Video posted on social media Tuesday showed Democratic Mayor Matt Tuerk of Allentown, Pennsylvania, arguing with a Trump campaign employee near the site of a rally held by former President Donald Trump.
Trump held a rally at the PPL Center in Allentown Tuesday, which was across the street from the Lehigh County Governing Center, where voters were seeking applications for absentee ballots, the Lehigh Valley News reported. The video posted on social media showed Tuerk and the Trump campaign employee arguing over the movement of barricades that blocked traffic. (RELATED:
“You said it three times, and then all of a sudden you let the traffic come through and I’m trying to put out barricades while dodging cars at the same time,” the campaign employee told Tuerk.
“Don’t,” the employee continued. “Do you think I’m going to fucking take it off now?”
Tuerk claimed he didn’t want the Trump campaign employee to endanger himself.
“Oh yeah?” The Trump campaign employee responded. “We got cars coming in from all four intersections while I’m in the middle of it!”
Tuerk, who previously described Trump as an “unwelcome guest” in a Sunday post on X that invited people to attend Vice President Kamala Harris’ “closing argument” speech, held up his hands as the Trump campaign employee pointed out that the city put out a press statement about road closures for the rally.
“The Trump-deranged Democrat Mayor of Allentown tried to disrupt the buildout of President Trump’s rally, despite the campaign having proper permitting and approved road closures. We appreciate local law enforcement’s assistance in ensuring the rally was a major success!” Trump Campaign national press secretary Karoline Leavitt told the Daily Caller News Foundation.
“You think I’m going to remove the barricades now?” the Trump campaign employee asked Tuerk. “You’re out of your fucking mind! Don’t ever pull that shit on me ever again! The entire police force was confused. Go and call your chief, please.”
The video shows Tuerk making a call on his cell phone as the Trump campaign employee called him out.
“You tried to pull some fake shit over the permits,” the Trump campaign employee said.
NEW: Trump campaign member eviscerates Allentown, PA Mayor Matthew Tuerk, who was apparently trying to pull permits ahead of Trump’s rally.
Tuerk is accused of trying to “show how big & strong” he was by obstructing Trump’s Allentown rally.
“You are out of your f*cking… pic.twitter.com/KRBROjpD8b
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) October 30, 2024
Trump’s rally took place as planned on Tuesday. During the event, Trump fired back at President Joe Biden after he called Trump supporters of the former president “garbage,” comparing it to Hillary Clinton’s infamous “basket of deplorables” comment, the Philadelphia Inquirer reported.
Trump leads Harris in a head-to-head matchup by 0.6% in polls of Pennsylvania voters from Oct. 2 to Oct. 29, according to the RealClearPolling average. Trump leads or is tied in four of the last five polls in the crucial swing state when independent candidate Cornel West, Green Party candidate Dr. Jill Stein and Libertarian Chase Oliver are included as options in the surveys.
Tuerk did not immediately respond to a request for comment from the DCNF.
“I’m going to give this kid a raise,” Chris LaCivita, a top Trump campaign official, posted on X.
