Trump abruptly stops rally to call for doctor in crowd after his plane was forced to make emergency landing in Montana
DONALD Trump abruptly stopped his rally speech to call for a doctor in the crowd on Friday night - just hours after his plane was forced to make an emergency landing.
The former president, 78, held the rally in Bozeman, Montana, but paused for several minutes while a medical episode appeared to take place in the audience.
The 2024 hopeful was busy blasting his rival Kamala Harris' "record of failure and weakness" when he suddenly stopped to call for a doctor.
"A doctor please, a doctor in the house," Trump said as medics made their way through the crowd.
"Thank you, thank you very much," he added. "Take your time. Thank you very much, thank you.
"We love these people, they wait for two days sometimes.
"And it's not easy. Take your time. Thank you, darling."
Trump went onto reassure the crowd "we've got a lot of time," before encouraging supporters to cheer when the episode appeared to be over.
It came just hours after Trump's to Montana suffered a "mechanical issue," forcing the former president to divert to a different airport two hours away.
Photos and video showed his Boeing 757, known as Trump Force One, landing on a runway in Billings, Montana.
It was due to land in Bozeman for the rally being held at the Brick Breeden Fieldhouse at Montana State University.
But Trump had to change his route last minute, taking a private plane to Billings, about two hours away at around 4:30 p.m.
It meant Trump was at least an hour and a half late to the event, however, it's unclear if the plane mishap played a role.
"I know Montana. I was all over your state today," Trump told the crowd on Friday night.
"Everything is two hours away. We went around the state and it was so beautiful. I said, 'How long will it be until we get there?'
"Two hours they said, everything's two hours. It's a big state, it's a beautiful state we love it."
During the speech, Trump spoke on several topics but notably slammed Vice President Kamala Harris and her running mate, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
He described Walz as "freakish" while praising his own pick, Ohio Senator JD Vance.
"By the way, JD Vance is doing a phenomenal job," said Trump.
"JD Vance is a real patriot. He's a United States Marine, he's a great guy."
PLANE PANIC
A spokesperson for the airport earlier told The New York Post that Trump's aircraft had "mechanical issues, and he was diverted into the Billings-Logan Airport."
“He’s continuing to Bozeman on a private jet."
While the nature of the mechanical issues is unclear, Secret Service officials are understood to have completed a full sweep of the area before Trump could embark on his second plane.
The former president later shared a clip from a jet however, it's unclear if it was his personal plane or the private one.
"I just landed in a really beautiful place, Montana, so beautiful flying over," said Trump.
"We have a very high rating in Montana...I like them, they like me."
Trump said he was in the state for fundraising purposes but more importantly to support Sheehy.
Thousands descended upon Montana State University on Friday, hearing several guest speakers ahead of Trump, who is scheduled to speak at 10:00 pm ET.
He recently endorsed Montana Senate candidate Tim Sheehy, who is expected to speak at the event.
Sheehy is challenging incumbent Jon Tester in what is to be one of the most highly-contested Senate races of the year.
Tester has previously tried to convince voters that he agrees with Trump on several issues - a strategy that has worked for him in the past.
However, his fight to stay in the Senate has been tough, especially against former Navy Seal Sheehy.
READ IT & VEEP
Meanwhile, Harris and Walz are in Arizona to hold their own rally.
The duo is nearly wrapped with their week-long tour that saw them hitting several major cities in swing states ahead of the Democratic National Convention.
Arizona Senator Mark Kelly was on Harris' shortlist for vice president, however, she announced earlier this week that Walz was her choice.
Harris recently went viral after calling out a group of pro-Palestinian supporters.
10 Days that Changed America
AN attempted assassination of a former US president, the standing down of a current president, and a political speech by a former wrestler. Senior News reporter Anthony Blair looks back on a crazy 10 days in American politics.
- Saturday, July 13 - Donald Trump is shot during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. The Republican frontrunner is hit in the ear but stands up and pumps his fist to the crowd. Shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, is shot dead but the Secret Service is slammed for suspected security blunders. Ex-fire chief Corey Comperatore is killed protecting his family.
- Sunday, July 14 - President Joe Biden calls on Americans to unite and "cool down" political rhetoric in the wake of Trump's shooting. The Democrat had faced growing calls since his disastrous performance in June's CNN debate. Shocking video reveals how close Trump came to being killed after turning his head at the last minute.
- Monday, July 15 - The Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where Trump is formally nominated as the Republican candidate. An emotional-looking Trump makes his first appearance since surviving the shooting wearing a large ear bandage. It quickly becomes a must-have fashion item at the RNC. Ohio Senator JD Vance is named as Trump's running mate. Previously anti-Trump, Vance at just 39 is an inexperienced choice, but seen as having a connection with ordinary Americans. In an interview, Biden admits it was a "mistake" to talk about putting Trump in "the bullseye" days before the assassination attempt.
- Tuesday, July 16 - The FBI warns of more potential violence in the wake of Trump's shooting. Intelligence claims Iran had a separate plot to assassinate Trump, but there is no proven link to Crooks. Biden returns to the campaign trail for the first time since the assassination attempt and insists he isn't stepping down.
