Washington: Opposition outrage over Donald Trump’s provocative rhetoric quickly turned to bewilderment after the Republican nominee spent 40 minutes swaying to his favourite songs at a rally near Philadelphia.
Vice President Kamala Harris expressed apparent concern for Trump’s mental state, posting on social media, “Hope he’s okay,” along with footage of the event, which many found bizarre even by Trump’s standards.
The unexpected musical interlude occurred after two audience members fainted due to the heat at the indoor rally in Oaks, Pennsylvania. When Trump requested air-conditioning, event moderator and South Dakota governor Kristi Noem quipped about inflation: “They probably can’t afford it, sir, in this economy.” Trump then decided to abandon the Q&A session, declaring, “Let’s just listen to music.”
The rally turned into an impromptu music session, featuring nine songs, including James Brown’s *It’s A Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World*, the Village People’s *YMCA*, and *Ave Maria* by Luciano Pavarotti. Trump swayed mid-stage, with Noem mimicking his movements.
He later praised the fainting attendees, saying, “Those two people who went down are patriots. We love them. And because of them, we ended up with some great music.”
Ironically, Trump’s reliance on music comes amid multiple legal battles with artists like Bruce Springsteen and Neil Young, who have objected to their songs being used at his rallies. Meanwhile, Harris was warning voters about the darker themes that typically dominate Trump’s events, playing clips of him labelling opponents “the enemy within” at her own rally in Erie, Pennsylvania. Harris argued the footage showed Trump as “unstable and unhinged,” adding that a second Trump term would be “dangerous” for America.
Trump’s nostalgic moment recalled his days at Studio 54 in the 1970s, though the club’s founder claimed he never saw Trump dance. His campaign staff described the rally as a “lovefest,” with spokesperson Steven Cheung posting on social media, “Everyone was so excited they were fainting.” Another staffer simply called it “DJ Trump.” However, social media reactions were mixed, with some calling Trump’s behaviour “absolutely insane.” –Agencies
