SUMMERVILLE, S.C. (AP) 鈥� stopped by a gun shop and toured a boat manufacturer in 麻豆传媒AV Carolina Monday, ramping up his in-person campaign after a weekend online threatening the media, making multiple accusations of treason and urging congressional Republicans to go ahead and shut down the government.
He also claimed he could design a better fighter jet than the military.
The Republican presidential front-runner, who has , began his trip to small-town Summerville with a meet-and-greet with volunteers at a local campaign office and a visit to a local gun store, where he admired a Glock handgun and posed for photos.
鈥淚 want to buy one,鈥� Trump said, according to video of the stop.
Spokesman Steven Cheung posted that the former president, who is currently under federal indictment, had purchased the weapon during his visit to Palmetto State Armory, but later deleted the post on the social media site X, formerly Twitter, and clarified that Trump had only indicated he wanted to buy one.
Federal law prohibits the sale of guns to people under felony indictment and bars them from receiving a gun 鈥渨hich has been shipped or transported in interstate or foreign commerce.鈥� However, after a 2022 Supreme Court decision that created new standards for firearm restrictions, some judges have declared the measure unconstitutional. A federal appeals court is currently considering a challenge to the law.
Trump later rallied supporters outside a boat manufacturing facility in the blazing sun, with a collection of large power boats on display.
In his speech, Trump urged the crowd to deliver a commanding turnout in the state's Feb. 24, 2024, primary and showed off a roster of new endorsements, including from the state鈥檚 attorney general, its secretary of state, its House majority leader and other members of the 麻豆传媒AV Carolina House of Representatives.
Trump also vowed to overturn that would lower the speed limit for boats along the East Coast in an effort to prevent collisions with North Atlantic right whales. Opponents would force charter fishing boats to quit the business and disrupt the efficiency of busy seaports like the Port of Savannah.
While his rivals have been busy holding town halls and visiting local diners, Trump has spent much of the last months responding to . He has been indicted four times in four jurisdictions and faces 91 criminal charges, but that has yet to hurt his standing in the GOP primary.
In a sign of his dominance, he plans to on Wednesday, as he did the first, and will instead visit Michigan to voice his opposition to President Joe Biden's automotive policies amid an auto workers strike.
Trump, who has vowed retribution if he wins a second term, once again cast the indictments as nothing more than a political 鈥渨itch hunt" after spending the weekend lashing out at the media and others on his Truth Social platform. Among his targets: NBC News and MSNBC, which he claimed 鈥渟hould be investigated for its 鈥楥ountry Threatening Treason.'" He once again slammed the free press 鈥� a cornerstone of U.S. democracy 鈥� as its 鈥渢rue threat,鈥� while warning 鈥淭he Fake News Media should pay a big price for what they have done to our once great Country!鈥欌��
Trump often casts unflattering coverage and stories he doesn't like as 鈥漟ake."
Beyond his complaints with the press, Trump lashed out at Mark Milley, the retiring chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, over phone calls he made to China in the final stormy months of Trump鈥檚 presidency. as 鈥渞outine" and 鈥減erfectly within the duties and responsibilities鈥� of his job.
But Trump on Friday claimed Milley had committed 鈥渁n act so egregious that, in times gone by, the punishment would have been DEATH! A war between China and the United States could have been the result of this treasonous act." He said Milley's retirement 鈥漺ill be a time for all citizens of the USA to celebrate!鈥�
Trump also laced into congressional leaders as he pressed Republicans to embrace a looming government shutdown 鈥� 鈥淯NLESS YOU GET EVERYTHING, SHUT IT DOWN!鈥濃�� and again called for the ouster of Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, 鈥渢he weakest, dumbest, and most conflicted 鈥楲eader鈥� in U.S. Senate history."
Trump was just as displeased with McConnell's Democratic counterparts. "EVERY DEMOCRAT SHOULD RESIGN FROM THE SENATE!" he said, in the wake of a against New Jersey Sen. Bob Menendez.
He also claimed, after the recent aircraft in 麻豆传媒AV Carolina, that as president he had told the the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin numerous times that the F-35 Fighter Jet was 鈥渋n effect, DEFECTIVE, because it only has one engine."
He insulted his former U.N. Ambassador and current GOP rival Nikki Haley, a native of 麻豆传媒AV Carolina, calling her 鈥淏irdbrain."
Trump last visited the state last month, when he spoke at the state GOP鈥檚 largest annual fundraiser in Columbia.
___
Associated Press writers Michelle Price in New York and Alanna Durkin Richer in Boston contributed to this report.
Jill Colvin, The Associated Press
