In Rally for Republican Candidates, Trump Rails Against 2020 Election, Hillary Clinton and Mar-a-Lago Search

Virginia Chamlee
·3 min read
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In Rally for Republican Candidates, Trump Rails Against 2020 Election, Hillary Clinton and Mar-a-Lago Search

In his first public appearance since his Palm Beach, Florida, resort was searched by the FBI last month, Donald Trump railed against the Department of Justice, his former political rival Hillary Clinton, current President Joe Biden and continued to claim that the 2020 election was rife with fraud.

The Pennsylvania rally was publicized as being for Republican Senate candidate Dr. Mehmet Oz and gubernatorial candidate Doug Mastriano — though the two candidates didn't get nearly as much attention as Trump's own personal grievances.

Calling the Department of Justice and FBI "vicious monsters," the former president claimed the search on his home was "one of the most shocking abuses of power by any administration in American history," despite offering no evidence to back this up.

Interestingly, Trump also brought up the FBI's previous investigation of Hillary Clinton's emails, alleging that the former secretary of state's server was "crammed full of classified information."

While federal agents did obtain a warrant to review some 650,000 emails that were discovered on a laptop used by a top Clinton aide in 2016, that probe was ultimately resolved after agents reviewed the emails for classified information, and no charges were filed.

Former US President Donald Trump during a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, US, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Trump used a Pennsylvania rally to vent his anger at an FBI search of his Florida home and President Joe Bidens attack on political extremism, staking his claim as his successors election rival in 2024.
Former US President Donald Trump during a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, US, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Trump used a Pennsylvania rally to vent his anger at an FBI search of his Florida home and President Joe Bidens attack on political extremism, staking his claim as his successors election rival in 2024.

Michelle Gustafson/Bloomberg via Getty Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally

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Recent federal searches of Trump's Mar-a-Lago home, meanwhile, show that the government retrieved several sets of classified documents — some marked as top secret, and meant only for special government facilities — in storage rooms and his office.

A detailed inventory unsealed Friday by a U.S. District Judge also showed 48 empty folders with "Classified" banners were among the items seized.

At other points during the rally, Trump falsely claimed he won the popular vote in Pennsylvania — a state he lost by more than 80,000 votes — and described Biden as being "like the devil" and an "enemy of the state."

Trump — who lost lost the 2020 presidential election by more than 7 million popular votes and by 306-232 in the Electoral College — has spent the 20 months since leaving office continuing to claim the election was fraudulent, despite losing his case in courtrooms across America.

Former US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, US, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Trump used a Pennsylvania rally to vent his anger at an FBI search of his Florida home and President Joe Bidens attack on political extremism, staking his claim as his successors election rival in 2024.
Former US President Donald Trump gestures as he speaks during a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, US, on Saturday, Sept. 3, 2022. Trump used a Pennsylvania rally to vent his anger at an FBI search of his Florida home and President Joe Bidens attack on political extremism, staking his claim as his successors election rival in 2024.

Michelle Gustafson/Bloomberg via Getty Donald Trump at a Pennsylvania rally

Trump's primary criticism of Biden came in the wake of a primetime address by the current president last week, in which he denounced MAGA "extremism" and said: "There is no question that the Republican Party is dominated, driven and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans."

RELATED: President Biden Denounces Donald Trump and MAGA 'Extremism' in Rare Primetime Address

Trump did spend at least a small portion of his speech talking about Oz and Mastriano, introducing the celebrity doctor while also chiding Oz for once calling him "a little heavy."

"I told you I had a real problem with [Oz] when he said I was a little heavy," Trump said. "I didn't like that. And of course it was wrong, was he wrong?"

Both Oz and Mastriano were on hand at the rally and also delivered their own remarks.

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At least some of Trump's fellow Republicans weren't impressed with his speech.

The Hill reports that former Pennsylvania Republican Rep. Charlie Dent said in a CNN interview that Trump gave Democrats "a major gift" with his speech.

"Most Republican candidates don't want anything to do with Donald Trump in this general election. They want this to be about Joe Biden and the Democrats, but to the extent Trump inserts himself into this conversation, he's giving the Democrats a major gift right now," Dent said.

Dent continued: "I am not so sure that the former President Trump did anyone any good with that speech tonight. Just by showing up in Pennsylvania, he is making the election much more about himself."