President Donald Trump will head to Greenville, North Carolina, for a campaign rally on Wednesday, returning to the purple state that he won by a narrow 3% over Hillary Clinton, according to CNN’s 2016 election results.
It will be Trump’s first rally since he officially kicked off his reelection campaign last month in Orlando, Florida, where he delivered a wide-ranging, lengthy speech echoing many similar themes and grievances of his 2016 campaign, including attacks on Clinton.
The trip to Greenville was initially expected to coincide with special counsel Robert Mueller’s long-awaited testimony before the House Judiciary and House Intelligence Committees. It was announced last week that the testimony was delayed a week until July 24, at Mueller’s request.
It’s unclear whether Trump will also plan to counter-program the rescheduled hearing.
It will be the first rally since Trump ignited a firestorm in racist tweets over the weekend aimed at four progressive Democratic congresswomen. He has since piled on more attacks aimed the lawmakers — all women of color — whom he and other White House officials have painted as socialists. He is expected to continue his attacks on the congresswomen.
The rally also comes as former South Carolina Rep. Mark Sanford has said he is considering a Republican challenge to Trump, telling The Post and Courier he will make a decision over the next month.
Trump filed for reelection the day of his inauguration, and Wednesday’s rally will mark the 61st rally of his presidency, the seventh of 2019, and his third in North Carolina since taking office.
