Outside the Salem Civic Center, by 1:30, at least 10,000 people waited to get inside the Trump rally. Men and women traveled from across Virginia, and beyond, to see the former president.
Nedra Kucish traveled from Fairmont, West Virginia with her family. “I thought, this is my last chance,” Kucish said, although she didn’t feel hopeful about her chances they would get inside. She said they would stay to watch the rally on the jumbotron, if they could find some food for her two-year-old grandson.
For many, the festive party atmosphere was a major draw. “America, cold beer, and God” brought Garrett (who didn’t want to give his last name) out to see Trump. He drove straight to the rally after he got off work at a Botetourt County pumpkin patch. But seeing the crowd, he realized he wouldn’t be able to get inside, so he and his friends set up to hang out on a grassy hill, to watch the rally on the screen.
Among the thousands standing to get inside was a group of middle-aged people from Denmark. And a handful of passionate Trump fans from Japan are marching throughout the crowds, waving flags, including Yu Usami, from outside Tokyo.
“To confirm President Trump landslide victory!” said Usami, who said he supports Trump energy policies, and believes it will benefit Japanese people. He’s attended other rallies in support of the former president.
A group of students from Liberty University were also waiting to get inside, including Trinity Landis. “Yeah, I just feel like our country’s going downhill. Joe Biden’s not done one positive thing in the past four years, and Kamala’s going to ruin our country,” Landis said.
She added that she thinks other young people should do their research before voting, and not just base their decision on social media influencers.
Another Liberty student at the rally in support of Trump was Sam Bell, an international student from Alberta Canada. “I think Trump is going to prevent us from going into world war three,” Bell said. “I really hope that he will stop funding other countries, like Ukraine and Israel.”
Bell said he supports Trump’s policies on economics and immigration. “If America succeeds it will trickle up to Canada as well. I believe Trump will really put a lock on the border, even if it’s a border with Canada.”
On the outskirts of the crowd was a smaller group of counter-protestors, most of them women.
“I believe that watching where we are today is terrifying,” said Chris Carter, of Roanoke, who stood beside her teenage daughter. “I’ve never seen our country this divided. And I’ve been going to protests for years. This is terrifying.”
Lisa Brazil, also of Roanoke, joined the protest against Trump. She said she was doing so in honor of her late father, a prisoner of war during World War Two.
“I’m here because Donald Trump thinks people like my father and John McCain, POWs, were suckers and losers for being caught. And my father wasn’t a sucker or loser, he was a hero,” Brazil said.
According to reporting by The Atlantic, Trump has made several statements over the years disparaging the military service of prisoners of war, including John McCain. Former Trump staffer, John Kelly, claims he heard Trump make these statements.
An employee with the Trump campaign said they expected 14,000 people to show up, but the civic center holds less than 7,000.
This report, provided by Virginia Public Radio, was made possible with support from the Virginia Education Association.
