The interruptions started early and kept coming at President Trump’s latest Texas stop supporting Ken Paxton in his run for Senate, CBS News reports. Less than 10 minutes into the president’s Wednesday night rally at San Antonio’s Freeman Coliseum, a protester shouted and stormed away from the stage, sparking a brief scuffle with a man in a red hat who grabbed the person’s hair before others stepped in. Over the course of about an hour, at least 10 people were escorted out or appeared to leave after disrupting the event, drawing boos from the crowd as Trump taunted them from the podium. One person was handcuffed and led away; local authorities and the Secret Service have not yet provided details.
Trump, making his third recent trip to Texas to boost the Republican Senate nominee in his tight race against Democrat James Talarico, used the rally to hammer Talarico as out of step with the state. He warned that a Talarico victory would turn Texas into what he called a “dirty, failing, crime-ridden, third-world dumping ground.” Trump also highlighted falling unauthorized border crossings and defended his hardline immigration approach, even as polling shows growing voter unease with those tactics, including among Hispanic voters who were key to his 2024 win.
Trump also clarified his recent controversial remarks appearing to suggest Iran striking Los Angeles or San Diego would be a “small price to pay,” the AP reports. “You want to see problems? Let them hit San Diego, let them hit Los Angeles,” he said. “We’re not going to let that happen. We protect our cities. We protect our country.” Per NBC News, he appeared to be attempting to “clean up” the comments.