Donald Trump in Arizona: RFK Jr.'s Trump endorsement a 'betrayal,' siblings say
Former President Donald Trump returned to Arizona on Friday for a major rally in Glendale as he tries to build campaign momentum at the conclusion of the Democratic National Convention. Trump spoke at a border security-themed event in Cochise County on Thursday.
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. endorsed Trump on Friday afternoon in downtown Phoenix. Late Thursday, Kennedy filed to withdraw his name from Arizona's Nov. 5 ballot.
Kennedy appeared with Trump at the rally at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale on Friday.
Foo Fighters didn’t lend anthem to Trump campaign, band says
Foo Fighters didn’t give Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump permission to use 1997 song “My Hero” at Friday’s rally in Glendale, the American Rock band said.
When asked by a user on X if the band let Trump use the song to introduce former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the band simply replied, “No.”
Kennedy dropped out of the race earlier in the day, giving his endorsement to Trump after a 16-month campaign.
The band performed the same song at the 2012 Democratic National Convention in honor of former President Barack Obama after he accepted his party’s nomination to run for a second term. Foo Fighters frontman Dave Grohl has publicly spoken against Trump in the past, with the topic coming up in his music.
— Helen Rummel
Republicans still workshopping a Trumpian nickname for Harris
Republicans haven’t settled on a derisive nickname for Kamala Harris, trying out a number of options during Donald Trump’s Arizona campaign swing. Trump referred to Harris as “Comrade Kamala” on Thursday during a trip to the southern border, trying to cast her as a “radical leftist” during a news conference. Earlier in the month, his campaign used the term “Kamabla” to describe her on social media.
Trump allies tried out a few more nicknames Friday. Goya Foods CEO Bob Unanue referred to the vice president as “Que Mala” when he warmed up the crowd at Trump’s rally in Glendale. Tyler Bowyer of Turning Point Action used Harris’s first name to make a play on communism, calling it “Kamala-unism.”
— Stephanie Murray
RFK Jr. siblings call his Trump endorsement ‘sad ending to a sad story’
A group of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s siblings called their brother’s endorsement on Friday of Republican former President Donald Trump “a betrayal” of their father’s and family’s values. They are the children of former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, D-N.Y., who was assassinated while running for president in 1968.
“We want an America filled with hope and bound together by a shared vision of a brighter future, a future defined by individual freedom, economic promise and national pride,” sister Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, sister Courtney Kennedy, sister Kerry Kennedy, brother Chris Kennedy and sister Rory Kennedy said in a joint written statement posted to the social media platform X.
“We believe in (the Democratic ticket of Kamala) Harris and (Tim) Walz. Our brother Bobby’s decision to endorse Trump today is a betrayal of the values that our father and our family hold most dear. It is a sad ending to a sad story.”
In an appearance at the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel, RFK Jr. announced that he was suspending his independent presidential campaign and backing Trump. He said he was working to withdraw his name from the ballot in about 10 “battleground states” where he could potentially be a spoiler who would help the Democrats.
— Dan Nowicki
Fact check: Data shows illegal border crossings into Arizona much lower than Trump claims
Donald Trump claimed during his rally in Glendale that 3 million people have come through the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona.
Trump made the claim while praising former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio, who was seated in a front row.
“Do you remember when Sheriff Joe was at the border. You didn’t have people coming in. I think for the one year he had one person come in but they got him,” Trump said. “Now we have 3 million people coming in through your border, your border.”
Maricopa County, however, does not share a border with Mexico, although Arpaio did conduct crime suppression sweeps in predominantly Latino neighborhoods that were aimed at identifying and deporting people in the country illegally. A federal judge later ruled Arpaio’s immigration actions were unlawful.
Trump’s claim that 3 million people have come through the Arizona border with Mexico is also not accurate, based on a review of U.S. Customs and Border Protection data.
Over the past four fiscal years, Border Patrol agents and CBP officers have encountered a total of nearly 2 million people unauthorized to legally enter the U.S. in the Tucson and Yuma sectors.
The number includes unauthorized migrants encountered at official ports of entry and between ports of entry. The Yuma sector straddles both the Arizona and California borders, so not all of the encounters took place in Arizona.
What’s more, the number includes encounters that occurred from Oct. 1, 2020, through July of this year. That period covers the Biden administration as well as the last three months of the Trump administration.
