Newz(AP) — President Donald Trump used a Western campaign swing on Wednesday to pitch Republicans as vigilant supporters of gun rights and to defend his acceptance of a luxury jet from Qatar to use as Air Force One.At an evening rally in Montana, Trump hewed close to the kind of attack lines that his party wants to hear as the president travels the country, and he warned that the Second Amendment would be “under siege" if Democrats win in November’s midterm elections.But his message was more off script earlier in the day as he visited an economically struggling corner of rural Arizona. Trump opened his remarks there by describing how the new jet parked behind him was a gift from the Qatari royal family.“When you’re given gifts, you take ’em, right?” Trump told the crowd in Bullhead City. “When they give you a 747 you say two words: ‘thank you.’”Trump’s comments came during the second and final day of a Western swing, part of a midterm roadshow designed to rally the Republican Party ahead of Nov.
3 elections that will determine control of Congress. His first stop was Alaska on Tuesday, where he announced Taiwan would purchase gas from a proposed mega-gas project there and pardoned two Alaskans who had pleaded guilty in 2022 to Clean Air Act violations.The president continued to bestow favors in Montana, where he announced a new military testing range that had been sought by the state's Republicans."Montana will help ensure the American military always reigns supreme,” he said.As Americans grapple with persistent concerns about the cost of living, Trump often reverts to some of his personal priorities, including renovation projects in Washington or trappings of the presidency, including the luxury jet.Trump accepted the new plane last year despite strong criticism, including from some of his staunchest Republican supporters.Trump zeroes in on guns while campaigning in MontanaTrump's visit to Western Montana’s 1st District was aimed at boosting House candidate Aaron Flint, a former aide to retiring Republican Rep. Ryan Zinke, who was Interior secretary in Trump’s first-term Cabinet.Flint’s opponent is Sam Forstag, a Democratic labor union leader and Forest Service smokejumper, a specialized firefighter who gets to fires by aircraft and parachute.Forstag has said he supports expanding voluntary safe storage of firearms for people in a mental health…
An Army veteran and talk-radio host, Flint assails progressive Democrats like Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont and New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani as part of his campaign.Flint’s opponent is Sam Forst…
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