OPINION: This article may contain commentary which reflects the author's opinion.
Former President Donald Trump received a heartfelt welcome during a campaign stop in Council Bluffs, Iowa, on Friday, where he also extended some of his characteristic generosity.
Trump was well received during a speech in the city, and afterward, he went to a local Dairy Queen and treated all the patrons. Chants of “We love Trump!” and “USA!” were heard as he entered the establishment.
When he got to the counter, Trump began chatting with the workers there, saying at one point, “Everybody wants a Blizzard. What the hell is a Blizzard?”
President Trump arrives at Dairy Queen in Council Bluffs, Iowa!🍦 pic.twitter.com/nfvdpWyy6K
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) July 7, 2023
“U-S-A! U-S-A! U-S-A!” 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/M3AUUrlz63
— Jason Miller (@JasonMillerinDC) July 7, 2023
President @realDonaldTrump ordering Blizzards at local Iowa Dairy Queen! pic.twitter.com/rrxbUDSvCm
— Margo Martin (@margommartin) July 7, 2023
After asking the counter workers to “take care of” the people in the restaurant, Trump then began handing out ice cream to patrons.
One woman was heard saying, “We want you back, Trump.”
The former president also commented on a shirt a man was wearing. “Look at that — 45, 47,” he said of the shirt, which obviously referenced him as being the 45th president and possibly the 47th.
President Trump at a Dairy Queen in Council Bluffs, IA handing out some frosty Blizzards! pic.twitter.com/8gu303tUQo
— Steven Cheung (@TheStevenCheung) July 7, 2023
The former president also made a surprise stop at a pizzeria in Fort Myers, Fla., in April, and bought a round of food for the patrons there.
During his speech, Trump mentioned his legal problems. “Every time I get a subpoena, you know, my polls go up, I get more and more subpoenas,” he said, according to The Western Journal.
“These are crooked people. Never happened in our country. It’s called weaponization of the Department of Justice and the FBI. We’ve never had anything like this. And it’s all bulls***, too,” Trump said as the audience applauded.
“That’s why my polls go up. I’m the only person [who] ever got indicted who became more popular! Because people understand it,” he said.
Trump is correct in that his polling numbers are rising against President Joe Biden, whose mental faculties appear to be declining rapidly.
According to the latest Harvard-Harris poll, there has been a notable surge in support for the 45th president, suggesting a potential path to victory next year if he secures the GOP nomination. The survey found him a full seven points ahead of Biden, 47-40 percent.
The survey also assessed hypothetical contests involving Trump and other prominent Democrats. The results, for instance, showed Trump with 50 percent support compared to Vice President Kamala Harris, who trailed behind at 39 percent.
Meanwhile, according to the survey, less than 33 percent of respondents believe that the country is moving in the right direction, which is a clear indication of the lack of confidence in Biden’s policies. Additionally, an alarming 66 percent of the participants expressed concern about the direction of the U.S. economy, an indication they believe it is heading in the wrong direction — a clear reflection of a perception that the current administration is unable to manage the country’s financial well-being.
At the same time, half of respondents reported that their personal finances have worsened during the Biden presidency. And according to the poll, a mere 21 percent of respondents expressed confidence in avoiding a potential recession.
Overall, the survey found there was a worrying trend of pessimism regarding the country’s economic prospects overall, which is likely to increase the likelihood of more Americans supporting Trump, given his reputation for being a capable leader in creating jobs and strengthening the economy.
Unemployment fell to 3.5 percent in the country before the COVID pandemic caused mass work stoppages and layoffs in early 2020.