The 2 million number also only includes unauthorized migrants encountered by CBP officers and Border Patrol agents during that period, not the number of asylum seekers allowed to enter the U.S. and remain while asylum claims are pending. Many were deported to Mexico or other countries, either immediately or later. The 2 million encounters also do not represent 2 million individual people since many migrants attempt to cross again after being sent back to Mexico and each apprehension is counted as a separate encounter.
In his 3 million number, Trump may have been including the number of so-called “gotaways” — unauthorized migrants who entered the U.S. after evading Border Patrol agents in addition to unauthorized migrant encounters. However, data for the estimated number of “gotaways” by the Border Patrol is not published by CBP.
— Daniel Gonzalez
Trump wraps up remarks after nearly 90 minutes
Former President Donald Trump put a clear focus on immigration during his remarks, which lasted more than an hour.
He bashed Vice President Kamala Harris, his Democratic rival, as a “border tsar” and called her a “flip-flopper” who changes her stance on issues. Trump attacked Harris for supporting so-called sanctuary cities when she was the San Francisco district attorney. He also hammered her for praising the “defund the police” movement in 2020, bringing the president of the Arizona Police Association on stage to make his point.
The Republican former president also relished in making personal attacks, saying that he doesn’t listen to his advisers who tell him to talk about policy, not personality.
“I have to get personal,” Trump said, saying that speakers at the Democratic National Convention such as former President Barack Obama and former first lady Michelle Obama were “nasty.”
Trump polled the rally crowd on whether he should refer to Harris as “comrade Kamala” and at one point did an imitation of her “choking.” He also attacked Rep. Ruben Gallego, the Arizona Democrat running for Senate against Trump-endorsed Republican Kari Lake, as a “fricken loser”
— Stephanie Murray
Harris launches new economy-focused ad, billboard blitz
Kamala Harris is airing a new economy-focused TV ad in Arizona and other battleground states, her campaign said Friday. The 30-second spot features a direct-to-camera appeal from Harris, along with press coverage of her campaign’s new economic plan.
“Middle class families, like the one I grew up in, they want common sense solutions,” Harris says in the ad. “We must create an opportunity economy where everyone has a chance to get a car loan, buy a home, start a business.”
The commercial is part of an eight-figure ad buy across eight battleground states. The campaign did not say how much it is spending to promote the spot in Arizona.
Harris is also using digital billboards around Arizona for an advertising blitz to counter Trump’s visit to the state. The billboards feature the slogan “A NEW WAY FORWARD” and a photo of Harris on a blue background. The Harris campaign billboard ads cover 35% of billboard inventory within a 12-mile radius of Phoenix, Tucson and Mesa, her campaign said.
— Stephanie Murray
Arizona Police Association president joins rally
Justin Harris, the president of the Arizona Police Association, joined Donald Trump on stage in Glendale to voice his support for the Republican presidential nominee.
“He always had our backs,” Harris said of Trump’s relationship with law enforcement.
Harris criticized Democratic presidential nominee Kamala Harris, referencing her comments about "reimagining" public safety made in 2020.
Justin Harris said Trump will provide the funding and support he’s looking for, pointing to fears surrounding border issues and drug trafficking which have been common talking points throughout Trump's campaign.
Harris was most recently in public view for denouncing the U.S. Department of Justice's investigation into the Phoenix Police Department, which was released earlier this year.
— Helen Rummel
Trump allies eager to compare his crowd to Harris
Donald Trump’s Glendale rally is the perfect opportunity for a crowd size comparison — Kamala Harris drew 15,000 people to the same venue earlier this month. His allies were happy to compare the crowds on Friday.
“We have more people than Kamala had — outside,” Tyler Bowyer of Turning Point Action said, referencing the long line outside the arena. The arena seats 19,300 people, according to its management company.
There were approximately 12,000-13,000 people inside Desert Diamond Arena as of 3:30 p.m. on Friday, according to a police officer monitoring the crowd. That number will go up, he said, because a long line of Trump supporters were still waiting to get into the building.
“Someone who wants to be president had an event here and she had to partition all this off," Turning Point founder Charlie Kirk said. "We draw a bigger crowd than Kamala Harris, don’t we?”
State Rep. Justin Heap, who is running for Maricopa County recorder, echoed Trump claims that Harris is using artificial intelligence to inflate her crowd sizes.
“You don’t need to use AI to make it look like the seats are full,” Heap said.
