Over the weekend, Donald Trump, the previous US president attended the yearly rivalry soccer sport in South Carolina whereas campaigning within the essential early-nominating state for the 2024 Republican presidential major.
He was noticed arriving at Williams-Brice Stadium in Columbia, South Carolina on Saturday night time, upstaging Nikki Haley on her house pitch because the Clemson Tigers and South Carolina Gamecocks equipped for an intense face-off as a part of the Palmetto Bowl.
Followers who gathered on the sport chanted, “We wish Trump! We wish Trump!”, based on Politico.
The Palmetto Bowl is a extremely anticipated annual matchup between the College of South Carolina and Clemson College, which Haley, former South Carolina governor and Clemson alumna, didn’t attend.
Governor Henry McMaster, Haley’s successor and a College of South Carolina alumnus beforehand mentioned that Trump had a “standing invitation” to the sport.
The entourage, which was additionally accompanied by South Carolina’s senior US Senator Lindsey Graham, made its method to a non-public suite by means of a tunnel of Trump supporters, showcasing native political drive on the sport.
Trump watched the sport from a field and went onto the sector at halftime with McMaster. He later stood on the 50-yard line and waved to the gang, which despatched cheers and a few boos in direction of the previous president.
In keeping with a CNN ballot, Trump leads his major rivals in South Carolina, with Haley as his strongest challenger however nonetheless a distant second.
South Carolina is without doubt one of the earliest contests on the Republican nominating calendar, following Iowa, New Hampshire, and Nevada.
Trump’s 2016 victory in South Carolina considerably influenced his nomination for the GOP presidential nomination. He has visited the state a number of occasions this yr, together with a marketing campaign occasion in September, highlighting its significance in his marketing campaign.
Trump has made a number of appearances at soccer video games all through his marketing campaign cycle, together with a September match between Iowa State College and the College of Iowa and a sport in Ames, Iowa with Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, a GOP nominee, additionally in attendance.