By james art PHOENIX — Former President Donald Trump addressed a wide range of topics in an interview with Tucker Carlson during an event in Glendale on Thursday.
Trump, the Republican presidential nominee, took the stage with the former Fox News personality in Carlson on the final night of the “Tucker Carlson Live Tour,” which spanned 15 cities in September.
It was a chance for the former president to reflect on his presidency and what he would do if elected and sworn into office on January 20.
“We had the greatest economy in the history of our country,” Trump said of his presidency. “We rebuilt the entire American military; we defeated ISIS and had no wars. … We had an incredibly successful administration.”
During the more than 90-minute interview, Trump talked about his candidacy and how unique it is, given his multiple assassination attempts and lawsuits.
“Think about it… I lead with a lot. I’m leading in every single swing state,” Trump said. “I’ve spent millions of dollars on legal fees, half my time is taken up by it. They can do a campaign, it takes half my time.
“… that I am a leader at all, that I even live, is almost hard to believe.”
It was also a chance for Trump to criticize the Biden administration as well as Vice President and Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, repeatedly revisiting decisions that have led to issues many Americans disagree with, such as the border and the economy.
“You are tired of being a dumb country, we have become a dumb country. We are run by stupid people,” Trump told the crowd at the Desert Diamond Arena.
However, Trump praised his supporters who have been in the race for the past nine years, saying MAGA was “the greatest political moment in history.”
“I’ve been doing this together for nine years and you’ve been with me,” Trump said. “This is the greatest political movement ever. This is MAGA. It’s called Making America Great Again.
The event, in which proceeds will be donated to hurricane relief efforts, was Trump’s third trip in October. He rallied supporters on October 13 in Prescott Valley and held a rally at Arizona State University’s Mullett Arena on October 24.
Guest speakers such as Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. took the stage leading up to Carlson’s interview with the former president.
With five days until the Nov. 5 general election, all speakers urged Arizonans to head to the polls and vote. Trump believes, while citing concerns about what he believes could be fraud, that it will be “one of the greatest victories of all time” if elected.
“If we can keep this deception going … we will have a huge victory,” Trump said. “I think it will go down as one of the greatest wins of all time.”
Next up
Vice presidential nominees JD Vance and Tim Waltz will campaign in Arizona on Saturday, likely their last visits of the campaign cycle.
Vance, the Republican nominee, will hold a rally in Scottsdale, where he is scheduled to speak at 1:30 p.m. at Dillon Precision, near Frank Lloyd Wright Boulevard and the Hayden Loop Greenway.
Anyone wishing to attend the event can register online.
Waltz, the Democratic nominee, will campaign in both Flagstaff and Tucson, where times for both events have not yet been announced.
Those rallies will be held three days before Election Day, as Arizona is expected to be one of several swing states that will determine the presidency.