— Stephanie Murray
RFK takes the stage; Trump pitches assassination attempts commission
Robert F. Kennedy Jr. received a warm welcome at Donald Trump’s rally, coming on stage to pyrotechnics and the Foo Fighters song “My Hero.”
Kennedy suspended his presidential campaign and endorsed Trump in Phoenix on Friday morning, saying that he would take his name off the ballot in battleground states to avoid being a spoiler in the race.
Kennedy told the Glendale rally crowd that he and Trump don’t agree on everything, but they found common ground on “having safe food and ending the chronic disease epidemic” and each want to “end the grip of the neocons on U.S. foreign policy.”
"Don't you want a president who is going to get us out of the wars?" Kennedy asked.
Trump praised Kennedy as a “phenomenal person” as the crowd chanted, “Bobby, Bobby, Bobby.” The former GOP president told supporters that Kennedy called him after his attempted assassination in Pennsylvania last month.
“Upon my election, I will establish a new independent presidential commission on assassination attempts,” Trump said, noting that he will release all remaining classified information on President John F. Kennedy’s assassination.
— Stephanie Murray
Trump takes the stage in Arizona
Donald Trump took the stage Friday in Glendale at around 4:30 p.m.
“A very big hello, Arizona. Hello, Phoenix,” Trump said.
“We are going to win Arizona. We’re going to defeat comrade Kamala Harris,” he said.
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, drew a rally crowd of more than 13,000 people to Desert Diamond Arena, the same venue where Vice President Kamala Harris, the Democratic nominee, rallied a crowd of 15,000 earlier in August.
Trump and Harris are locked in a tight battle in battleground Arizona, with statewide polls showing the Democratic nominee slightly ahead. Both campaigns expect Arizona could come down to a small number of ballots — President Joe Biden beat Trump by fewer than 11,000 votes four years ago.
— Stephanie Murray
Maricopa County recorder candidate makes pitch to independents, Democrats
Republican Justin Heap used his time on stage to make his first appeal to voters outside his base since winning his primary for Maricopa County recorder last month.
He will face Democrat Tim Stringham for the seat in November. Swing voters are expected to play a key role in the pivotal race, which will determine who controls voter registration and early voting in Arizona’s most populous county. Heap’s remarks came a little more than 30 minutes before former President Donald Trump was expected to take the stage, a prime time slot for a local race.
“To the independents and Democrats in the room today … join me,” Heap said. “Free and fair and honest elections is not a Republican issue, it is an everyone issue.”
Heap said he was running to “secure our elections” and called for full election results on election night. That isn't possible under current state law and wouldn't be attainable without significant changes to when voters are permitted to return early ballots.
— Sasha Hupka
Officials treat dozens of rally attendees Friday afternoon
The Glendale Fire Department treated more than 100 Trump rally attendees for things such as heat-related illnesses, Assistant Chief Tim Pirtle told The Republic.
Pirtle said the sheer volume of patients delayed Glendale firefighters' ability to treat and transport people to the hospital.
By about 3:20 p.m., nearly all attendees had made their way into air conditioning, according to Pirtle.
On Friday afternoon, the temperature in Glendale was about 104 degrees with partly cloudy skies, according to the National Weather Service.
— Rey Covarrubias Jr.
Voter turnout a big focus at Trump rally
Ahead of Donald Trump’s appearance in Glendale, speakers at his rally called on attendees to drive GOP turnout in Arizona. Trump lost Arizona by fewer than 11,000 votes in 2020 — the smallest margin of any state in his battle against President Joe Biden four years ago.
“We need every vote. We can win Arizona,” said Rep. Andy Biggs, R-Ariz. “Will you help us get every Republican voter to the ballot?”
The rally is co-hosted by Turning Point PAC and Turning Point Action, the Arizona-based conservative group that is helping turn out voters for Trump.
“This is our election to lose,” said Rep. Eli Crane, R-Ariz., encouraging the crowd to help Turning Point “chase ballots” this fall. “We can’t count on Donald Trump to carry this entire load on his back.” Rep. Paul Gosar, R-Ariz., put it plainly: "Please ask your neighbors to vote — unless they’re Democrats.”
— Stephanie Murray
Maricopa superintendent candidate: ‘Students need to be taught the importance of our constitution’
Maricopa County School superintendent candidate Shelli Boggs declared schools a battleground while taking the podium in Glendale. She said teachers aren’t being supported and parents have been “disrespected” and “ignored” as their tax dollars fund the destruction of education.
