President Donald Trump speaks during a campaign rally at the Gastonia Municipal Airport, in Gastonia. (Photo: PTI)
US President Donald Trump paused a campaign rally in Gastonia, North Carolina, on Wednesday after a woman interrupted his speech, saying she was “going home to mama” before resuming his remarks. “Let me see his face,” he said while looking towards the disturbance, before realising the protester was a woman. Her mother is watching right now on television, furious at the daughter,” Trump said.
Trump initially appeared to assume that the person interrupting him was a man. “Oh, oh, it’s a ‘she. Hello!” he added. “She’s going home to mama — who’s watching right now. Trump was speaking at Gastonia Municipal Airport while campaigning for Republican US Senate nominee Michael Whatley, a former chairman of the Republican National Committee who is running against former Democratic North Carolina governor Roy Cooper.
The November 3 contest is for the seat being left open by Republican Senator Thom Tillis, who is not seeking re-election. At a January 2020 rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, a protester interrupted Trump’s remarks.
Trump has promised more campaign appearances ahead of the November 3 elections and urged supporters in North Carolina to treat the contest as though he were running himself, telling them to “pretend that I’m on the ballot”. “Now she’s going home to mom where she will be in big trouble,” Trump said, before adding: “Because I guarantee you that mom voted for Trump.” Trump has backed Whatley as Republicans seek to retain the North Carolina seat. The Gastonia appearance was Trump’s first major campaign stop since the Republican Party’s midterm convention in Dallas last week.