Donald Trump spoke to a packed house in Greensboro on Tuesday night. The Special Events Center at the Greenboro Coliseum Complex, which holds 6,000, was full when the presumptive Republican presidential nominee took the stage.
A steady stream of Trump supporters file into @Gbocoliseum to hear the presumptive nominee speak at 7pm. #TrumpGSO pic.twitter.com/8LAge6ORYy
— 88.5 WFDD (@wfdd) June 14, 2016
Trump opened with a nod to a North Carolina past-time when he brought former NASCAR driver Richard Petty onstage. Soon after, he talked about the economy and promised to improve manufacturing in states like North Carolina. He also addressed the shootings in Orlando, calling for a country where, "gay and lesbian Americans and all Americans are safe from radical Islam."
He repeatedly called for immigration reform, saying, "You have to think of this in terms of Islamic terror. You have to think of this in terms of our border. You have to think of this in terms of all of the people who are crossing who are criminals and who are hurting or killing people. We need borders. If we don't have borders, we don't have a country." The crowd responded with chants of "Build that wall."
Joyce Shoate of Whitsett came out to see Trump, and wants to see stricter immigration regulation. "It's certain ones [immigrants] he feels we need to vet. We need to know who they are, we need to know what they're about, before they come into our country."
The presumptive GOP nominee also told the crowd that he intends to protect the Second Amendment, and that if he's not elected, "you can forget about your guns." Calling Hillary Clinton "weak and ineffective," Trump told those gathered that she was not fit to be president with her "bad judgment."
Protesters outside of the #TrumpGSO rally pic.twitter.com/zruVvNqyDG
— 88.5 WFDD (@wfdd) June 14, 2016
The event was not without protests. Several gathered outside of the coliseum during the event and some of them were were escorted out of the rally. Police say some people were arrested for trespassing and disorderly conduct.
Deb Greene is a Democrat from Greensboro. She says, "He [Trump] doesn't know that the majority of Americans, white Americans, were immigrants once upon a time as well, and to say we can't allow people because of a religion, or because they are Mexican is just absurd."
Greene says she's supporting Trump's opponent, Hillary Clinton, who will be campaigning in the Tar Heel state next week.