During her campaign, Boggs has portrayed herself as a fierce advocate for depoliticizing American classrooms. At the same time, she has said she does not want schools to teach about racism, transgender students should not use facilities that align with their gender identity and schools should discourage talk of pronouns.
“Students need to be taught the importance of our constitution and what it means to be an American. Now more than ever, we must protect and strengthen our schools,” Boggs said.
— Nicholas Sullivan
Heat, long lines discourage some Trump fans
Thousands of people stood in line outside Desert Diamond Arena on Friday afternoon in the 104-degree heat, hoping to get a seat inside for Trump’s rally. Terrence Feller, 62, came from Casa Grande to see the former president with his daughter. They saw the long line and decided to turn around, especially after speaking with one attendee who arrived at 9 a.m. and was just entering the arena after 1 p.m.
“It has to be a mile,” he said. “After seeing how long the line is, we decided to turn around and go back to Casa Grande.”
Feller said he’s voting for Trump because he’ll boost the economy and “get us back on the right energy path, where we’re selling instead of buying.”
As someone who works at a migrant detention center, Feller named the border as another top issue and said immigration is a much larger issue than is presented in the media.
— Stephanie Murray
Crowd begins to fill stands at Desert Diamond Arena
More than two hours before former President Donald Trump was scheduled to take the stage in Glendale, thousands of supporters filled in much of Desert Diamond Arena’s lower bowl.
The upper section of the arena was not yet occupied as state Sen. Jake Hoffman, R-Queen Creek, fired up the crowd. The venue has a capacity of close to 19,000, according to its website.
— Ray Stern
Harris campaign reaches out to RFK Jr. supporters
Jen O’Malley Dillon, Democrat Kamala Harris’ campaign chair, reacted to independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s decision to suspend his campaign by reaching out to his supporters.
“For any American out there who is tired of Donald Trump and looking for a new way forward, ours is a campaign for you,” O’Malley Dillon said Friday in a written statement. “In order to deliver for working people and those who feel left behind, we need a leader who will fight for you, not just for themselves, and bring us together, not tear us apart. Vice President Harris wants to earn your support.”
“Even if we do not agree on every issue, Kamala Harris knows there is more that unites us than divides us: respect for our rights, public safety, protecting our freedoms, and opportunity for all.”
Speaking Friday in downtown Phoenix, Kennedy announced that he is suspending his campaign and backing Donald Trump. He said he is working to remove his name from the ballot in about 10 “battleground states” where polling suggests he might play spoiler to the benefit of the Democrats.
— Dan Nowicki
Who else will be speaking at the Trump rally in Glendale?
A number of Republicans running for office were scheduled to speak at the rally, according to Turning Point Action, including Kari Lake, candidate for U.S. Senate; Abe Hamadeh, candidate for Arizona’s 8th Congressional District; Jerry Sheridan, candidate for Maricopa County sheriff; Justin Heap, candidate for Maricopa County recorder; and Shelli Boggs, candidate for Maricopa County school superintendent.
Turning Point Action asked people to register for the rally via the Trump campaign website, which allowed people to sign up for two tickets per mobile phone number. Attendance will be first come, first serve, according to the Turning Point Action.
— Stephanie Murray
RFK Jr. suspends his campaign, endorses Trump
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., an independent presidential candidate, announced Friday in downtown Phoenix that he is suspending his presidential campaign and backing Republican former President Donald Trump.
“I want everyone to know that I'm not terminating my campaign. I am simply suspending it and not ending it,” a hoarse-sounding Kennedy said from a ballroom inside the Renaissance Phoenix Downtown Hotel. "My name will remain on the ballot in most states."
In "about 10 battleground states," where he could play spoiler in favor of the Democrats, Kennedy said he is withdrawing his name from the ballots. The Arizona Secretary of State's Office confirmed Thursday to The Arizona Republic that he filed to take his name of the ballot here.
Trump is set headline a rally later Friday at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale. Since Thursday, the Trump campaign has been touting the appearance of an unnamed “special guest” at the event. Trump said Thursday he would consider an RFK Jr. endorsement
Kennedy, a former Democrat, is the son of slain 1968 presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy and the nephew of assassinated President John F. Kennedy.
Kennedy said Friday that he left the party because the Democrats have abandoned “the core values I grew up with.” He said he believed he would have won the election "in an honest system."
