Donald Trump delivered an unusually subdued speech on Monday at a factory in York, Pennsylvania, which left many in the audience underwhelmed.
The crowd at Precision Custom Components initially responded with enthusiasm to Trump's praise for Pennsylvania and his promises to boost American manufacturing. However, this excitement quickly faded as Trump spoke in a monotonous tone.
Trump's statement, “Kamala puts America last, I put America first,” was delivered with noticeable lack of energy, despite the crowd's cheers. While he managed to stay on topic more than usual, his remarks were still devoid of substantive facts or policy details.
His comments about “caravans” of immigrants seeking free healthcare and criticisms of alleged reckless spending on healthcare were met with silence. His complaints about an “absolutely crazy” electric vehicle mandate and promises to clean up a supposedly graffiti-covered Washington, D.C., garnered no response. Even his pledge to “liberate our workers with the largest regulatory cuts” failed to elicit applause.
Trump’s flat delivery led to long stretches of silence, with the audience and those behind him unsure when to clap. His speech was marked by awkward pauses and an unclear rhythm.
One notable moment of confusion occurred when Trump claimed, “The union—the United Auto Workers, I think the people in that union are going to vote for me overwhelmingly because I’m going to bring the car industry back.” This was particularly controversial given his recent comments suggesting he would fire striking workers and the subsequent federal labor charges filed against him and Elon Musk by the United Auto Workers.
Shawn Fain, UAW President, was scheduled to speak later that evening at the Democratic National Convention. Trump criticized Fain, saying, “He doesn’t have a clue, it’s sad,” blaming him for the decline in U.S. car manufacturing.
In a particularly disjointed segment, Trump veered off into an odd hypothetical scenario about a potential war with China, questioning how the U.S. would manage if it had to rely on China for steel. “What would happen if we had a war? We won’t, with me. But you will have World War III, I believe, without me. But we won’t have—but what would happen if we did? And let’s say it was with China, but they give us all of our steel. So we’ll have to call China for steel so we can fight a war with them. How stupid are these people?” Trump rambled.