Donald Trump got big laughs Friday at the California GOP fall convention when he mimicked a moment when President Joe Biden got confused when trying to find his way off-stage following a speech.
The ex-president also suggested California’s Democratic Gov. Gavin Newsom positioned himself as a top surrogate to Biden because he doesn’t think he will ‘make it’ to the 2024 general election.
Trump told a room full of Republicans at a ballroom in Anaheim, California that their state can be ‘wonderful again’ as he tore into the state’s lawmakers and leaders. He vowed ‘help is on the way’ to save California from communism and Marxism – if only he is elected president again in 2024.
He also slammed a series of California’s Democratic lawmakers and leaders and claimed ‘rich people’ in Beverly Hills ‘smell’ because of strict water laws that keep them from showering enough.
Speaking to about 1,500 attendees munching on the remains of their lunch, Trump said: ‘While California was once a symbol of American success, today under the radical left fascists and Marxists that run your state – that’s who’s running your state, bad people – it’s becoming a symbol of our nation’s decline.’
He specifically called out California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Vice President Kamala Harris, once a U.S. senator from California, and current Democratic California Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Maxine Waters, Adam Schiff and Eric Swalwell.
Just two days after skipping the second Republican debate in Southern California, Trump flew out to claim his domain in the primary race over the deep blue state.
Donald Trump tore into President Joe Biden, California Gov. Gavin. Newsom and Democratic California Reps. Nancy Pelosi, Eric Swalwell, Adam Schiff and Maxine Waters
![The ex-president got big laughs when he mimicked a moment when a confused Biden appeared not to be able to find his way off stage](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/30/00/75999111-12576609-The_ex_president_got_big_laughs_when_he_mimicked_a_moment_when_a-a-87_1696030044501.jpg)
The ex-president got big laughs when he mimicked a moment when a confused Biden appeared not to be able to find his way off stage
Trump appeared to claim that Biden won’t be the 2024 Democratic nominee, although the incumbent is currently running virtually unopposed in the primary. But the ex-president thinks that the Democratic field is about to get much more crowded – and that Newsom will be leading the pack.
‘Gavin has become Crooked Joe Biden’s top surrogate because he doesn’t think Biden is going to make it – that’s why he’s doing it,’ Trump insisted during his remarks Friday. ‘He doesn’t think he’s going to make it, and it won’t be him so easily. He’s going to have a big fight. However, because there will be a lot of Democrats competing it’s going to be very interesting.’
‘But let’s see, look, some people say Biden’s going to make it. Does anybody think he’s going to make it to the starting gate?’ Trump asked in a poll of the crowd of Republicans, to which they responded with a resounding, ‘no!.’
‘I mean the guy can’t find his way off of a stage,’ Trump said in reference to a viral moment where Biden was seen wandering around the stage following remarks at the U.N. General Assembly in New York City last week.
A confused Biden appeared not be able to find his way off the stage following the event.
Trump reenacted this during his remarks in Anaheim on Friday.
‘Look here’s a stage,’ Trump began. ‘I’ve never seen this stupid stage before – I’ve never seen it before. But if I walk left there’s a stair. And if I walk right, there’s a stair.’
‘And this guy gets up, ‘Where am I? Where the hell am I?’ Trump said, walking aimlessly around the stage.
‘Nah, he’s terrible. You know, I’m much tougher on him than I used to be. Out of respect for the office, I was never like – He’s the most corrupt president, the most incompetent president we’ve ever had.’
The Golden State’s Republican Party is the biggest prize for those vying for the Republican presidential nomination. But this year, the CaGOP changed the rules in a way that competitors claim will boost Trump’s chances of winning all 169 delegates’ votes.
Trump joins three other primary contenders speaking at the California GOP Fall Convention at the Anaheim Marriott this year.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott is speaking after Trump’s lunch-time remarks. In the evening, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis will make remarks during a dinner banquet. Then on Saturday, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy is participating in a VIP reception ahead of his lunch banquet – the same time slot Trump had on Friday.
![Trump said Newsom has become a top surrogate for Biden because he doesn't think the president will 'make it' to the 2024 general election. 'Gavin has become Crooked Joe Biden's top surrogate because he doesn't think Biden is going to make it ¿ that's why he's doing it. He doesn't think he's going to make it, and it won't be him so easily. He's going to have a big fight. However, because there will be a lot of Democrats competing it's going to be very interesting'](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2023/09/30/00/75999209-12576609-Trump_said_Newsom_has_become_a_top_surrogate_for_Biden_because_h-a-89_1696030044935.jpg)
Trump said Newsom has become a top surrogate for Biden because he doesn’t think the president will ‘make it’ to the 2024 general election. ‘Gavin has become Crooked Joe Biden’s top surrogate because he doesn’t think Biden is going to make it – that’s why he’s doing it. He doesn’t think he’s going to make it, and it won’t be him so easily. He’s going to have a big fight. However, because there will be a lot of Democrats competing it’s going to be very interesting’
DeSantis campaign aides told DailyMail.com that they have heard complaints from Trump’s team that the Florida governor got the better time slot at the convention on Friday.
Ahead of the remarks, Trump made a show of arriving in southern California as his Trump Force One airplane did a flyover of the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach before landing.
Bystanders on the beach cheered for the former president as the plane flew by.
During the March 5 state primary, any candidate who collects more than 50 percent of the votes will win all delegates up for grabs – instead of the previous distribution where candidates could win three delegates in each congressional district in California.
In the past, multiple candidates would walk away from the California primary with at least a few delegates under the belts. And now, if that 50 percent threshold is met, Trump will likely walk away with all of them.
Trump spent his time on stage Friday afternoon tearing into a series of liberal lawmakers in the Golden State how he claims their leadership has ruined California.
‘The far-left communists in Sacramento, San Francisco and LA – cities which are absolutely being destroyed rapidly on a daily basis – have given you sanctuary cities, wide-open borders, mass homeless encampments, out-of-control taxes, soaring income inequality like no one’s ever seen before, Marxist district attorneys, woke tech tyrants – they are woke – rolling blackouts, child sexual mutilation and roving bands of looters, criminals and thugs,’ Trump listed.
He facetiously quipped: ‘But other than that, I think they’re doing a pretty good job.’
‘Those things are all true. What a mess. How the hell do people vote for these people?’ he questioned the GOP crowd, who mostly did not vote-in the Democrats in charge of the state.
‘I am here to tell you that help is on its way,’ Trump assured. ‘We can’t go on like this – we won’t have a country left. The mission to help you liberate California from communist rule begins at noon on inauguration day 2025.’
***
Read more at DailyMail.co.uk