— Dan Nowicki
What time is Donald Trump's rally in Glendale?
Former president and 2024 Republican nominee Donald Trump has a rally scheduled in Glendale on Friday afternoon, the day after the close of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago and Vice President Kamala Harris' speech accepting the Democratic nomination.
Trump will appear at Desert Diamond Arena, the same venue where Harris held a rally earlier this month. The event will be co-hosted by conservative groups Turning Point PAC and Turning Point Action.
Trump's rally in Glendale was scheduled to begin at 4 p.m., according to the former president's campaign. Doors open for attendees at 11 a.m., and "pre-programming" was expected to start at 2 p.m., according to Turning Point Action.
Arizona is an "emerging problem" for Trump, one longtime political observer said recently, and Trump’s own allies have said he should be in the state more often.
Trump visited Arizona's southern border on Thursday. The former president painted a grisly, violent picture of illegal immigration during a tour of the U.S.-Mexico border, using Cochise County as the backdrop for his counterprogramming on the day the vice president accepted her party’s presidential nomination.
— Stephanie Murray
Where has Donald Trump been campaigning this week?
Donald Trump hit the campaign trail in several battleground states this week.
On Monday, the former president spoke to a crowd of supporters on a factory floor in the working-class city of York, Pennsylvania, and vowed to end rules created by the Environmental Protection Agency that would limit air and water pollution from power plants.
"It's a disaster for our country," Trump said. "Instead of shutting down power plants, we will open dozens and dozens more, and they'll happen fast."
The Republican presidential candidate and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, are appearing at series of campaign events in Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Nevada and Georgia in addition to Trump’s stop in Arizona.
— Melissa Cruz, USA TODAY
Where is Donald Trump on Friday morning? In Las Vegas
Before his rally in Glendale on Friday afternoon, Donald Trump will speak at a restaurant in Las Vegas about noon to discuss his campaign promise to not tax tips. Trump flew to Las Vegas after his Arizona border visit on Thursday afternoon.
RFK Jr. files to withdraw his name from Arizona's Nov. 5 ballot
Independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. late Thursday filed to withdraw his name from Arizona's Nov. 5 ballot, the Arizona Secretary of State's Office confirmed to The Arizona Republic.
Kennedy filed to withdraw around 5:30 p.m., according to JP Martin, a spokesperson for Secretary of State Adrian Fontes.
Speculation has swirled about Kennedy considering ending his campaign and endorsing former President Donald Trump, the Republican presidential nominee.
Kennedy is scheduled to speak Friday in Phoenix about his "path forward." Later in the day, Trump is holding a rally with an unnamed "special guest" at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
— Stephanie Murray
Man suspected of threatening Trump has been arrested
The Cochise County Sheriff's Office said Thursday it arrested a man who authorities say made threats on social media against former President Donald Trump.
"The Cochise County Sheriff's Office was made aware of threatening statements made via social media by the subject Ronald Syvrud towards candidate Trump," Carol Capas, a department spokesperson, told The Arizona Republic. "As a result, additional information was developed confirming outstanding warrants for this subject, and a subsequent public release was issued."
Trump made a stop Thursday at the U.S.-Mexico border in Cochise County. He told the media there that he was unaware of the then-ongoing manhunt for Syvrud.
“But no, I haven’t heard that but I’m not that surprised," Trump said. "And the reason is I want to do things that are very bad for the bad guys. I have heard that it's very unsafe to make this trip. There were some people who really didn't want me to make it."
Syvrud, 66, of Benson, had "outstanding warrants from the state of Wisconsin for DUI/Failure to Appear for DUI and from Graham County Arizona for Hit/Run and Felony Failure to Register as a Sex Offender," the Cochise County Sheriff's Office said on Facebook.
— Perry Vandell
Arizona Democrats blast Trump 'border stunt'
Arizona Democrats dismissed former President Donald Trump’s appearance Thursday in Cochise County as a “border stunt.”
The state Democratic Party in a written statement said Trump went to the U.S.-Mexico border “to take attention away from Democrats hosting one of the largest political rallies in our state's history and a Democratic Convention where Arizona Democrats solidified our status as the future of the party.”
The Democrats also highlighted what they called Trump’s “long record of demonizing immigrants, promising mass deportations, and killing bipartisan solutions that would help border states like Arizona.”
