On Halloween night, Trump busted out his ALL-CAPS tweeting finger while expressing his apparent excitement and obvious support for his supporters in Texas who formed a so-called “Trump Train” amid highway-speed traffic while surrounding a Biden-Harris campaign bus. The Texas Tribune first reported that the FBI is currently investigating the confrontation (which led to “at least one minor collision”) on 1-35 in Hays County, and the investigation was later confirmed by the FBI bureau in San Antonio. However, Trump doesn’t seem to share federal authorities’ concern and, in fact, he believes that the MAGA-flag-brandishing truck drivers did no wrong and are actually “patriots.”
This update follows after Trump tweeted video footage of the incident while typing, “I LOVE TEXAS!” Now, he’s doubling down with praise. “In my opinion, these patriots did nothing wrong,” Trump tweeted. “Instead, the FBI & Justice should be investigating the terrorists, anarchists, and agitators of ANTIFA, who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people!”
In my opinion, these patriots did nothing wrong. Instead, the FBI & Justice should be investigating the terrorists, anarchists, and agitators of ANTIFA, who run around burning down our Democrat run cities and hurting our people! https://t.co/of6Lna3HMU
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) November 2, 2020
The New York Times reports that Joe Biden described the incident as an attempt to push his campaign bus “off the road.” According to USA Today, the Biden campaign called 911 and reported to law enforcement that the trucks “surrounded the bus, trying to slow it down in the middle of the highway or run it off the road.” Local law enforcement then helped the bus reach Austin, but the incident led Texas Democrats to cancel multiple campaign events over “safety concerns.”
The Texas confrontation wasn’t an isolated effort, apparently. Following similar New York and New Jersey incidents, Trump spokesman Jason Miller backed up his boss’ sentiments while deflecting to “downtown Washington businesses having to board up their windows in anticipation of lawless, violent Biden supporters rioting and looting on Tuesday night.”
Previously, Biden’s Texas communications director, Tariq Thowfeek, released a statement to condemn the Texas “Trump Train” tactics:
“Rather than engage in productive conversation about the drastically different visions that Joe Biden and Donald Trump have for our country, Trump supporters in Texas [Friday] instead decided to put our staff, surrogates, supporters, and others in harm’s way.”
On Sunday, Biden also spoke on the matter during a Philadelphia event. “We are so much better than this,” Biden declared. “It’s not who we are. And we got to change it.”
(Via New York Times, Texas Tribune & USA Today)