President Trump warned on Friday that if Alabama Republican Senate candidate Roy Moore loses the special election to his Democratic opponent next week, it could put the Trump agenda at risk.
“We cannot afford — this country, the future of this country — cannot afford to lose a seat in the very, very close United States Senate,” Trump told a crowded arena in Pensacola, Fla. on Friday during a rally held just miles from the Alabama border. “We can’t afford it, folks. We can’t afford to have a liberal Democrat who is completely controlled by [House Minority Leader] Nancy Pelosi and [Senate Minority Leader] Chuck Schumer. His name is Jones, and he’s their puppet.”
“We need somebody in that Senate seat who will vote for our ‘Make America Great Again’ agenda, which involves tough on crime, tough on borders … building the wall, strengthening our military, continuing our great fight for our veterans,” Trump said. “We want jobs, jobs, jobs, so get out, and vote for Roy Moore.”
Moore, the Republican nominee to fill the seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions, has struggled to overcome allegations of sexual misconduct from more than a half-dozen women who have accused him of pursuing sexual relationships with them when they were teenagers and he was in his 30s.
Trump referred during his rally to a controversy over the inscription Moore made in the high school yearbook of one of his accusers. The woman’s lawyer, Gloria Allred, admitted Friday that the accuser had marked the date of Moore’s signature underneath the inscription, but maintained that Moore had made the inscription himself.
Moore’s supporters used the news to argue all of the allegations against Moore may not be credible.
Trump touted tax reform, economic growth and border security during his campaign-style rally on Friday. The event lasted more than an hour and saw Trump return to the themes that put him in the White House.
“I had a great life before I did this,” Trump said, reflecting on his career as a real estate developer. “Oh, think of where I’d be if I didn’t do this … but I wanted to do this, and I wanted to give back.”
The president lashed out at the movement – known as the resistance – that has formed in opposition to his policies. He referred frequently during the rally back to Hillary Clinton and the victory he scored over her last year.
“They call themselves the resistance. Hillary resisted, and you know what happened: She lost the election in a landslide.” Trump said. “But you know what they’re really resisting? They’re resisting the will of the American people. That’s what they’re resisting.”
Reflecting on the status of his legislative agenda, Trump vowed to reform welfare and pass a package of tax cuts that is currently making its way through conference on Capitol Hill.
Trump hinted at the controversy embroiling his FBI after a week that saw the emergence of revelations about both the Russia investigation and the bureau’s investigation of Clinton’s emails.
“This is a sick system from the inside,” Trump said amid chants of “Lock her up,” a refrain popularized during the FBI probe of Clinton’s private server use. “We have a lot of sickness in our institutions.”
Trump vowed to keep delivering for his base on Friday, telling the raucous crowd that his “revolution” would continue into the years head.
“Our revolution didn’t end on Nov. 8th. That was just the beginning,” Trump said. “The greatest adventure still lies ahead. Never give in, never give up, never back down. And never ever stop dreaming.”
