Facing a possible criminal charge, a defiant and inflammatory Donald Trump held the first official rally of his 2024 presidential campaign on Saturday in Waco, Texas, a city famous for its deadly resistance to law enforcement.

In an extraordinary display, Trump opened his rally by playing a song, Justice for All, with a chorus of men imprisoned for their roles in the deadly January 6, 2021 riot at the Capitol as they sing the national anthem and a recording of Trump recites the Pledge of Allegiance. Some footage of the uprising was shown on video screens.

In a grudge-filled speech, Trump defended the insurgents and advised prosecutors overseeing multiple investigations into the former Republican president. He framed the probes as political attacks against him and his followers.

You will be justified and proud, Trump said. The thugs and criminals who corrupt our justice system will be defeated, discredited and disgraced.”

Trump’s rally on the airport grounds in Waco on Saturday comes as he advised prosecutors, encouraged protests and raised the prospect of possible violence if he becomes the first former president in U.S. history to face criminal charges.

Some of his recent rhetoric, including at the rally, echoed the language he used before the Capitol riot by a mob of his supporters trying to stop the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden, who won the presidential election.

Trump rally falls on the anniversary of Waco’s dark past

Trump declared on Saturday that his enemies are desperate to stop us, “and our adversaries have done everything they can to crush our spirit and break our will.”

He added: But they failed. They only made us stronger. And 2024 is the last battle, it will be the big one. Put me back in the White House, their rule will be over and America will be a free nation again.”

His choice of location in Waco comes amid the 30th anniversary of a 51-day standoff and deadly siege between U.S. law enforcement and the Branch Davidians that resulted in the deaths of more than 80 members of the religious cult and four federal agents. touchstone for far-right extremists and militias.

Trump’s campaign insisted that the venue and timing of the event had nothing to do with Waco’s siege or anniversary. A spokesman said the site, 17 miles from the former Branch Davidian compound, was chosen because it was conveniently located near four of the state’s largest metropolitan areas of Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, Austin and San Antonio and has the infrastructure to to handle a sizeable crowd. .

Texas Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick told the crowd before Trump’s arrival that he was the one who suggested Waco as the location. Any suggestion that Trump singled out the city for the anniversary was “fake news.” I chose Waco!” he told the crowd.

Trump made no direct reference to Waco’s history in his speech, telling the crowd that he told Patrick he wanted to hold his rally in a place of overwhelming support, not one of those 50-50 areas. go right into the heart of it.”

What you need to know about Alvin Bragg, Manhattan district attorney in the Trump case

But as far as the eye can see,” he immediately added, “the abuses of power currently taking place at all levels of government will go down as one of the most shameful, corrupt, depraved chapters in all of American history.

Members of the public held red and white signs handed out by the campaign that read WITCH HUNT and I stand with Trump.

Trump repeatedly railed against the investigations on Saturday, declaring prosecutor misconduct on the criminals in progress and denouncing previous investigations, including an investigation regarding the release of his tax returns by the Democrat-led House after a protracted legal battle.

It probably makes me the most innocent man in our country’s history, Trump said. Friends of mine say that.

The former president said he has had bad publicity, but his polls have skyrocketed.

Hours before Trump arrived, hundreds of his supporters began pouring into the airport past vendors selling merchandise, including Trump flags, bumper stickers and action figures. There were no signs of counter-protesters near the long line of Trump supporters waiting to enter.

Among them was Eugene Torres, 41, who said he was unimpressed by the prospect of Trump being indicted.

It’s just another political attack on him to stop him from running and winning this race again, said Torres, who is from the coastal Texas town of Corpus Christi.

Alan Kregel, 56, traveled with his wife from Dallas to see Trump in person for the first time. Though he voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020, he said he thinks the former president’s “methods and vocabulary” often detracted from his policies. But now, two years out of office, he said he supports Trump more than before.

He’s an innocent man, just prosecuted,” Kregel said, arguing that an indictment would help Trump win in 2024.

The rally was underway before it became clear that a New York grand jury was moving closer to a possible indictment as it investigates hush money payments to women who allegedly had sexual encounters with Trump during the height of his 2016 campaign. denied the women’s claims.

The grand jury investigating the hush money payment is expected to meet again in New York on Monday.

Trump has spent weeks ranting against the investigation, warning in a post on his social media site on Friday of possible death and destruction in such a false charge “if charged with a crime.

In a move that seemed intended to avoid a formal announcement, he last claimed on Saturday that he would be arrested the following Tuesday. That didn’t happen, but Trump has used the days since then to try to shape public perception following a strategy he’s used before, including during Special Counsel Robert S. Mueller III’s Russia investigation.

Trump has also repeatedly called for violence while urging his supporters to protest, using increasingly racist and inhumane rhetoric as he launched increasingly personal attacks on Manhattan Dist. attentive Alvin Bragg, who is leading the New York investigation.

On Friday, a powdery substance containing a letter threatening to kill Bragg was found in a mailroom at the district attorney’s office, authorities said. Officials later determined that the substance was not dangerous.

Even before the threatening letter was sent to Bragg’s office, Democrats warned that Trump’s comments could incite violence.

The rhetoric of the twice-deposed former president is reckless, reprehensible and irresponsible. It’s dangerous, and if he continues like this, he’s going to get someone killed, said New York House Democratic leader Hakeem Jeffries.

In addition to the Manhattan case, Trump faces an investigation in Georgia into his efforts to reverse his loss in the 2020 election, as well as federal investigations into his involvement in the January 6 riot and into his handling of classified documents and possible obstruction of justice.