WACO, Texas—Controversy seems to follow former President Donald Trump. Sometimes he invites it but this time it was unfairly foisted upon him, Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick insisted at Trump’s 2024 presidential campaign kickoff rally.
On March 25, after thousands of people stood for hours in 78-degree heat at the Waco Regional Airport, Patrick bounded up the stairs and took center stage in advance of Trump’s appearance.
Patrick dispelled speculation about the motivation behind Trump’s decision to launch his third presidential campaign at this time and place.
Using one of Trump’s stock phrases, Patrick dismissed as “fake news” any connection to an infamous tragedy near Waco.
Later, when Trump spoke, he gave no mention of the Waco venue controversy. Instead, he thanked Texans for their staunch support and promised to continue fighting for them.
Sinister Symbolism Alleged
Trump’s Waco rally was scheduled in the midst of the 30th anniversary of federal agents’ siege of the Branch Davidians’ religious compound outside Waco in east Texas.The 51-day standoff began on Feb. 28, 1993, and ended on April 19 with a blaze that killed 76 people, including 23 children.
That devastating outcome is considered by many to be a consequence of government overreach.
Trump’s Waco rally comes at a time when he faces legal investigations and Trump’s detractors think his choice of Waco sent a coded message to anti-government extremists.
Trump has been the subject of several high-profile investigations during and after his presidency. None of the completed probes found evidence of wrongdoing.
Currently, the highest-profile case centers on a “hush money” scandal involving adult entertainment actress Stormy Daniels.
Last week, Trump’s niece and outspoken critic Mary Trump wrote on Twitter that the Waco rally was “a ploy to remind his cult of the infamous Waco siege of 1993, where an anti-government cult battled the FBI.”
“Scores of people died,” Mary Trump’s tweet said. “He wants the same violent chaos to rescue him from justice.”
But at the rally, Patrick said the Branch Davidian tragedy played no part when he discussed possible rally sites with Trump.
After the Ronnie Dunn country tune, “How Far to Waco” played on loudspeakers, Patrick scoffed at the notion of attaching any sinister symbolism to the Waco rally.
Grim Anniversary
Patrick said his No. 1 choice was Waco, “where I know they love you,” he told Trump, “where I know they represent the American values and the Texas values and the godly values of this country.”The crowd cheered Patrick’s remarks, especially when he said, “you couldn’t find a better place to go than Waco.”
Patrick outlined ways in which Texas Republicans align with Trump. He and Trump both said socialists are hell-bent on destroying America and displacing traditional U.S. values.
“I know in Texas we will not stand for it. And I know that Donald Trump, when he is re-elected as the next president, will put an end to all this craziness,” Patrick said, noting leftist policies that are infiltrating schools, the military, and virtually all facets of life.
Democrats see climate change as “the biggest enemy,” Patrick said. “I see the biggest enemy is a leftist, socialist government that wants to break up the family and kick God out of the country.
“We will not let that happen, and I know Donald Trump will not let that happen!”
Fans React
For rally attendees who spoke to The Epoch Times, the messages from Patrick and Trump resonated; the alleged Waco-Branch Davidian symbolism seemed ludicrous to them.Several pointed out that the siege didn’t take place in Waco. The Davidians’ Mount Carmel Center, now a museum, was located about 20 miles northeast of Waco near a small town called Axtell.
But the raid apparently continues to be tied to Waco because it’s the nearest city of any significant size.
Locals resent the connection.
Cassidy Diaz, 31, of Waco, pointed out that the city is representative of smaller-town America but is central to large population centers. Home to about 140,000 people, Waco is midway between Austin and Dallas; each is about a 90-minute drive.
Diaz said she appreciates Trump’s outspoken nature, even though it irritates some people who otherwise like his policies. “He is who he is, and I like that,” she told The Epoch Times. “People are too sensitive.”
Brandon Wyrick, a 32-year-old Austin man who came to the rally with Diaz, said, “We as a country are losing our backbone; you need somebody to tell it like it is, and Trump does that.”
Noting the irony of his “Let’s Go Brandon” shirt, Wyrick laughed when asked whether his name really is Brandon. He produced an ID to prove it.
But on a serious note, Wyrick said the political situation couldn’t be more dire.
“We’re about to go into World War III,” Wyrick said.
New York Probe ‘A Distraction’
Diaz said the highly publicized possible indictment of Trump in New York is “a distraction, a way to divert attention away from the real issues.”It comes as Trump and fellow Republicans appear poised to “expose a lot of corruption” with Biden and other Democrats, she said.
At the rally, many of Trump’s supporters waved “Witch Hunt” placards that his campaign staffers handed out. Trump has used the phrase repeatedly to refer to the barrage of investigations he’s facing.
This time, the slogans apparently referred to the New York probe.
