 "Republican presidential nominee former US President Donald Trump dances during a town hall campaign event in Oaks, Pennsylvania, US, October 14, 2024. Reuters")
Donald Trump’s recent town hall event in Oaks, Pennsylvania on Monday (October 14), took a surreal turn, transitioning from a standard Q&A session to an impromptu music fest.
What started as a campaign rally aimed at addressing key policy issues evolved into an evening dominated by musical performances, awkward dancing, and a few baffled reactions.
Supporters faint, Trump ‘dances’
The town hall, moderated by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem, began with Trump fielding questions on issues such as inflation and small business growth. However, the event took an unexpected turn when two audience members required medical attention due to the heat inside the venue.
As medics tended to the crowd, Trump stood on stage, directing the event into an unexpected direction.
“It’s steaming in here!” one attendee shouted, prompting Trump to lighten the mood. “Personally, I enjoy this. We lose weight. We could do this, lose 4, 5 pounds,” he quipped. As the crowd waited for assistance, the song “Ave Maria” began playing, and the shift in tone started.
Trump, with an air of improvisation, turned the event into what he called a “musical-fest,” asking for more songs to be played. He specifically requested an instrumental version of “Ave Maria” and even joked, “Let’s not do anymore questions. Let’s just listen to music.”
What followed was a nearly 40-minute interlude where Trump swayed on stage to various songs, from Rufus Wainwright’s “Hallelujah” to Guns N’ Roses’ “November Rain.”
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Noem joined in on stage, at times mimicking Trump’s movements. The bizarre scene left many in the audience both confused and entertained. Trump, reflecting on the night, later posted on Truth Social, calling it an “amazing” event and attributing the fainting to “excitement and heat.”
Music at rallies is common, but this time it was special
Trump’s choice of music has long been a hallmark of his rallies, but Monday night’s playlist took on a life of its own.
Along with “Ave Maria,” the audience was treated to a mix of operatic and pop music, including “It’s A Man’s Man’s Man’s World” by James Brown, Sinead O’Connor’s “Nothing Compares 2 U,” and a now-controversial version of “Hallelujah.”
Rufus Wainwright, who performed that version of “Hallelujah,” was quick to express his dismay, posting on Instagram that he was “mortified” by the usage of his rendition.
“I’ve been supremely honoured over the years to be connected with this ode to tolerance. Witnessing Trump and his supporters commune with this music last night was the height of blasphemy,” Wainwright wrote.
His comments echoed the sentiments of many artists, including Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young, who have previously taken legal action against Trump’s campaign for using their music without permission.
Opposition asks once more - Is Trump fit to run?
The reaction to the unusual sequence of events was swift, particularly from Trump’s political opponents.
US Vice President Kamala Harris took to social media, posting the footage of Trump swaying on stage with the caption, “Hope he’s okay,” a subtle jab at the spectacle.
Harris has increasingly focused her campaign messaging on Trump’s mental fitness, calling his performance at the town hall an example of erratic behaviour.
During a separate rally in Erie, Pennsylvania on the same day, Harris went a step further, showing clips from Trump’s past rallies where he referred to political opponents as “the enemy within.”
She pressed that this rhetoric, combined with the bizarre musical interlude, demonstrated that Trump was “unstable and unhinged.” Harris cautioned voters, “This is among the reasons I believe so strongly that a second Trump term would be a huge risk for America, and dangerous.”
Her concerns have found resonance with some voters who have been left wondering about Trump’s physical and mental well-being.
At 78 years old, Trump is the oldest Republican nominee for the presidency, and his health has become a point of scrutiny. Although Trump has not released a recent medical report, his campaign has consistently downplayed these concerns.
‘DJ Trump’ or ‘absolutely INSANE’?
The musical episode wasn’t entirely out of character for Trump. His rallies often end with a dance, usually to the tune of “YMCA” by the Village People.
Monday night’s extended performance, however, took things to a new level. Trump swayed and bounced on stage, at times staring blankly into the crowd, as the music played on for nearly half an hour.
Despite the unusual spectacle, Trump’s staff portrayed the event positively. Steven Cheung, a campaign spokesperson, described it as a “lovefest,” and joked that attendees were so excited that they fainted.
Another campaign figure, Karoline Leavitt, simply posted “DJ Trump” on social media, seemingly embracing the musical interlude as a new facet of the campaign.
But not all reactions were as lighthearted. Social media was flooded with comments from confused viewers.
One user wrote, “Donald Trump is not well,” while another called the event “absolutely INSANE.” Criticism of Trump’s fitness for office has mounted, with many questioning whether this odd performance was indicative of deeper issues.
A presidential race for the history books
As Trump continues his campaign across the country, polls show him locked in a statistical tie with Harris. With just three weeks remaining before the election, both candidates are crisscrossing key swing states.
Trump is focusing heavily on the economy, as evidenced by his recent remarks in an interview with Bloomberg at the Economic Club of Chicago, where he advocated for “obnoxious tariffs” to bring factories back to the U.S. He also claimed, “To me, the most beautiful word in the dictionary is tariff.”
Meanwhile, Harris is zeroing in on Trump’s rhetoric and mental stability, using town halls and interviews to contrast her approach with Trump’s. In a recent interview with Charlamagne tha God, she highlighted her focus on improving the lives of Black male voters, while repeating her claim that Trump’s rallies show him to be “weak and unfit.”
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With inputs from agencies