Our live coverage has ended. Scroll through the posts below to read more about Trump’s Florida rally.
President Trump just wrapped up his rally in Tampa, Florida, where he campaigned for Rep. Ron DeSantis. DeSantis is running for governor.
Here are the key takeaways:
President Donald Trump again obliquely referred to Sen. John McCain’s healthcare vote during his campaign rally in Tampa this evening, saying that one person changed their mind “at two o’clock in the morning” and voted no.
McCain’s daughter, Meghan, took to Twitter to respond to Trump’s comments:
Meghan McCain quoted a tweet by CNN’s Manu Raju, who noted that although Trump claimed the Senate was one vote away, in reality, the vote was only to go to conference with the House on the Senate’s “skinny repeal.”
After Trump made similar remarks without naming McCain at the Conservative Political Action Conference in February, Meghan McCain called the comments “particularly hurtful” and said that she had a phone call with Trump about her father’s cancer diagnosis and Trump assured her he wouldn’t disparage her father again.
At the time, she said:
But Trump has since kept up his attacks on McCain’s healthcare vote, repeating this claim — without naming the Arizona Senator — at multiple campaign rallies over the past months.
President Trump once again claimed that he had saved the US taxpayer hundreds of millions of dollars by intervening to prevent a $1 billion project to build a new US embassy in Jerusalem.
Instead, Trump has said he succeeded in opening a new US embassy for anywhere from $140,000 to $250,000 to $400,000 – on Tuesday, he offered both the first and third figure.
The truth: The current US embassy in Jerusalem was opened out of an existing US consular building in Jerusalem, and retrofitted for a cost the State Department has said would cost as much as $400,000.
But that was just an initial cost for security upgrades and a US embassy plaque to convert the building ahead of its ceremonial inauguration in May.
The US government is already planning to spend at least $21 million for a second phase of renovations that includes building an addition to the old consular building to accommodate embassy staff.
It is still possible there could be additional modifications and additions to the embassy that will cost the US taxpayer even more money. And US officials have still not ruled out the possibility of ultimately moving the US embassy to an entirely different site where a new embassy would be built.
President Trump repeated a claim tonight that gangs like MS-13 are “occupying our country” and added that Democrats want the gang to rule the US.
The President frequently talks about the need to crackdown on the MS-13 gang. The topic often comes up when Trump speaks about undocumented migrants, and he sometimes cites the gang as a reason to strengthen US immigration laws.
Here’s what we know about the gang: The MS-13 gang was founded in Los Angeles decades ago by Salvadoran immigrants fleeing their country’s civil war. It is one of the largest criminal organizations in the US, with more than 6,000 members in at least 46 states and the District of Columbia, the US Attorney’s Office said. In 2012, MS-13 became the first, and remains the only street gang designated by the United States government as a “transnational criminal organization.”
But, while brutal, their crimes aren’t especially prevalent throughout the US. MS-13 remains a small fraction of the overall gang problem in the US, according to FBI statistics. Victims tend to be members of the immigrant community, rival gang members or individuals who spurned the gang.
And some of the Trump administration’s immigration policies may actually be helping MS-13. In 2017, experts warned the administration that ending US protections for more than 300,000 Central Americans could strengthen gangs like MS-13, since the lack of legitimate employment options could push some migrants into gangs. (The administration went on to end the protections for citizens of El Salvador, Haiti, Honduras and Nicaragua regardless.)
MS-13 members themselves say Trump’s immigration crackdown makes stronger, because witnesses are more reluctant to come forward for fear of being deported.
President Trump reflected on becoming president Tuesday evening, telling the Florida audience that he had only been to Washington about “17 times” before he took office.
“I don’t think I ever stayed overnight,” he said of his time in Washington, adding that “probably seven of those times” were to check out his Trump International Hotel on Pennsylvania Ave.
“And then I’m riding down in this beautiful car, picked up by the Secret Service, holding the hand of our great first lady,” he said to applause.
He continued, “And I didn’t know anybody in Washington, but now I know everybody in Washington, I know the good ones I know the bad ones, I know the wonderful people and I know the scum. And America now is winning again like they haven’t won before.”
Trump also noted that his cabinet has been through a “couple of little changes” but now is “great,” name-checking Mike Pompeo and “so many great people.”
President Donald Trump riffed on acting presidential and Abe Lincoln during a campaign rally in Tampa Tuesday evening.
He said he had liked to “be a little wild, have a little fun” during rallies, adding that it is “a lot easier to act presidential than do what I do.”
“Anybody can act presidential,” he said, appearing to mockingly demonstrate presidential behavior with a funny walk around the stage.
He deadpanned, “Ladies and gentlemen of the state of Florida, thank you very much for being here. You are tremendous people and I will leave now because I am boring you to death, thank you.”
“Abe looked pretty presidential, right?” Trump said.
“I admit it, Abe Lincoln is tough, but we love Abe Lincoln.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has mentioned Lincoln.
In an interview with The Sun earlier this month, he said he is the most popular person in the history of the Republican Party and that he was, “[b]eating Lincoln. I beat our Honest Abe.”
He was referring to a poll that was out showing him as “the most popular Republican in history of the Party” with a 90% approval rating among Republicans, but in fact he only beats Gerald Ford in recent history. Not only is he not the most popular Republican in history, but there’s no way to say that for certain – especially regarding Lincoln – since there is no polling to consult from 1860.
