The place chosen has something to tickle. Donald Trump this Saturday is offered its first campaign meeting for the 2024 presidential election in a highly symbolic place: the Texas city of Waco, the scene thirty years ago of a deadly assault against a sect opposed to federal power.
The former US president, who had claimed – wrongly – that he would be “arrested” on March 21 in New York in a case of payment to the pornographic actress Stormy Daniels, will take the stage in the evening for his “first rally for the 2024 election”. “Big Crowd in Texas – See You Later!” “said Donald Trump on his social network Truth Social.
The 1993 Massacre
The city of Waco, population 130,000, remains associated with the anti-government Davidian sect. In the spring of 1993, the world was suspended for 51 days by the FBI’s siege of a ranch in which armed followers of the guru had entrenched themselves. David Koresh. Seventy-six members of the sect, including 20 children, were found dead after the ranch fire. Four police officers were also killed.
Donald Trump’s campaign team did not respond to requests from AFP as to the choice of Waco for the meeting. The former president, also under threat of investigations into his electoral pressures in Georgia in 2020 and the management of classified White House archives, regularly poses as the victim of a mysterious “shadow state”.
The spectacular FBI search of his residence in Florida? “A shocking abuse of power”. The two impeachment procedures in Congress he was subject to? “A witch hunt”.
The Menace DeSantis
In the Texas city, some of his fans were already stamping with impatience on Friday evening, visibly unconcerned by the legal troubles of their idol. This meeting offers the Republican the opportunity to breathe new life into his campaign, which for the moment does not enjoy the expected momentum even if most polls give him the winner of a primary.
The billionaire has seen part of the right – and in particular his wealthy donors – turn to the new champion of the hard right, Ron DeSantis, 44 years. The Florida governor hasn’t officially entered the race yet, but will undoubtedly be one of his biggest rivals for the Republican nomination next year.
