Trump tries to allay voter anxiety by touting economic wins, dodges Epstein files in rally
The US presidents also warned that the government could be headed towards another lockdown in late January
In front of hundreds of people at Rocky Mount Event Centre in eastern North Carolina, Trump cited a high-profile crime that galvanised his base and went through recent consumer price index data, recounting stories of threatening tariffs to get better terms on deals.
The president also sought to shore up a vulnerability with the expiration of Affordable Care Act credits in a few weeks.
“You could have another shutdown, because the Democrats are totally in the hands of, they’re totally controlled by the insurance companies, big wealthy companies,” Trump told the crowd.
The president did not mention the release of the Epstein files – a measure that he initially resisted before a rare moment of him bowing to intraparty pressure – during the rally.