Live updates from Kari Lake, Blake Masters rally
Former President Donald Trump returns to Arizona for the third time this year with an eye to pushing his preferred Republican picks over the top in the upcoming midterms.
The event starts at 1 p.m., with Trump scheduled to take the stage at 4 p.m. at Bell Bank Park in Mesa. The event is streaming on YouTube.
Follow coverage by Republic reporters of Trump and the Republican campaign rally in Mesa here.
6:10 p.m.: Trump says World War III could happen soon
The planet could be on the verge of World War III, former President Donald Trump said Sunday, blaming the Biden administration for failing to avert the Russian invasion of Ukraine and the spiraling tensions over it.
With characteristic self-congratulation, Trump praised himself for being correct about “everything” but said he hopes he is wrong that another global war could be on the horizon.
“We must demand immediate negotiation of a peaceful end to the war in Ukraine or we will end up in World War III, and there will never be a war like this. We will never have had a war like this, and that’s all because of stupid people that don’t have a clue. And it’s also because of the kind of weaponry that’s available today.”
Trump castigated Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz., as a reliable vote for ill-considered legislation pushed by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y.
More than 45 minutes into his remarks, Trump returned repeatedly to claims of a stolen election in 2020. He called 2020 a “rigged and stolen election.”
“I ran twice. I won twice,” Trump said.
— Ronald J. Hansen and Alison Steinbach
5:55 p.m.: Trump claims predecessors took classified records
Former President Donald Trump unloaded on the FBI and accused his presidential predecessors over the criminal investigation of the documents seized from his residence at Mar-a-Lago.
He alluded to a third presidential run that won’t get derailed by what he views as politically motivated attacks on him.
“What they’re trying to do is take us out so we can’t represent you if we decide to do that, but we’ll be making a decision very soon,” he said to rising cheers.
Trump claimed that former President Bill Clinton took millions of classified records with him when he left office, and presidents George W. Bush and Barack Obama also improperly took records as well.
Clinton lost the nuclear codes and former President Jimmy Carter sent the nuclear codes to a dry cleaner, Trump said, adding that nothing happened in those matters.
“Lock her up! Lock her up!” the crowd chanted after Trump mentioned former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton kept private from officials government emails.
“They should give me back everything that was taken,” Trump said of the records taken by the FBI.
“They plant documents,” he said of the FBI. Trump wondered aloud when the Clintons would face investigation and prosecution.
“I don’t think they will do it, and I don’t think they should do it,” Trump said.
Despite his complaints, Trump said the actions against him drove his poll numbers higher.
— Ronald J. Hansen
5:30 p.m.: Trump starts speech with familiar topics
Former President Donald Trump…
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