A reporter asked Republican nominee Donald Trump if he would urge his followers to avoid violence on Election Day.
Trump, having just voted in Florida with former first lady Melania Trump, testily dismissed the question.
“My supporters are not violent people. I don’t have to tell them that, and they certainly don’t want any violence,” he responded firmly.
The former president praised his base as “great people” who naturally reject violence. Turning the question back on the journalist, he accused her of believing in violence for posing the question.
After casting his vote in Palm Beach, Trump expressed confidence in winning the race against Kamala Harris, despite polls indicating a tight contest.
“It looks like we have a very substantial lead. It looks like we have many more Republicans voting today than Democrats,” he remarked. “If you have a lead and we have a bigger vote that means you are doing very well. They have to call a winner. And they should call a winner, yes.”
On Truth Social, Trump urged voters to stay in line, posting, “It is now officially ELECTION DAY! This will be the most important day in American History.”
He noted that voter enthusiasm is “through the roof,” which meant that the lines to vote are “going to be long.”
“I need you to deliver your vote no matter how long it takes. STAY IN LINE! The Radical Communist Democrats want you to pack up and go home,” he concluded. “Together, we are going to have a tremendous victory and MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!”
Voting machines are down in deep red Cambria County, PA. STAY. IN. LINE.
— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) November 5, 2024
His message comes after a viral video from Pennsylvania showed an election official explaining issues with voting machines in Cambria County, where Trump had a significant lead in 2020.
Despite technical difficulties, voters continued using paper ballots. The Pennsylvania Department of State confirmed working with the county to resolve the issue while ensuring the election remained “fair, safe, and secure.”
