Former President Donald Trump referred to the January 6 Capitol rioters as “warriors” and reiterated false claims about the 2020 election being rigged during a rally in Las Vegas on Sunday.
Addressing a crowd amidst extreme heat, Trump also announced plans to eliminate taxes on tips for service workers if re-elected, targeting a key voter base in the hospitality-driven city.
Trump defended the actions of the Capitol rioters, labeling them as victims of a setup by police. “Those J6 warriors, they were warriors, but they were really more than anything else, they’re victims of what happened.
All they were doing is protesting a rigged election,” Trump asserted. Despite his claims, federal prosecutors have charged over 1,424 defendants in connection to the riot, with more than 820 pleading guilty to various charges.
The rally, held in Sunset Park, saw temperatures soaring above 100 degrees, prompting the Clark County Fire Department to attend to multiple heat-related incidents.
Six attendees were hospitalized, and another two dozen received medical attention on-site. Trump’s campaign had implemented several measures to combat the heat, including providing water bottles, setting up tents and misting stations, and deploying medical staff.
Trump took the opportunity to announce his plan to abolish taxes on tips, appealing to hotel and service workers in Las Vegas. “For those hotel workers and people that get tips — you’re going to be very happy because when I get to office, we are going to not charge taxes on tips people make,” he promised, highlighting his intention to prioritize this policy upon taking office.
Throughout the rally, Trump criticized President Biden’s immigration policies and recent executive actions aimed at asylum claims at the southern border.
He labeled Biden’s actions as “pro invasion, pro child trafficking, pro woman trafficking, pro human trafficking, and pro drug dealers,” emphasizing his disagreement with the current administration’s approach.
Despite technical issues with his teleprompter, Trump continued to address the crowd, humorously acknowledging the extreme heat and the need for every vote in his campaign. “Is that breeze nice? You feel the breeze? Because I don’t want anybody going on me,” Trump joked, underscoring the importance of voter turnout for his campaign.
