More than 20,000 people, the 2024 platform and boos for Lindsey Graham: Trump's rally in South Carolina

Donald Trump continues to lead in the polls in the Republican presidential primaries. His numbers skyrocketed after the Justice Department prosecution, and his campaign continues nationwide. After visiting a Pennsylvania restaurant on Friday, he made his way down to South Carolina, the territory of and Nikki Haley, to give a speech to a crowd.

The former president stopped in Pickens, a town of approximately 3,300 inhabitants that experienced a revolution on Saturday when around 20,000 people came to listen to him. With lines that lasted hours in the hot July sunlight, Trump showed muscle in rural America that endorsed him in 2016, in 2020 and possibly in 2024.

Before his arrival, the campaign chose locals Henry McMaster (popular governor), Andre Bauer (former lieutenant governor) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC) to warm up the crowd. However, the latter did not receive a friendly reception. As soon as the announcer announced his entrance, the crowd began to boo him. Despite being Scott's colleague in the Senate, the senator was among the first to endorse Trump's third presidential candidacy.

Thanking the crowd repeatedly as the boos dissipated, the legislator confessed to those present that he lived very close to Pickens. "This is a place where people pay there taxes, fight de wars and tell you what they believe." he began, then tried to empathize more with the people.

"How many of you believe that Donald Trump was a great president? So let me tell you about me and presidente Trump. What happened? I found common ground with president Trump. It took a while to get there folks," he added and then highlighted Trump's administration's policies.

The crowd exploded around 11:00 when the plane carrying Trump began flying over the city streets. The president took to the stage with his rally song: Lee Greenwood's "God Bless the USA." "Thank you very much, thats a good crowd of people. Hello Pickens and hello South Carolina," the former president began.

Trump spoke for more than an hour, time that he used to criticize the causes against him, defenestrate Joe Biden's work as president and also attack Ron DeSantis, for the moment his strongest competitor. Of course, he flattered the fans who waited for hours under the sun to hear him.

"It was hardworking patriots like you who built this country, and it is hardworking patriots like you who are going to save our country. (...) 2024 is our final battle. Under our leadership, the forgotten men and women will no longer be forgotten," he said.

As usual, he ended his speech with inspiring messages about the future of the United States. "We are a nation that has lost his confidence, lost his power and lost his streght. We are a nation that has lost his way, but we are not going to allow this horror to continue. Three years ago we were a great nation and we will soon be a great nation again," the former president said.

"Like those great patriots before us, we will not bend, we will not kneel, we will never give in, we will never give up, we will ever ever back down. Together we will complete the mission. We will cross the finish line. We will rescue freedom, liberty and justice", he concluded.