Worried, me? Defiant Donald Trump flashes a thumbs up as he flies out of Washington during impeachment debate to lead rally of his supporters in Michigan
- President Trump ignored dozens of reporters waiting for him to depart the White House Wednesday amid the impeachment debate
- The president instead flashed the crowd a thumbs up and gave a wave as he boarded Marine One
- Trump is headlining a Christmas-themed rally Wednesday night in Michigan, which will happen the same time as he’s being impeached
President Trump ignored droves of reporters as he left the White House Wednesday amid the House of Representatives’ impeachment debate.
Instead of coming over to the journalists for some chopper talk, he flashed the group a thumbs up and attended to supporters, before boarding Marine One en route a Michigan campaign rally that will likely be ongoing as the House makes him the third president ever to be impeached.
The rally is supposed to be Christmas-themed – though will likely serve as the president’s official response to impeachment.
It was for Vice President Mike Pence, who was Trump’s opening act.
‘You know what’s going on in Washington, D.C. tonight is a disgrace,’ Pence told the crowd. ‘Theyr’e trying to impeach this president because they know they can’t defeat this president,’ he added.
President Trump gave a thumbs up as he left the White House Wednesday as the House debated two articles of impeachment against him
Vice President Mike Pence played the opening act for President Trump in Michigan, minutes away from when he would become the third president to be impeached
The usually chatty President Trump waves goodbye to both a crowd of supporters and a group of reporters who watched his departure from the White House Wednesday
President Trump is photographed walking across the South Lawn. He ignored the droves of reporters waiting for him to comment on impeachment
President Trump waves as he arrives in Michigan for Wednesday night’s Christmas-themed campaign rally
A man dressed as Santa Claus walks around the site for President Trump’s Michigan campaign rally, which is Christmas-themed
A man place his hand over his heart – and over the president’s large face – for the Pledge of Allegiance at Wednesday night’s Trump campaign rally
A Trump supporter, in a festive Make America Great Again, gives a peace sign to a photographer outside the president’s Michigan rally Wednesday
Pence gave the crowd a laundry list of the administration’s accomplishments before bringing back up the impeachment vote.
‘Tonight the do-nothing Democrast are voting to impeach our president. But don’t worry Michigan, as the president said voters are wise, they see straight through this empty, hollow, dangerous game,’ Pence said.
While the House is dealing with impeachment now ‘the Republican Senate is going to have their say in January,’ Pence pledged.
The vice president said the House impeachment vote will also spell the end of Democrats having a majority in the House.
‘Voters will remember in November!’ Pence said.
The president mostly ignored the pool of reporters who follow him when he got off Air Force One in Michigan.
‘Doing good,’ he responded to shouted questions, an apparent answer to how he was feeling.
The rally is being held at the 9,000-seat Kellogg Arena in Battle Creek, Michigan.
City officials told MLive.com that they expected at least 10,000 to show up and had an overflow space ready.
Michigan was one of the three Rust Belt states to win the Electoral College for Trump in 2016, and he needs to keep it in his column in order to defeat a Democratic contender in 2020.
Battle Creek is nicknamed ‘Cereal City’ because Kellogg is headquarted there.
Trump has held Christmas-themed rallies before. Last year he decked the halls in Biloxi, Mississippi.
The Wednesday night really featured large Christmas trees with ‘Keep America Great’ hats in place of tree-toppers.