Donald Trump says he was 'all about putting America first' as president during Asheboro speech
ASHEBORO, NORTH CAROLINA: Former president Donald Trump, during his Wednesday, August 21, address, shared his take on economic and social security. He was addressing a crowd in Asheboro, North Carolina.
Trump said, “Four years ago, our country was strong and respected like never before. Our allies admired us, our enemies feared us, because everyone knew that.”
“As an American President, I was all about putting America first. That's true. Under my leadership, we rebuilt the United States military, created Space Force, and we made our allies pay their fair share and their fair dues,” he told the crowd.
Donald Trump was accused of endangering national security
Donald Trump has more experience in comparison to VP Kamala Harris, but many believe his policies are critical.
Notably, Trump was also charged with endangering national security by taking classified military documents after losing the 2020 election to Joe Biden, reports WRALNews.
The government’s case against Trump was, however, dismissed in July by a Trump-appointed federal judge. The Department of Justice under Joe Biden is seeking to reinstate the charges.
Trump criticized Democrats for not securing the border. He referenced speakers at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, saying: “They don’t talk about the border … They talk about me more than any other category.”
What did JD Vance say about Joe Biden's policies?
Meanwhile, JD Vance criticized Joe Biden’s administration on foreign policy saying, "If we don't have safety for our families, if we don't have security for our country, we don't have anything.”
Before Trump addressed the crowd, Vance said, “And I'm a firm believer that when we talk about national security, national security starts right here in the great state of North Carolina, and there's been no greater area where Kamala Harris has failed to deliver peace than at the American Southern border.”
Pete Buttigieg's remarks on Kamala Harris' foreign policy
Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg praised Kamala Harris saying he has watched her engage in foreign policy as a vice president. He told WRAL she has done a good job by helping rebuild relationships with world leaders.
“I've sat at her side as she engaged leaders from around the world, and has done a lot already to restore the respect for the US that was badly undermined during the Trump years,” Buttigieg said, adding “And that's going to be especially important in things like defending democracy against the aggression of Vladimir Putin.”
Donald Trump's take on immigration
As Donald Trump seeks to return to the White House for the second time, he is now trying to engage voters by broadening the scope of national security. The former president is trying to include immigration enforcement at the country’s Southern border. For example, last year, Trump alleged that terrorists are “pouring” from across the border.
According to Pew Research Center survey conducted in 2023, America’s image in foreign countries has substantially improved since President Joe Biden took office after Donald Trump's presidency.
“He tries to make immigration the No 1 national security risk,” Meredith College political science professor David McLennan said ahead of Trump’s Asheboro speech. “He talks about it as being more significant than any international foe that we might think about. So he talks about drugs coming across the border, gangs coming across the border, ISIS coming across the border," he added.
