President Donald Trump promised to tackle rising costs of housing, energy, and groceries during a town hall in Pennsylvania’s crucial swing state on Monday night. The event, however, was cut short after multiple audience members experienced health emergencies in the packed venue.
Trump, 78, took the opportunity to criticize Vice President Kamala Harris for overseeing the economic policies that have driven inflation up by 21% since President Biden took office. As attendees dealt with the stifling conditions, the forum was interrupted, prompting Trump to call for a brief musical interlude, playing Luciano Pavarotti’s “Ave Maria,” before wrapping up the event.
“We win the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we are in clover,” Trump said, urging voters to turn out and promising swift action if he returns to the White House.
The event took a turn when a loud thud echoed through the room, and a middle-aged man was wheeled out on a stretcher. Shortly after, more calls for medical attention led Trump to request that the venue’s doors be opened for air, though security concerns prevented it. Trump, along with South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, jokingly speculated that inflation had made air conditioning too expensive for the facility to operate.
Despite the disruptions, Trump outlined parts of his economic plan, courting suburban voters in Pennsylvania’s Montgomery County, a key battleground where he lost significantly in both 2016 and 2020. He promised to slash interest rates and energy prices if reelected.
“When the energy comes down, the prices are going to come down,” Trump said, claiming he could halve energy costs within a year of his potential second term.
Trump also addressed housing regulations and record-high illegal immigration, arguing that the latter was having a “devastating effect” on Black and Hispanic communities, particularly on economic issues like grocery costs and housing prices.
The president did not dive into some of his signature middle-class policies, such as eliminating taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits, but emphasized his commitment to making life more affordable for Americans.
Meanwhile, Vice President Harris was holding her own event in Erie, Pa., where she touted middle-class initiatives, including child tax credits and subsidies for home improvements under the Inflation Reduction Act. She also criticized Trump’s tariff plans, warning they would act as a “national sales tax” that would hurt consumers.
With Pennsylvania playing a pivotal role in the upcoming election, the battle for the state’s voters is heating up. Trump narrowly won the state in 2016, but lost it in 2020 by over 80,000 votes, and faces an uphill battle in the key Montgomery County area, where his losses contributed to his overall defeat.
