Donald Trump made a splash with his first New York City campaign rally in eight years, but it quickly took a bizarre turn. The former president reminisced about his days as a real estate tycoon, sharing a strange anecdote about being asked why he puts his pants on in the morning.
During the rally in Crotona Park in the South Bronx, Trump engaged in a fictional dialogue, claiming that tough business people often ask him how he manages to get dressed every day. He left the crowd puzzled by saying, “I’ll explain it to you someday.”
Aside from the odd musings, Trump made several controversial statements during his speech. He falsely claimed that his border wall was nearly complete when he left office, despite only a fraction being built. He also promised a mass deportation operation and vowed to protect police officers from prosecution if he were to return to the White House.
The rally also saw Trump revive some of his greatest hits, including chants of “Lock her up!” in reference to Hillary Clinton and a recitation of the anti-immigrant song “The Snake.” He also praised Hungary’s prime minister Viktor Orban and criticized New York City’s subway system as being worse than a third world country.
Despite the strange and controversial moments, Trump seemed energized by the rally, declaring himself “hot as a pistol” and expressing his thrill at being back on the campaign trail in his native city. Whether his unique brand of politics will resonate with voters remains to be seen.