- Wednesday, July 17 - Joe Biden tests positive for Covid, just days after saying he would drop out of the presidential race if he was diagnosed with a medical condition. It intensifies the calls for him to step aside with Kamala Harris and Gavin Newsom floated as potential replacements. At the RNC, JD Vance makes his first speech since being selected as Trump's VP pick, to the delight of the MAGA crowd.
- Thursday, July 18 - Donald Trump addresses the RNC, his first speech since surviving an attempted assassination. He appears slower and more subdued than usual but gives the longest convention acceptance speech in US history. Just before he goes on, former wrestler Hulk Hogan rips his shirt off and tells cheering crowds "Trumpomania" will sweep America. Former First Lady Melania, who has barely been seen on the campaign trail, makes an appearance but does not speak. Barack Obama joins calls for Biden to step aside.
- Friday, July 19 - President Biden appears to consider resigning, as a source says he is in a "contemplative stage" while isolating with Covid. Video emerges showing Biden appearing to lean into the wrong woman after mistaking her for his wife Jill. Meanwhile, the world's biggest tech outage sparks travel chaos for Republicans leaving the RNC in Milwaukee.
- Saturday, July 20 - Donald Trump holds his first campaign rally since the shooting in Butler. He appears in Michigan without his ear bandage. His former doctor Ronny Jackson describes his injuries. He appears in his first interview alongside his running mate Vance. Senior Democrat Nancy Pelosi speaks for the first time since being linked to growing calls for Biden to resign. Meanwhile, Biden's reelection campaign continues to insist he is running, as a spokesperson slams Trump's rally remarks as showing he is "focused only on himself."
- Sunday, July 21 - Joe Biden announces he isn't running in November in a shock letter, just hours after insisting he was staying in the race. He is the first incumbent to step down in their first term since 1968. Biden endorses Kamala Harris for president as senior Dems through their support behind the Vice President. The news appears to throw the Republicans off their stride. Biden vows to continue his term until November's election.
- Monday, July 22 - Kamala Harris raises a record $81 million in 24 hours as she secures the Democratic candidacy. She also inherits some $91 million in leftover campaign funds from Biden. Harris gives her first speech since Biden stepped out, and speaks to the president on the phone, although he doesn't appear in person. Under-pressure Secret Service chief Kimberly Cheatle appears on Capitol Hill and faces increasing calls to resign over the shooting of Trump. She admits the Secret Service "failed" on July 13 and resigns the following day.
"Kamala Kamala, you can't hide, we don't want no genocide," the protesters chanted, interrupting Harris as she spoke.
The group was protesting the war in Gaza between Israel and Hamas, both of which have been accused of war crimes by the International Criminal Court.
Supporters chanted Harris' name to drown out the protesters, however, she snapped at the group after they became unruly.
"If you want Donald Trump to win then say that," said Harris. "Otherwise, I'm speaking."
The chats continued, so Harris doubled down.
"I'm here because we believe in democracy. Everyone's voice matters but I am speaking now."
ROOF RAID
It comes after newly released bodycam footage shows the moment police tried to stop would-be Trump assassin Thomas Crooks seconds before shooting at the former President.
The footage showed two Butler Township Police officers scaling the roof of the building where Crooks, 20, shot at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania with his AR-15 rifle.
Trump received an injury to his ear while two other attendees were critically injured but have since returned home.
Firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed while protecting his family.
In the footage, one officer is seen hoisting another onto the roof, however, he lost his grip and fell about eight feet to the ground and sprained his ankle, Butler Township Manager Thomas Knights told Fox News.
Trump's main policy points
DONALD Trump closed the Republican National Convention on July 18, telling supporters he wanted to become president for "all Americans.
- Implementing tax cuts, including no tax on tips
- Protecting Social Security and Medicare - Trump said 'incomes will skyrocket and the middle class will prosper like never before'
- Protecting borders - He pledged to end the 'border nightmare.' That means two things on day one - 'Drill baby Drill,' as he said, and close the borders
- Finishing building the wall
- Keeping our 'sons and daughters safe'
- Replenishing the military and building a military 'dome' - Trump insisted he could stop wars with just a phone call and said no military would be able to penetrate the USA if he came into office
- Ending the war in Ukraine and imposing tariffs on Iran
- Vowing to "beat" China
- Working to decrease prices and ease inflation
- Bringing down the cost of energy
- Making cities 'safe, clean and beautiful' again
- Making it possible for Americans to buy gas-run cars by ending the electric vehicle mandate on the first day of his presidency
Mere moments later, Crooks shot into the crowd before being neutralized by counter-snipers.
In another bodycam video, officers appeared confused about why the roof where Crooks shot from was unmanned.
"I thought you were on the roof?" said one officer.
There also appeared to be confusion about whether Crooks had been neutralized and why he wasn't taken out before opening fire.
READ MORE SUN STORIES
"If you’d all had a gun up there … I’d have shot him," one officer can be heard saying.
"He wouldn’t have ripped out a gun up there," one officer says in the bodycam."
