Trump’s Rally in Detroit Interrupted by Microphone Failure
DETROIT (AP) — Donald Trump paced his rally stage in silence for nearly 20 minutes Friday night in Detroit after his microphone cut out.
The Republican nominee and former president was about to address one of his favorite subjects, tariffs, teasing “the most beautiful word in the dictionary” when the sound went down unexpectedly.
The crowd responded with chants of “USA” and “We love Trump” in support. However, without a functioning microphone, Trump wandered around the stage, at times turning his back to parts of the audience and appearing frustrated.
This incident marks the second time in a week that one of his events was interrupted. On Monday, Trump paused a town hall meeting to play music after several attendees required medical attention. This time, he seemed to lack control over the situation, standing silently while screens displayed messages reading “Technical Difficulties” and “Complicated Business.”
Trump is known for being highly attuned to his image and the logistics of his rallies, frequently commenting on equipment like microphones and teleprompters. Earlier on the same day, hosts of “Fox & Friends” joked about his penchant for adjusting lighting during interviews.
Aides typically travel with multiple backup microphones, but the reason for their delay in finding one on Friday remained unclear. They also carefully prepare the flags that adorn his stages.
In response to the situation, Vice President Kamala Harris’ campaign released video footage to illustrate their point that Trump, 78, may not possess the energy needed for another presidential term. The campaign tweeted, “An exhausted Trump awkwardly walks in circles on stage after his microphone stops working.”
Despite the prolonged silence, the crowd continued to cheer and chant, even participating in a wave at one point.
After nearly 20 minutes, an aide delivered a functioning replacement microphone to Trump, who quipped, “I won’t pay the bill for this stupid company. I won’t pay the bill, and then we’ll have a story that Trump didn’t pay the bill to a contractor.”
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