Trump holds mini-rally at Florida airport

President TrumpDonald John Trump Trump campaign cancels purchase of ads to review messaging strategy: Nunes report declines to respond if it received information from Ukraine lawmaker meant to harm Biden poll: plurality of ‘Generation Z’ voters says who see more Trump political announcements than Biden MORE A small-scale campaign-style rally was held on a Florida airport runway on Friday, drawing crowds of supporters who gathered in a state that has been devastated by the coronavirus pandemic.

The president landed in Tampa, where he participates in a fundraiser, and was greeted by dozens of supporters who had gathered along the barricades. Few were seen wearing masks, and the music that has become standard at Trump campaign events rang out in speakers for what was dubbed a “campaign coalition event with Florida sheriffs.”

The president, who was flanked by local law enforcement officials, painted a dystopian image of the country in case of suspected Democratic presidential candidate Joe BidenJoe BidenTrump campaign cancels ad purchase to overhaul messaging strategy: Nunes report refuses to respond if it received information from Ukraine lawmaker intended to harm Biden poll: ‘Generation Z’ plurality of voters says who see more Trump political announcements than Biden MORE win elections in November.

“If Joe Biden is elected president, the chaos and bloodshed will spread to all the communities on our land. You will have a Portland everywhere,” he said, referring to clashes between protesters and federal agents deployed in Oregon.

“There will be no security, no security, no peace, no justice, no one to protect him and no one to defend the American way of life,” Trump added. “People like the ones behind me will not be considered primetime. With me, they are considered primetime.”

The president only briefly mentioned the coronavirus pandemic during his 30-minute remarks, despite Florida being the new epicenter of the outbreak in the United States.

Florida has reported more than 470,000 cases, the second largest in any state, according to data compiled by The New York Times. Approximately 70,000 of those cases have been reported in the past seven days, and the governor. Ron DeSantisRonald Dion DeSantis At least 50 Florida hospital intensive care units reached capacity A regulatory agenda for the second term of the Trump teachers union authorizes strikes if schools reopen without certain security measures MORE (R), a staunch ally of Trump, has been forced to reverse some trade reopens to try to contain the virus.

Friday’s event in Florida was outdoors, which experts say makes it more difficult to spread the virus, but few people wore face shields. In the past, Trump has ignored his own administration’s public health guidelines on social distancing.

President Trump’s comments to Florida sheriffs … Tampa airport pic.twitter.com/E8RXxC77Ul

– Howard Mortman (@HowardMortman) July 31, 2020

The persistent pandemic has forced Trump to give up his standard protests in large arenas with thousands of people gathered. He held a rally last month in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but attendance was disappointing and local authorities cited the event as the cause of a subsequent surge in virus cases.

A meeting scheduled in New Hampshire earlier this month was scrapped, and campaign officials cited a poor weather forecast. But sources close to the campaign acknowledged that turnout was expected to be below expectations, just like in Oklahoma.

While Friday’s meeting was not formally announced as a campaign rally, it had all the trimmings of one. Trump got off Air Force One while playing “God Bless the USA”, the same song that starts his political events.

His comments echoed those of other campaign speeches, with references to members of the “squad” of progressive congressmen, including the Representatives. Alexandria Ocasio-CortezAlexandria Ocasio-CortezHouse approves amendments to control federal forces in cities where Trump is wrong on the census note, but has a point Chris Hayes called by an NBC colleague for describing the NYPD arrest as “kidnapping ” PLUS (DN.Y.), Rashida TlaibRashida Harbi TlaibTlaib Talks About Why He Hasn’t Backed Biden On The Money Yet: Congress Prepares For A Fight As Unemployment Cliff Looms Wave Of Evictions May Be Coming For Nation’s Tenants | House of Representatives approves spending package 9.5B Ocasio-Cortez, Tlaib proposes amendment to fund administration of ‘opportunity zone’ program MORE (D-Mich.) And Ilhan OmarIlhan OmarTlaib talks about why he hasn’t backed Biden yet. The Hill Campaign Report: Campaigns prepare for the final stretch until Election Day. Is Ilhan Omar ready? Why could you lose the August primaries MORE? (D-Minn.)

Trump spoke about the border and boasted about investments in the military. But most of his attention was focused on his support for law enforcement, trying to describe Biden as a candidate who will yield to the left wing of his party and oversee the chaos on the streets.

Biden released a statement early Friday condemning Trump’s handling of the pandemic and criticizing his agenda while in the Sunshine State.

“While Floridians, including our frontline health care workers, continue to struggle daily with the far-reaching impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on their lives, Donald Trump comes to Florida with no apparent intention of addressing these trouble and instead he’s there to raise money for his campaign with his Mar-a-Lago people, “Biden said.

“During this pandemic, Donald Trump ignored the problem, blamed others, tried to protect the magnitude of the pandemic, rewarded his friends while American families are fighting, and actively tried to divide our country,” he added. “This is not the behavior of a leader.”