President Trump, telling his supporters why he wanted Americans to be required to show identification before casting their votes, claimed that they needed their I.Ds “to buy groceries.”
He did not elaborate. Here’s what he said:
President Donald Trump, speaking nearly two years after he won the election and in the dead heat of summer, repeated a familiar refrain on Tuesday, saying that his campaign is responsible for department stores bringing back “Merry Christmas” signage.
“That was under siege,” he said, echoing his remarks throughout the 2016 campaign that department stores needed to stop political correctness at the holidays and say Merry Christmas again.
The use of “Merry Christmas” has come back, he said, and “only because of our campaign.”
President Donald Trump responded to Chinese tariffs and other trade measures targeted at American farmers during a campaign rally, calling the tactics “not good” and “not nice.”
Trump said that the price of soybeans has dropped but his administration’s actions are ultimately “going to open up markets.”
“All of this stuff — we’re going to make it back and it’s going to be made back faster than anyone would know,” he said, adding, “We’re going to make it back nice and quickly.”
He continued, “The United States was allowed to truly get ripped off. But we’re not going to let that happen, I’m not like other politicians, you’ve seen what happens, I’ve kept my promises.”
President Trump again claimed that US Steel would be opening a number of steel mills, repeating a phrase he made at a rally last week, which hasn’t been backed by the company itself.
“U.S. Steel just announced that they are building six new steel mills,” Trump said in Tampa Tuesday night. “And that number is soon going to be lifted, but I’m not allowed to say that, so I won’t.”
Last Thursday he said the company was opening seven. The company’s spokeswoman did not respond to a CNN request for comment.
But The Washington Post gave Trump four Pinocchio’s less than a month ago for claiming six new steel mills are being opened. Local news reports show US Steel announcing two facilities would be opened. As a publicly traded company, US Steel is required to announce major changes, such as opening new plants. So far, they have not made any such announcements.
The company’s spokeswoman Meghan M. Cox told The Washington Post at the time: “To answer your question, we post all of our major operational announcements to our website and report them on earnings calls. Our most recent one pertained to our Granite City ‘A’ blast furnace restart.”
President Trump kicked off his Tampa rally recalling his “great victory” in the state of Florida in 2016, noting that the “thousands of hardworking American patriots” in the state “respect our American flag.”
He called gubernatorial candidate Ron DeSantis to the stage, describing him as a “true leader, proud veteran, my great friend, a tough, brilliant cookie.”
DeSantis made brief remarks and called it a “true honor” to be endorsed by Trump.
The President added that “everybody needs to support” DeSantis in the Aug. 28 primary and in the November general election.
He also touted Gov. Rick Scott’s Senate candidacy and hit his Democratic opponent, Bill Nelson.
Noting that he was a Florida resident, Trump said, “The only time I see Bill Nelson is five months before the reelection and after a while you forget… you see him at parties and you see him around… We have to make sure that Rick Scott wins and wins big.”
Trump was also briefly interrupted by a protester that was not visible on camera.
“That’s too bad…. One person and tomorrow the headlines will be ‘massive protest.’ Too bad. Sorry about that, Ron,” he said.
President Trump just took the stage at his Make America Great Rally in Tampa, Florida. You can watch live here or by refreshing this page and watching it in the player up top.
President Trump will attempt to lift Rep. Ron DeSantis to victory in Florida’s Republican gubernatorial primary with tonight’s rally in Tampa.
The rally comes at the beginning of a three-month sprint to the November midterm elections.
Trump recently told Sean Hannity he’ll “work very hard” during the final stretch.
Trump’s first expressed support for DeSantis in December and more explicitly endorsed him with a tweet in June, launching DeSantis past former congressman and Florida agriculture commissioner Adam Putnam in the race to replace two-term GOP Gov. Rick Scott.
President Donald Trump visited Tampa Bay Technical High School this evening, where extolled the virtues of a vocational education under his administration.
“There has never been a better time to learn a trade, hone a skill, or pursue your dreams,” he said, touting the latest GDP and trade deficit reduction numbers. He also noted his administration’s pledge to American workers, investment from the private sector, and the Perkins Career and Technical Education Act.
Trump was introduced by daughter Ivanka, whom he praised for her “incredible leadership” with workforce development initiatives. He also lavished praise on Rep. Matt Gaetz and Gov. Rick Scott, as well as some of the companies in attendance, and also gave a quick shoutout to Sen. Marco Rubio.
The President signed the Perkins Act into law at a ceremony behind closed doors earlier today but signed a copy of the legislation at the high school event.
Trump called a Tampa Bay Tech graduate and a current student to the stage to share their stories. The graduate, David Thompson-Calderon, said he was making six figures at the age of 24. The current senior, Isabella Cruz, joked that she was also a president — of the school’s architecture club. Both students received pens from the ceremonial signing.
Trump is now en route to a campaign rally.
President Trump just landed in Florida, where he is scheduled to deliver remarks on workforce development at a Tampa high school, and hold a campaign rally.
Trump will also hold a ceremonial bill signing during the event at Tampa Bay Technical High School.
The President will speak at a “Make America Great Again” rally for several Republican politicians, including Rep. Ron DeSantis, Rep. Matt Gaetz and Florida Gov. Rick Scott.
The rally will be held at the Florida State Fairgrounds.
President Trump is rallying in Florida tonight for several Republicans in the state. A statement announcing the event pointed to three key candidates:
