Trump addresses supporters in Houston, derides Biden as soft on China, Russia

“I would have insisted they had proper protection,” Trump told thousands of supporters at the Toyota Center in Houston.

O’Reilly did not ask Trump about text messages made public this week in which some of his former Fox News colleagues and Trump’s son, Donald Jr., pushed Trump to make a public statement earlier than he did to try to calm the violence.

While saying he would have sought better protection for lawmakers on Jan. 6., Trump was far from apologetic about the assault on the Capitol, which forced a lockdown of the complex, the evacuation of members of Congress and an hours-long delay in the certification of the 2020 presidential election results. Five people died in connection with the violence.

Trump referred Saturday to the “Stop the Steal” rally he held at the Ellipse, near the White House, on Jan. 6. At that rally, Trump recited a litany of discredited claims that the election had been stolen from him.

Democrats contend that Trump incited those present to march down Pennsylvania Avenue and attack the Capitol when he said: “We fight like hell. And if you don’t fight like hell, you’re not going to have a country anymore.”

Trump told the Toyota Center audience that there was “love in that crowd” at the Ellipse.

Trump also defended Ashli Bobbitt, the 35-year-old Air Force veteran who was fatally shot by a Capitol Police officer during the storming of the building. Trump called Bobbitt a patriot and said “nobody else died” that day.

Four others lost their lives during and after the attack, including Capitol Police Officer Brian Sicknick, who died the day after he was overpowered and beaten by rioters.

In a Democratic response to Trump’s remarks, U.S. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee said Trump was continuing “to push a big lie that President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris did not win the election with the largest vote total in the history of the United States for any presidential election, but rather, that the former President won.

“This is dangerous, and it is a poor reflection for America’s commitment to democracy for the rest of the world to see,” Jackson Lee said in a statement.

During the 90-minute event at the Toyota Center, Trump insisted that if he were still in office, Russia would not be threatening to invade Ukraine, because he commanded the respect of Russian president Vladimir Putin and many other world leaders.

He said China and Russian don’t respect Biden.

“I had a great relationship with both of them,” Trump said.

Later, he told O’Reilly: “Russia wasn’t going to go into Ukraine, I guarantee you that.”

Trump did not offer any new hints about whether he will run for president in 2024. But in response to a question from O’Reilly, he said that entering politics had been worthwhile, despite the criticism he took from the media.

“I love this country,” he said. “It’s worth it.”

The event was part of a four-city tour by the two men. Last weekend, they put on a pair of shows in Florida. They are scheduled to wrap up the series Sunday in Dallas.

The Houston appearance got off to a rocky start. Trump was nearly an hour and a half late. He said thunderstorms prevented his plane from landing in time for the scheduled start of the show.

Even with the delay, much of the lower section of the Toyota Center was filled by the time Trump spoke. Upper sections were blocked off, and there were plenty of available seats when the doors opened. Few attendees were wearing masks.

Before the event began, hundreds of people stood in line outside, shielding themselves from the rain with umbrellas, raincoats and flags.

Hien Truong, Hong Minh, and other women from the Hon-Viet singing group draped themselves in the colors of the South Vietnamese flag and a scarf with the colors red, white and blue.

All said they were at the event to support the former president and a possible Trump campaign in 2024.

“He made America great again and what he promised to do, he did it. He’s a good man,” said Troung, adding that she supported his tough stance toward China.

Another Trump supporter, Candice Powell, 39, of Houston, shielded her red gown and a gold purse from the rain with a Trump flag. She wanted to look her very best, she said.

“I want to represent him right. I’m sitting up front,” she said, adding that she was looking forward to “hearing something directly from Trump.”