Trump Faces Repeated Protest Disruptions at Texas Campaign Rally

By Staff, Agencies

US President Donald Trump was repeatedly interrupted by protesters Wednesday during a campaign rally in San Antonio, Texas, where he was supporting Republican Senate candidate Ken Paxton.

NBC News reported that at least nine protesters were removed from the venue, while White House pool reporters estimated that around 12 people disrupted the event. An official count was not immediately available.

Each interruption prompted boos from the crowd as Trump paused his remarks, with attendees later chanting “USA.”

Following one disruption near the stage, Trump said the protester was “going back home to mom right now,” adding that the person’s mother had voted for him.

Minutes later, as another protester was removed, Trump remarked that the individual “has got to lose a lot of weight.”

Trump also accused the demonstrators of being paid protesters, saying they were “paid by enemies of our nation.” He then called on any other protesters to raise their hands and leave the venue.

Trump subsequently turned to his administration’s domestic agenda, claiming that officials had identified “billions and billions of dollars” that had been intended for Medicare improvements but had not been spent.

He said the money would instead be returned to American seniors, claiming that more than 20 million Medicare recipients would begin receiving checks or deposits worth more than $100 starting Thursday. Trump added that more than 1.4 million of those recipients are in Texas.

The president also repeated his pledge to provide $5,000 to every adult US citizen if Republicans win control of both the House of Representatives and Senate in November’s midterm elections.

“Everything I said, you’re going to get,” Trump told the crowd, reiterating that recipients would receive the $5,000 payment.