Trump’s role in torpedoing a bipartisan Senate border compromise has been a constant line of attack from Democrats. Trump urged Republicans to reject the deal so as not to give President Joe Biden an election-year legislative victory.
The state party also recalled Trump’s odd decision to kiss former Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio on stage at an event earlier this year at Dream City Church in Phoenix.
"I don't kiss men. But I kissed him," Trump said at the time.
As president, Trump pardoned Arpaio, an anti-immigration hardliner who in 2017 had been convicted of criminal contempt of court as part of a long-running case involving racial profiling by his agency.
— Dan Nowicki
'Special guest' touted to appear Friday at Trump's Glendale rally
President Donald Trump's campaign on Thursday announced that an unnamed "special guest" would join Trump on Friday at his afternoon rally at Desert Diamond Arena in Glendale.
The announcement comes amid speculation that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. intends to bow out of the race and endorse Trump.
Kennedy, the son of slain 1968 Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy, is expected to make his own late morning appearance Friday in Phoenix where he will discuss his "path forward."
Asked at an Arizona border stop about the Kennedy speculation, Trump said there were no plans for Kennedy to appear with him in Glendale.
Trump called Kennedy “smart” and “a little bit different but that’s OK."
Later, the Trump campaign said in a written statement: "President Trump will be joined by a special guest as he delivers remarks about his America First policies and his vision to lower inflation and the cost of living, secure the border, and make our cities safe again."
Announced guest speakers at the Trump rally include Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk; Senate candidate Kari Lake; U.S. Reps. Andy Biggs, Eli Crane and Paul Gosar; congressional candidate Abe Hamadeh; and Maricopa County sheriff candidate Jerry Sheridan.
— Dan Nowicki and Stephanie Murray
Trump unaware of police search for man suspected of threatening him
Former President Donald Trump, speaking at the Arizona-Mexico border, addressed a Cochise County manhunt for a person suspected of making threats against him.
Responding to a question from the media, Trump said he was unaware of the situation.
"I've heard it's dangerous, but I also have a job to do. I heard it's very dangerous. I haven't heard about that," Trump said. "They probably want to keep it from me. Thank you for telling me."
Trump added that he has "great respect" for the Secret Service, which came under bipartisan fire last month after Trump was wounded in a July 13 assassination attempt.
"Mistakes were made, and they're going to learn from the mistakes," he said.
The Cochise County Sheriff's Office confirmed to The Arizona Republic Thursday that they were searching for Ronald Syvrud, a 66-year-old Benson resident, after it "was made aware of threatening statements made via social media."
“But no, I haven’t heard that but I’m not that surprised," Trump said. "And the reason is I want to do things that are very bad for the bad guys. I have heard that it's very unsafe to make this trip. There were some people who really didn't want me to make it."
— Dan Nowicki, Stephanie Murray and Perry Vandell
An RFK Jr. endorsement would be a great honor, Trump says
Trump said he hasn’t spoken recently with independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. but acknowledged speculation that Kennedy may drop out of the race Friday. That would be a great honor, Trump said.
Trump noted the pair will both be in Arizona tomorrow but said there are no plans for Kennedy to appear at his rally in Glendale.
Trump called Kennedy “smart” and “a little bit different but that’s O.K."
— Stephanie Murray
Trump calls Harris 'a Marxist' who wants open borders
Former President Donald Trump began his remarks at the border by knocking President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. The former president addressed reporters with law enforcement officials and families of victims of crimes committed by people who crossed the border illegally.
Trump referred to Harris as a “Marxist” and claimed she wants “open borders.” He gave his speech at an unfinished portion of the border wall in Cochise County, and often gestured to pieces of the wall piled nearby.
“It could have been put up in a matter of weeks,” Trump said, calling the barrier the “Rolls-Royce” of walls.
He was joined by the family of Rachel Morin, who was raped and murdered in 2023 in Maryland. An immigrant from El Salvador was arrested and charged in connection with the crimes.
— Stephanie Murray
Trump arrives at the Arizona-Mexico border
Donald Trump arrived at the southern border shortly after noon Thursday. He was joined by campaign advisers Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, along with Republican National Committee Chair Michael Whatley.
The former president exited his motorcade and met with Cochise County officials at the border wall.
He was wearing a blue suit and red tie.
— Stephanie Murray
Trump changes tune on the Obamas
Trump, a harsh critic of Obama and his time in office, actually offered some rare praise for his predecessor while speaking to reporters Tuesday. That praise? Trump referred to the 44th president as a “nice gentleman” whom he happens to “like and respect,” in an interview with CNN.