Debbie Manning, 59, of Waxahachie, Texas, about an hour’s drive from Waco, called the New York scandal “a bunch of hooey.”
She said it may have been pivotal for Trump to reveal the impending indictment, “to draw attention to it—so the truth would come out.”
Many people, including Manning, believe that last-minute witnesses who came forward provided essential information that may have helped cast doubt on the claims made against Trump.
Manning voted for Trump in 2016 with some trepidation. “I didn’t know what I was getting,” she said.
But after seeing his performance in office, Manning was pleased—and became a full-on Trump devotee after seeing him endure many attacks.
During his speech, Trump declared that he is one of the world’s most-investigated—and most innocent—people.
“If they had anything on Trump, they would have already pinned him to the mat,” Manning said before his speech.
Attendance Strong Despite Tactic
Two days beforehand, Trump’s niece, Mary Trump, encouraged people to sabotage his rally attendance. On Twitter, she told people they should scoop up free admission tickets to the rally, then not use them.But at the rally, Trump pointed out that people filled the Waco venue “as far as the eye could see.” People started camping out in lawn chairs as early as 2:30 a.m. even though the gates did not open until noon and on-stage presentations didn’t begin until 2 p.m.
Organizers were expecting 15,000 people, but actual attendance estimates were not immediately available.
But Trump relished the sight of the large Waco audience from overhead in his Boeing 757 “Trump Force One.”
As the plane circled the crowd’s perimeter around 5:30 p.m., the hard-driving tune, “The Danger Zone,” from the fighter-pilot movie, “Top Gun,” added to the excitement. The crowd became a sea of hands with cellphones thrust skyward as people tried to snap photos.
Music, Painting, Dramatic Entrance
The crowd cheered loudly as Trump deplaned. He walked along a red carpet, through a tunnel of American flags fluttering in the wind. As he walked onto the stage, waving, the Trump-branded plane became part of the backdrop for the rally.The plane’s arrival added to a spectacle that began unfolding four hours earlier, with rock guitarist Ted Nugent’s “fire-breathing” rendition of the “Star-Spangled Banner.”
Nugent said he unabashedly supports American rights to free speech and to keep and bear arms “without a permit.”
As he left the stage, he said, “Thank you, Real America! Stand up for what you believe!
Trump took the stage around 6 p.m. about an hour later than scheduled.
He spoke for about 90 minutes, focusing largely on decrying the alleged weaponization of the American justice system.
Trump said the justice system is being manipulated to go after people, including him, for political reasons.
Jan. 6 Not Forgotten
At times, the rally’s mood turned somber.As the former president took the stage an announcer proclaimed that Trump’s hit recording, “And Justice For All,” would be played.
The song features “The J6 Prison Choir,” their voices echoing within walls of a Washington, jail, as they sing the National Anthem, alternating with segments of Trump reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
A website promoting the song says: “J6 Prison Choir consists of individuals who have been incarcerated as a result of their involvement in the 2021 protest for election integrity after President Donald Trump stated, ‘I know that everyone here will soon be marching over to the Capitol building to peacefully and patriotically make your voices heard.”
The choir “continues to make their voices heard through the power of music and sings ‘The Star Spangled Banner’ every evening before bed,” the website says.
As rallygoers stood with hands over their hearts, listening to the song, some were moved to tears.
For Dylan Marshall, a 36-year-old restaurant worker who lives in Waco, the plight of the Jan. 6 prisoners hits hard. Although he was wearing a “Mean Tweets and Cheap Gas 2024” T-shirt, he also was wearing an awareness bracelet that says, “Free the J6ers.”
“Their constitutional rights are being violated; they are political prisoners,” Marshall told The Epoch Times.
“So there’s a lot on the line, not just for them, but for all of us. We cannot be scared. We cannot back down. We have to let our voices be heard and get out there to the polls.”
However, Cathy Hammel, 68, of Forney, Texas, said Jan. 6 has hurt Trump even among some of his fans.
“People who used to love him turned against him because they believe all the nonsense” that has been reported in media, blaming Trump for some protesters turning violent and entering the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, Hammel told The Epoch Times.
Confidence Despite Concerns
Hammel said she “doesn’t trust DeSantis” because of her “ feeling ” about him. That’s why she intends to vote for Trump in 2024.“But in the back of my mind, I’m afraid the election will be stolen again,” she said.
Trump said he would continue to work with Republican leaders to correct vulnerabilities in the election system. But until those improvements are made, Republicans need to take advantage of early voting and mail-in voting, rather than rely on just showing up in person on Election Day, he said.
He projected confidence that he would be re-elected and would oust the “corrupt, rotten, and sinister forces trying to destroy America.”
As the crowd cheered loudly he said, “2024 is the final battle.”
“Their reign will be over and America will be a free nation once again.
“When this election is over, I will be the president of the United States,” he added. “You will be vindicated and proud.”
