On Saturday, September 7, 2024, presidential candidate Donald Trump captivated an estimated audience of 15,000 at a rally in Mosinee, Wisconsin. Trump, who had flown in on his private aircraft known as “Trump Force One,” took the opportunity to address perceived threats to free speech in America and critique the policies of the existing administration.
Trump underscored the necessity to safeguard free speech, asserting, “They’ve taken away your free speech, and the fake news threat is a threat to this country.” Should he win re-election, he committed to taking measures including the signing of an executive order “banning any federal employee from colluding to limit speech” and terminating “any federal bureaucrat who engaged in domestic censorship under the Harris regime.”
The campaign rally took place at the Central Wisconsin Airport, marking Trump’s fourth campaign visit to Wisconsin. Notably, it was his inaugural visit to this predominantly rural and staunchly conservative region of this pivotal swing state. Wisconsin has been a key battleground for both major political parties, with four of the past six presidential elections determined by less than one percentage point.
Trump’s discourse on free speech and media criticism followed a critical op-ed authored by A.G. Sulzberger, the New York Times publisher. Sulzberger’s article was published in the Washington Post two days before the rally. In his column, Sulzberger cautioned that “Trump stands out for his aggressive and sustained efforts to undermine the free press” and advised Americans to brace for Trump’s potential utilization of an anti-media “playbook” if he prevails in November.
Trump defended his position on media relations to the rally attendees, saying, “When you’re a politician…, and you happen to be a Republican or somewhat conservative, they write just the opposite of what the facts are, and if you are driving a cab, if you’re an accountant, if you are a lawyer, if you are something other than that, you don’t know the details.” He furthered, “When we know the facts, and the story gets written the exact opposite of what it is, you start to lose faith in the press.”
Besides free speech, Trump also broached other core campaign topics, such as immigration and border security, at the rally. He lambasted the Harris administration’s perceived lax border policies, associating them with heightened crime rates and a nationwide drain on taxpayer resources.
Trump’s trip to Wisconsin highlights the state’s critical role in the impending election. Both Trump and his Democratic rival, Vice President Kamala Harris, have visited the state frequently this year. As per recent polls conducted post-President Biden’s July decision to abstain from re-election, Trump and Harris are neck-and-neck among Wisconsin voters.
The significance of Wisconsin in the electoral map is immense. The Democrats view it as a “blue wall” state that they must secure. In the 2020 election, Biden claimed Wisconsin by a margin of just below 21,000 votes, whereas Trump had carried the state by nearly 23,000 votes in 2016.
The emphasis on free speech and media relations at the rally mirrors the ongoing friction between Trump’s campaign and various media entities. Trump has regularly had confrontations with journalists and media houses during his previous term and current campaign, frequently branding unfavorable coverage as “fake news.”
The rally in Mosinee witnessed Trump making several bold promises, including terminating the Russia-Ukraine war prior to assuming office and dissolving the Department of Education. These pledges align with his campaign tactic of portraying himself as a transformative figure capable of making broad changes to government policy and international relations.
As the campaign heats up, Trump’s rhetoric on free speech and media relations is likely to continue being a central theme. His pledges to protect free speech and reshape media interactions, if elected, sharply contrast with warnings from individuals like Sulzberger about potential risks to press freedom under a second Trump administration.
The Mosinee rally, with its warm reception and Trump’s persuasive messaging, sets the tone for a keenly observed and fiercely contested election in Wisconsin and nationwide. As both campaigns intensify their efforts in crucial swing states, issues such as free speech, media relations, and government transparency are set to significantly influence voter perceptions and, eventually, the result of the 2024 presidential election.
