FnF News
FNF News | U.S. Politics
Published: June 27, 2025
By: Khadija Khan, Senior Campaign Reporter
Trump Rallies Rust Belt Voters in Fiery Town Hall: “They Know I’m the Only One Who Fights for Them”
Scranton, PA — In a packed community center nestled in the working-class heart of Pennsylvania, former President Donald J. Trump took the stage Thursday night for a town hall event that was as much about rekindling 2016 energy as it was about cementing 2025 momentum. The event, streamed live on YouTube (watch here), attracted more than 500 in-person attendees and tens of thousands online, showcasing a mix of grievances, promises, and populist punchlines.
“They lied to you. The media, the Democrats, the deep state. But not me. I fought for you when nobody else would,” Trump told a cheering crowd, many of them in hard hats and union jackets.
The event, organized by local conservative groups, doubled as a grassroots fundraiser and a focus-group-style listening session, with pre-screened voters from Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Michigan allowed to question the former president directly.
“Where Did the Middle Class Go?”
Early in the evening, a retired steelworker from Youngstown, Ohio asked Trump what he planned to do about “the death of American manufacturing.”
“We bring it back. Like I did before,” Trump said. “I gave you tariffs, I gave you factories reopening, I gave you dignity again. Biden gave it all away to China and Ukraine.”
His comments were met with chants of “Bring it back!” and “Trump 2025!” echoed through the town hall.
Targeting Biden and “Globalist Puppets”
Throughout the night, Trump sharpened his attacks on President Joe Biden, whom he referred to repeatedly as “the weakest leader in American history.”
“He can’t even say ‘infrastructure’ without tripping over a teleprompter,” Trump quipped.
He also tied Biden to international interests, warning that “the same people funding climate scams and DEI nonsense in Davos are the ones writing Joe’s script.”
The crowd erupted when Trump declared: “We don’t need world approval. We need our borders, our jobs, and our kids protected.”
Immigration and the Border Crisis
On immigration, Trump renewed his call for mass deportations, a restored Remain in Mexico policy, and new executive orders to block asylum claims from “non-contiguous nations.”
“It’s not immigration. It’s an invasion. And we’re going to stop it cold. Day one,” he said.
He further pledged that under his leadership, the U.S. military would support ICE and Border Patrol in designated hotspots, invoking what he called “The American Shield Act,” a yet-unreleased proposal he teased during the event.
A Glimpse into VP Picks?
Speculation continues to swirl about Trump’s vice-presidential shortlist. While he did not name anyone directly, he dropped clues, praising Senator J.D. Vance and Rep. Elise Stefanik as “brilliant, battle-tested, and brave.”
“We need fighters, not fundraisers,” Trump said. “We’re building a team that won’t blink.”
His remarks fueled speculation that Vance and Stefanik may be front-runners for the role.
Media, Misinformation, and the “Fake Indictments”
Asked about his multiple legal challenges, Trump dismissed them as political stunts.
“They want to put me in jail so I can’t win. That tells you one thing: they know I will.”
He warned that the media would “try to edit tonight into soundbites that smear us,” while urging supporters to share the full video online.
“We’re not just a campaign. We’re a movement. Bigger than before, stronger than ever.”
The audience applauded and gave a standing ovation as Trump closed with: “They want to cancel you. But I’m still here, and I’m not going anywhere.”