling it a “Biden trial” meant to keep him off the campaign trail.
He argued he gets more press this way and will make a strong bid for New York in 2024.
“The Bodega’s, the association invited me. I respect them, and they respect me. They want law and order — they have a lot of crime, tremendous crime, where their stores are being robbed.”
Trump noted that being in the courtroom “makes me campaign locally, and that’s OK.”
“This trial, that I have now, that’s a Biden trial. They want to keep me off the campaign trail. But based on what I’m doing, I think there’s more press here than there is if I went out to some nice location,” he said.
“We have to straighten out New York, and that includes crime,” Trump said.
Trump railed against crime and border issues under Biden before leaving to continued cheers.
Despite being in court, the unplanned bodega visit generated significant free publicity and resembled one of Trump’s large campaign rallies, highlighting his enduring popularity and ability to draw attention.
“They’re coming from jails and prisons, mental institutions and insane asylums, and you have massive numbers of terrorists coming into our country, all because of Biden,” Trump said of illegal immigrants.
“Number one, you have to stop crime, and we’re going to let the police do their job. They have to be given back their authority. They have to be able to do their job,” he said.
“And we’re going to come into New York. We’re making a big play for New York — other cities, too. But this city, I love this city.” Trump said.
