A town hall by President Trump held at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center and Fairgrounds in Oaks, Pennsylvania on Monday night was turned into an impromptu concert party by Trump after it was interrupted by two incidents where supporters fainted in the large apparently unairconditioned hall. The town hall was emceed by South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem (R). The two ill supporters were tended to by medics and left the event, one by stretcher.
Reporters and news outlets including the Washington Post called the Trump playlist concert “bizarre”. And while it was unusual at a political rally for a candidate to stay on stage for over half-an-hour listening and swaying to music with his supporters, Trump set the precedent at his return rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on October 5 when he remained on stage at the end of the rally while opera singer Christopher Macchio sang several spiritual themed songs.
Trump sways and bops to music for 39 minutes in bizarre town-hall episode https://t.co/zcQ3bL0XZx
— Post Politics (@postpolitics) October 15, 2024
While a few supporters left to escape the stuffy room, the vast majority stayed (and stayed!) and enjoyed the moment with Trump as a mix of spiritual and pop music was played.
43 minutes into Trump’s Pennsylvania Town Hall and Trump has had to halt twice and call for a doctor as people were taken ill. And people are now heading for the exit. pic.twitter.com/h5T0GuZI2g
— Rob Crilly (@robcrilly) October 14, 2024
This Trump walk-on video posted by the Trump campaign’s Dan Scavino, Jr. gives a sense of the crowded venue:
The Trump Town Hall in OAKS, PENNSYLVANIA is underway… pic.twitter.com/1yUHDbD9IR
— Dan Scavino Jr.🇺🇸🦅 (@DanScavino) October 14, 2024
The crowd sang patriotic songs while the town hall was interrupted to take care of the first ill attendee. Trump also asked for Ave Maria to be played while medics attended the ill supporter.
An audience member experienced a medical emergency, and President Trump paused his town hall to allow first responders to render aid.
The nearby crowd offered help while the rest of the audience starting singing patriotic songs.
The man is going to be alright. ✊🏻🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/uBVR0jY84p
— Julia 🇺🇸 (@Jules31415) October 15, 2024
BREAKING: Entire crowd at Trump town hall in Oaks PA singing God Bless America! pic.twitter.com/IArVNvhvOc
— Jack Poso 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) October 14, 2024
Ave Maria was also played while the second person was tended to. Trump asked the Secret Service to open some doors to let fresh air inside.
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With the rhythm of the town hall disrupted and the crowd a bit unsettled, Trump called an audible and asked that his “favorite chart” from the July 13 Butler rally be put on the jumbotrons and for music to be played from his playlist.
The Trump campaign posted videos from the town hall of each of the nine songs played:
TRACK 1: Ave Maria by Luciano Pavarotti
🎸 President Trump turned his town hall into a CONCERT tonight in Oaks, PA 🎵
TRACK 1: Ave Maria by Luciano Pavarotti pic.twitter.com/IW7SSRPoSu
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 15, 2024
TRACK 2: Time to Say Goodbye by Andrea Bocelli and TRACK 3: It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World by James Brown
TRACK 3: It’s a Man’s Man’s Man’s World by James Brown pic.twitter.com/3FAjBjQO0z
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 15, 2024
TRACK 4: Y.M.C.A. by Village People and TRACK 5: Hallelujah by Rufus Wainwright
TRACK 5: Hallelujah by Rufus Wainwright pic.twitter.com/kIbOnBRw45
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 15, 2024
TRACK 6: Nothing Compares 2 U by Sinéad O’Connor and TRACK 7: An American Trilogy by Elvis Presley
TRACK 7: An American Trilogy by Elvis Presley pic.twitter.com/2JA9hsXW5G
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 15, 2024
TRACK 8: Rich Men North of Richmond by Oliver Anthony and TRACK 9: November Rain by Guns N’ Roses
And last but not least,
TRACK 9: November Rain by Guns N’ Roses pic.twitter.com/sfnBZVFpoq
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 15, 2024
Audience video of Hallelujah shows the crowd was staying:
Trump Town Hall kicked ass!!!! pic.twitter.com/0ruJSsDG4N
— vickie toulson (@VickieToulson) October 15, 2024
Video of supporters bopping to YMCA posted by the Trump campaign’s Karoline Leavitt:
The crowd didn’t want to leave, so the songs kept rolling! 🎶
“Play YMCA, let’s go, nice and loud!” pic.twitter.com/E6k3XTSkLq
— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) October 15, 2024
And they were still there as the last songs were played in videos posted by Fox News reporter Bryan LLenas:
8:27pm Trump now enjoying November Rain by Gun N’ Roses at what was supposed to be about an hour long economic Q and A derailed by a man and shortly after a woman needing medical attention.
People have been standing outside since early this morning before 8am for a 6pm rally… pic.twitter.com/JhXkrWLqCm
— Bryan Llenas (@BryanLlenas) October 15, 2024
As Llenas pointed out, many of the Trump supporters had been in line since early morning. Trump has been campaigning non-stop from coast to coast for the past week. Everyone there enjoyed the musical break from heavy politicking, though Trump did make some political remarks between songs. (Note: there was speculation that this might have been vamping on Trump’s part while a security issue outside was resolved, but there is nothing to support that as of this writing.)
ABC News reported Trump interacted with supporters before he left:
Following the concert, Trump made his way to the front row, signing red MAGA hats and 47 signs.
Trump’s movement was noteworthy as he hasn’t interacted with a large crowd to that extent since his attempted assassination in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Kamala Harris held a rally in Erie, PA, on the other side of the state Monday night. Her campaign posted a mocking comment on Trump’s town hall turned concert, “Tonight, Donald Trump:—Told his supporters to go out and vote on “January 5th”—Rambled about Hannibal Lecter, a cannibal serial killer who is not real—Acted confused when asked if they should end the event and play a walk off song—Stood frozen and silent on stage as music played for 30+ minutes and the crowd poured out of the venue”
Tonight, Donald Trump:
—Told his supporters to go out and vote on “January 5th”
—Rambled about Hannibal Lecter, a cannibal serial killer who is not real
—Acted confused when asked if they should end the event and play a walk off song
—Stood frozen and silent on stage as music… pic.twitter.com/qQcBewr1Iu— Kamala HQ (@KamalaHQ) October 15, 2024
And Kamala, falling behind in the polls, taunted, “Hope he’s okay.”
Hope he’s okay. https://t.co/WGhGteFpjm
— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) October 15, 2024
