Dozens of rally-goers, some of them dressed in red, white and blue, turned out in front of Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, cheering the president.
WASHINGTON — Amid extraordinary security, a small group of President Donald Trump supporters gathered on the National Mall in a rally laced with patriotism, religion and Trump campaign cries from the stage, including “Drain the Swamp.”
Dozens of rally-goers, some of them dressed in red, white and blue, turned out in front of Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History, cheering the president, including his recent initiatives with Democratic congressional leaders.
Ben Pettit, from Orlando, Florida, was at the rally and said he approved of the president’s recent negotiations with Democrats.
“If the Republicans don’t want to get onboard and get done what he pledged to get done, then he has to find another way,” Pettit said.
The rally included a float driven to the center of the National Mall, festooned with patriotic symbols, bearing “Trump” in giant, capital letters.
“I loved the president from day one, from when he first came down that elevator. I love that fact that he’s blunt because I’m blunt,” said Lisa Sprenkel who traveled from Sunbury, Pennsylvania, for the rally. “I want to see our country succeed, I want to see jobs come back, I want to see our infrastructure rebuilt.”
Police used snowblade-equipped dump trucks to block off Constitution Avenue Northwest and other streets to accommodate the Trump rally and two other events — Fiesta DC’s parade and a rally at the Lincoln Memorial by ardent fans of the band Insane Clown Posse.
“Trump is for the people,” said Moe Delk, who said he is a former gang member from Chicago who now lives and works in Milwaukee.
“We are not white supremacists; you know what I’m saying? We’re not a hate group; you know what I’m saying? We’re just people who love America. We’re about America first.”
Whether anchoring the news inside the Glass-Enclosed Nerve Center or reporting from the scene in Maryland, Virginia or the District, Dick Uliano is always looking for the stories that really impact people's lives.