“I thought he was a terrible president. He didn’t do the job. He let people take advantage of us on trade,” Trump said while on the campaign trail in Michigan. “Especially trade — he was very weak on trade. But I happen to like him. I respect him and his wife.”
Trump was not too thrilled with Barack and Michelle Obama's comments at the national convention.
"Did you see Barack Hussein Obama last night take shots? He was taking shots at your president," Trump said at a rally in Asheboro, North Carolina, on Wednesday, the day after the Obamas spoke at the Democratic National Convention.
The use of Obama's full name harkens back to Trump's promotion of the “birther” conspiracy, a false claim about Obama’s birthplace that Trump eventually walked back in 2016.
"He was very nasty last night. I try to be nice to people you know, but it gets a little tough when they get personal," Trump continued.
Trump mentioned that his campaign advisers tried to keep him from getting "personal" and to stick with policy talk. He asked the crowd if he should follow that advice or get personal. The crowd responded wanting him to get personal.
— Joyce Orlando, USA TODAY
Heavy security at Trump border stop
Awaiting Donald Trump’s visit to Arizona, Secret Service agents, Cochise County sheriff officers and other law enforcement lined a dirt road leading to the U.S.-Mexico border. The former president was set to arrive at Sierra Vista Municipal Airport on Thursday morning, tour a portion of the border near Coronado National Monument and speak with the press.— Stephanie Murray and Sarah Lapidus
Donald Trump to rally at same Glendale arena as Kamala Harris
Donald Trump will hit the campaign trail in Glendale on Friday, holding a rally at the same venue where Kamala Harris drew a crowd of 15,000 people earlier this month.
It’s the perfect opportunity for a crowd size comparison.
The Republican former president is under pressure to upstage Harris by packing Desert Diamond Arena with a huge crowd. It’s a comparison of his own making: Trump has been disputing the size of Harris’ fired-up campaign crowds lately, even falsely claiming she used artificial intelligence because her sea of supporters was so large at a recent event.
The event marks Trump’s first large-scale campaign event in battleground Arizona since Harris became the Democratic nominee. Trump had a comfortable lead over President Joe Biden in the state, but the race has tightened now that Harris is his opponent.
“Until Kamala Harris took the top of the ticket, Trump was known for throwing the better party,” said Stacey Pearson, a Phoenix Democratic political consultant.
The size of a rally is not an indicator of who will win an election, but a campaign crowd can provide a peek into how enthusiastic voters are about a particular candidate. That’s notable in Arizona, where Biden had struggled to get voters excited to turn out before he left the race.
— Stephanie Murray
Donald Trump has visited Arizona often. Here's the list
For years, Arizona has been one of former President Donald Trump's favorite spots to campaign.
He was a frequent visitor in 2015 and 2016 on his way to the Republican nomination. Trump defeated Democrat Hillary Clinton in Arizona in 2016 to capture the state's 11 electoral votes.
In 2020, despite multiple visits, Trump lost to Democrat Joe Biden in Arizona by fewer than 11,000 votes. He returned for additional rallies after his presidency, often lamenting a "stolen" and "rigged" election.
In 2024, Trump again has ramped up his time in Arizona as he makes another run for the presidency, this time taking on Vice President Kamala Harris.
— Ronald J. Hansen
Who is leading in the polls in Arizona?
It’s hard to say which presidential candidate, Republican Donald Trump or Democrat Kamala Harris, is ahead in Arizona, generally regarded as one of the nation's seven swing states in the 2024 election.
Recent public polling has run from Harris ahead by 5 percentage points to Trump leading by 4.
By comparison, Trump led every public poll involving him and Biden in Arizona tracked by the nonpartisan website FiveThirtyEight in June and July, sometimes by double digits.
The reality is the shake-up of the Democratic ticket, followed by the party’s national convention, has likely boosted Harris’ standing in the polls. The convention ends Thursday, and public opinion could be more stable after that, at least until the rivals' Sept. 10 debate in Philadelphia.
Pollsters won’t have a clean look at public opinion for at least another week, leaving the state’s uncertain status unchanged for at least a few more days.
The major political ratings organizations all list Arizona as a toss-up at the moment.
— Ronald J. Hansen
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Donald Trump campaigns in Arizona: Live coverage
