‘If we win Nevada, we win the whole thing’: Trump speaks at Las Vegas rally

Former President Donald Trump encouraged supporters to vote in the primary and to vote for him in November, outlining his priorities if re-elected and warning of what another Biden term would mean.

“If we win Nevada, we win the whole thing. We win the whole thing,” Trump said during a rally Sunday at Sunset Park.

The former president hit hard on the border and immigration during the rally. He criticized Biden’s executive order he announced last week to tighten security on the country’s southern border and temporarily shut down the border to asylum-seekers. Trump said if Biden cared, he’d put back into place the policies implemented under Trump.

He promised to close the border and allow for more oil drilling on American soil. He also pledged to not charge taxes on tipped income, saying to the Las Vegas crowd that hotel workers will appreciate it.

“We’re going to turn this country around,” Trump said.

He continued to reiterate unfounded claims that the 2020 election was stolen, and he praised Jan. 6 protesters, calling them warriors and said police told them to “go in.”

“All they were doing was protesting a rigged election; that’s what they were doing,” he said.

Trump said that in November his support will be “too big to rig,” and that he is working with Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo to ensure the election is fair.

The Trump campaign also announced Sunday the formation of “Latino Americans for Trump,” a coalition of notable members of Latino communities across the country. Ahead of Trump’s speech, members of the Latino community spoke in support of the former president.

Linda Fornos said she is a single mother with three kids and works in the life insurance and finance industry.

“It’s hard to talk to people about how to save money and how to protect their family when they’re struggling to meet their needs,” said Fornos, who used to work at the Santa Fe resort.

‘I would have crawled here’

Hundreds gathered early Sunday morning in the rising Las Vegas heat to hear Trump speak, with some supporters arriving in the early hours of dawn. By 8:30 a.m., a long line snaked around the park with supporters donning American flag attire and “Make America Great Again” gear and carrying umbrellas. Tents were set up for political candidates as well as for people to buy Trump gear.

In an interview with Trump, the former president estimated there were between 10,000 and 15,000 people at the rally.

By the time Trump spoke at a little after noon, the temperature was about 95 degrees Fahrenheit. Misters were set up on the grass, and volunteers handed out bottled water. Paramedics helped several people with medical emergencies. The Clark County Fire Department reported seeing 24 patients and transporting six to local hospitals. Ninety-seven people used the cooling tents. Most, if not all calls, were heat-related, according to Clark County.

Supporters were not deterred by the heat and expressed enthusiasm in seeing Trump.

“If Trump can stand here and be in this heat with us in a suit and tie, we can do whatever we have to do,” said Las Vegas resident Sara Rose, who left her house at 2 a.m. to get to the event. “I would have crawled here if I had to.”

Trump was cognizant of the heat Sunday afternoon, saying someone will come to pick up a supporter if they fall.

“By the way, isn’t that breeze nice?” Trump asked. “Do you feel the breeze? Because I don’t want anybody going on me. We need every voter. I don’t care about you. I just want your vote. See, now the press will take that, and they’ll say he said a horrible thing.”

Felony trial ‘rigged’

Trump’s visit to Nevada came just over a week after he was found guilty of 34 counts related to falsifying business records, becoming the first former president convicted of a felony.

During his speech, Trump accused Biden of weaponizing the U.S. Justice Department. He touted his large show of support following the verdict.

His campaign and the Republican National Committee had announced a $141 million fundraising haul in May, which the campaign says shows support for Trump while facing what it called the “sham Biden trial.” The campaign reported it raised $53 million online in the 24 hours after the guilty verdict was read, noting that 25 percent of the donors in May were new to the 2024 campaign.

“The Democrats and the fake news media want to constantly talk about, ‘Oh President Trump is a convicted felon,’” said Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, R-Georgia, at the rally. “Well you want to know something? The man that I worship is also a convicted felon. And he was murdered on a Roman cross.”

Dave Dunville, a Las Vegas resident, called the verdict “total BS” and said it was a rigged trial. Dunville got up at 3 a.m. and arrived at Sunset Park around 5.

“You’ve got two presidential administrations to look at. Trump’s administration versus Biden’s,” Dunville said. “Biden has put this country in the toilet. Trump, when he was president, everything ran well.”

Late Senate race endorsement

The rally was held two days before the June 11 primary, in which Republicans will choose their nominees in some key races, from the three Southern Nevada congressional districts all of which are held by Democrats, to the closely watched Senate race that could help determine party control.

In the crowded primary field, nationally backed Sam Brown and Dr. Jeff Gunter, former ambassador to Iceland in the Trump administration, have been vying for Trump’s support.

In an exclusive interview with the Review-Journal before the event, Trump said he planned to announce his endorsement in the competitive Senate primary. During his speech, however, he called Brown a “good man,” but did not go further.

Late Sunday evening, Trump endorsed Brown in the Senate primary, calling him a “fearless American patriot” on his social media platform. More than 96,000 Republicans had already voted by the time his endorsement came out, according to data from the secretary of state’s office.

“We should win that race against Rosen,” Trump said in the interview, referring to Nevada incumbent Democratic Sen. Jacky Rosen. “She’s terrible. She’s been a terrible senator, has no respect in Washington, and I think we should win that race.”

Rosen has emphasized her bipartisanship during her campaign, and she was named one of the legislators who most often crosses party lines. Recent polls that show Biden is lagging in Nevada to Trump also show she is ahead in a potential matchup with Brown.

Democratic response

Nevada State Democratic Party Chair Daniele Monroe-Moreno said in a statement after Trump’s visit that the former president is out of touch with Nevada workers. She criticized him for giving tax breaks to billionaires and said he blocked policies to make housing more affordable for Nevadans.

“President Biden and Nevada Democrats are laser-focused on kitchen table issues and never take any vote for granted,” Monroe-Moreno said in the statement. “That’s why we’re working every day to grow our coalition and build a winning ground game to elect Democrats up and down the ballot.”

Polls consistently show Trump ahead of Biden in Nevada, even through the current president won the Silver State in 2020 by more than 30,000 votes.

A Fox News poll released Thursday and conducted June 1 through June 4, show more Nevadans said they trust Trump to do a better job on the Israel-Hamas war, the economy and the border.

The Review-Journal is owned by the family of Miriam Adelson, who has said she plans to donate to Preserve America, a super PAC supporting Donald Trump’s presidential campaign.

Contact Jessica Hill at jehill@reviewjournal.com. Follow @jess_hillyeah on X.