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17 Oct 2024 19:22
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  •   Home > News > International

    Donald Trump campaign event morphs into singalong session after audience members fall ill

    The US presidential candidate wrapped up his event ahead of schedule but remained on stage while nine songs played.


    A campaign event for Donald Trump ended with an impromptu singalong after he asked for music to be played to the crowd for more than half an hour. 

    The US presidential candidate wrapped up his event ahead of schedule but remained on stage while songs from artists including Luciano Pavarotti and Elvis played.

    Mr Trump's impromptu music session went for 39 minutes.

    "He stayed on stage for nine songs ... with the ex-president alternating his dance moves with standing in place and staring into the crowd," an AFP report said.

    Video of Mr Trump swaying along to the music was shared widely on social media. 

    Commentary about the event played into the hands of Mr Trump's political opponent Kamala Harris, whose campaign has been challenging his health and mental fitness as the election looms.

    Medical emergencies interrupt event 

    Mr Trump was holding a question-and-answer event in Oaks, Pennsylvania, with South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem when an audience member became ill.

    Both politicians mentioned that it was quite hot in the venue.

    While paramedics treated the person, Mr Trump requested Ave Maria be played, with an instrumental version of the song blaring over the speakers.

    He resumed speaking after the audience member was taken away on a stretcher.

    But shortly after, a second member of the audience required help, with the crowd yelling "it's steaming in here". 

    The instrumental version of Ave Maria resumed again while the person was being tended to, with Mr Trump asking about opening the doors to the venue. 

    "I wish we could open those doors to outside ... for security reasons, I can't," he told the crowd.

    After the second person was confirmed to be up and moving, Mr Trump resumed speaking again. 

    The venue later addressed concerns about heat on social media. 

    "The massive turnout and extensive lighting and AV proved to be more than the systems in the main event hall could keep up with," it said. 

    'Let's just listen to music'

    He then asked his team to display his "favourite chart" while Luciano Pavarotti's rendition of Ave Maria played. 

    Footage of the event lifestreamed on YouTube by US broadcaster PBS News showed Mr Trump nodding and swaying along to the music.

    About three minutes later, Mr Trump started speaking again. 

    "Let's not do any more questions, let's just listen to music," he said. 

    "When we leave, you don't have to go so fast, you can sit and listen ... we'll play a couple of songs."

    A few minutes later, Mr Trump and Ms Noem appeared to signal the end of the event.

    They thanked the crowd as Sarah Brightman and Andrea Bocelli's version of Time To Say Goodbye began playing over the speakers. 

    Then a version of It's a Man's World, sung by James Brown and Luciano Pavarotti played, with Mr Trump still on stage. 

    Exit song plays out

    "This has been an honour tonight, we could probably do another question or two," Mr Trump told the crowd once the song ended. 

    Mr Trump then encouraged people to vote for him in the November election. 

    "We're gonna go, we're gonna vote, we're gonna have a good time ... I want this to be a really important evening," Mr Trump said. 

    "And those two people that went down are patriots and we love them. 

    "And because of them, we ended up with some good music, right? So play YMCA. Go ahead. Let's go. Nice and loud."

    The Village People's disco anthem YMCA is typically the song Mr Trump's team plays as he exits the stage at public events. 

    But when the song, which goes for more than three minutes, finished playing, Mr Trump was still on stage. 

    He remained in front of the crowd swaying along to Rufus Wainwight's version of Hallelujah, Sinéad O'Connor's Nothing Compares 2 U and Elvis Presley's An American Trilogy.

    The PBS livestream cut out shortly after Oliver Anthony Music's Rich Men North of Richmond started playing.

    According to The Washington Post, he walked off stage to Guns and Roses's November Rain but kept talking to the crowd while Memories from the musical Cats played.

    Harris questions Trump's health

    Mr Trump later said the event was "amazing" and "a great evening" on social media, with his campaign manager Steven Cheung calling the event a "total lovefest".

    However, Ms Harris's campaign used it to question Mr Trump's fitness to serve as president. 

    Her campaign's X account said Mr Trump appeared "lost, confused, and frozen on stage", with Ms Harris retweeting the video saying "hope he's ok".

    It comes after Ms Harris's campaign published a report from her doctor saying she was in "excellent health" over the weekend. 

    Last night, Mr Trump asserted his health was fine and claimed Mr Harris's medical report was "really bad". 

    "With all of the problems that she has, there is a real question as to whether or not she should be running for president," he wrote on his Truth Social network.

    "My report is perfect — no problems!"

    Mr Trump has not released a recent comprehensive report on his state of health.

    At 78 years old, Mr Trump is now the oldest person ever to be nominated for a presidential bid.

    Ms Harris will turn 60 on Sunday. 

    When is the US election?

    It will take place on Tuesday, November 5, in the US. 

    It'll be the afternoon of Wednesday, November 6 in Australia by the time results start rolling in. 


    ABC




    © 2024 ABC Australian Broadcasting Corporation. All rights reserved

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