Faithful rally to support Trump
"I have many, many that want the job, they want to really be a part of it. I'll make a decision over the next couple of days." President Donald Trump on applicants for the newly vacant post of National Security Adviser
UNITED STATES: After a turbulent first month in the White House wracked by firings, hostile words and court losses, US President Donald Trump ventured back to the fan-friendly territory of an election-style rally where he slammed refugees and the ‘‘fake news’’ media.
In a rambling 45-minute speech, the president ran through the actions taken by his administration so far - his negotiating efforts on the F-35 fighter jet, plans for new oil pipelines which would create new jobs for Americans and efforts to roll back regulations.
He avoided mentioning Russia and the scandal that led to the firing of his national security adviser General Michael Flynn and while he did not name China, he said his administration was working on a plan to ‘‘crackdown on foreign cheating and currency manipulation’’.
‘‘I’m here because I want to be among my friends and among the people,’’ Trump told the crowd after his wife, Melania, began the rally with a prayer.
The president did not hold back at the rally about his apprehension about allowing refugees into the US.
He pointed to troubles Germany, Sweden, France and Belgium were having with the large flow of refugees that fled wartorn Syria.
Echoing his Mexico will pay for a Us-mexico border wall pledge, Trump told the crowd he wants safe zones built in Syria for the refugees but Persian Gulf states would pay for them because ‘‘they have nothing but money’’ and the US has a $US20 trillion debt.
‘‘We have allowed thousands and thousands of people into our country and there was no way to vet those people,’’ Trump said.
‘‘There was no documentation. There was no nothing. So we are going to keep our country safe.’’
He also pledged to ‘‘do something over the next couple of days’’ to address the immigration order that has been blocked in the courts. Said Trump: ‘‘We don’t give up, we never give up.’’
Trump also rejected reports his administration was in turmoil despite controversies including retired General Michael Flynn’s firing for failing to disclose the truth to US Vice President Mike Pence about his phone call with Russian Ambassador Sergey Kislyak, misguided comments by counsellor Kellyanne Conway and the court losses blocking his sevennation travel ban.
‘‘The White House is running so smoothly,’’ Trump, who pointed to large gains in the stock market and polls he said showed optimism in the US.
Mrs Trump has been criticised for staying in Trump Tower in Manhattan rather than living in the White House with her husband.
‘‘I will always stay true to myself and be truthful to you no matter what the opposition is saying about me,’’ Mrs Trump said after delivering her prayer.
Hundreds of protesters lined up outside the rally to boo the president’s arrival and departure from the airport in Air Force One.
Thousands of protesters were out on the streets of Dallas and Los Angeles to oppose immigration enforcement raids and to support immigrants and refugees generally. In Los Angeles, an organiser urged local authorities not to spend money on immigration enforcement.
Trump, who held a rally in the same spot in Florida in September, clearly relished being back in front of his supporters.
The event had the familiar trappings of a Trump campaign rally, including red Trump caps, ‘‘Make America Great Again’’ and ‘‘Trump/pence’’ signs and at least one sign reading ‘‘Hillary for Prison.’’
The rally came during Trump’s third straight weekend at his private south Florida club, Mara-lago. It was another working weekend for the president, who planned to interview at least four potential candidates for the job of national security adviser, a position unexpectedly open after retired General Flynn’s firing early last week.
Trump said yesterday: ‘‘I have many, many that want the job, they want to really be a part of it. I’ll make a decision over the next couple of days.’’
Scheduled to discuss the job with the president were his acting adviser, retired Army Lieutenant General Keith Kellogg; John Bolton, a former US ambassador to the United Nations; Army Lieutenant General H.R. Mcmaster; and the superintendent of the US Military Academy at West Point, Lieutenant General Robert Caslen.
White House spokesman Sean Spicer said the four interviews were expected to take place at the private estate.
Finding a new national security adviser was proving to be a challenge for Trump. His first choice, retired Vice Admiral Robert Harward, turned down the offer.
Trump had also expressed interest in former CIA Director David Petraeus, but Spicer said that Petraeus was not a finalist. The retired four-star general resigned as CIA director in 2012 and pleaded guilty to one misdemeanour charge of mishandling classified information relating to documents he had provided to his biographer, with whom he was having an affair.
Flynn resigned at Trump’s request last week after revelations that he misled Vice President Mike Pence about discussing sanctions with Russia’s ambassador to the US during the transition.
Trump said last week that he was disappointed by how Flynn had treated Pence, but did not believe Flynn had done anything wrong by having the conversations. - AAP, AP