Donald Trump makes statements at his Mar-a-Lago estate after being arraigned in New York City, on April 04, 2023, in Palm Beach, Florida.
Stringer/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images
Trump delivered a defiant speech in Mar-a-Lago after his arraignment in New York on Tuesday.
The campaign-style event was held in an extravagant ballroom bursting with people.
Trump allies like Roger Stone, Mike Lindell, Kari Lake, and Marjorie Taylor Greene were there.
Former President Donald Trump’s Mar-a-Lago residence was teeming with supporters as he gave a defiant speech just hours after his arraignment in New York.
This, in contrast to the small group of supporters that showed up for him in New York, where the pro-Trump crowd was far outnumbered by anti-Trump protesters.
Trump was very much on home ground in Florida — surrounded by allies and staunch supporters at a campaign-style event held in Mar-a-Lago’s gilded ballroom. There, he launched into a rambling speech about the various investigations he’s facing, while verbally attacking Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over his case in Manhattan.
“The only crime that I’ve committed is to fiercely defend our nation,” Trump said in his speech.
As he climbed up to the stage to deliver his speech, Trump was greeted by loud applause and triumphant chants of “U-S-A,” according to a tweet posted by the far-right political figure, Laura Loomer.
—Laura Loomer (@LauraLoomer) April 5, 2023
GOP lawmakers like Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz and Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene made it down to Mar-a-Lago to cheer Trump on.
Greene — who earlier on Tuesday gave a short 10-minute speech at a mini pro-Trump protest in New York — tweeted about the Mar-a-Lago event. She said it was “great” to be around “so many American patriots at Mar-a-Lago.”
—Marjorie Taylor Greene 🇺🇸 (@mtgreenee) April 5, 2023
Gaetz did an interview with Fox News from inside the ballroom, saying he thought there was a “renewed spirit” and “energy” in the Trump 2024 campaign.
—Rep. Matt Gaetz (@RepMattGaetz) April 5, 2023
Insider’s politics correspondent Kimberly Leonard, who was in the ballroom at Mar-a-Lago, tweeted that crowds cheered when Kari Lake, the Trump-backed Republican who was defeated in the Arizona race for governor in November, entered the room.
—Kimberly Leonard (@leonardkl) April 4, 2023
Leonard also tweeted that Trump supporters mingled in the lively event as songs like “Candle in the Wind” by Elton John and “Live Like You Were Dying” by Tim McGraw played. Around 500 to 700 people were packed into the room’s standing area, per Leonard’s reporting from Mar-a-Lago.
Also at the event were diehard Trump allies like Roger Stone and MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell.
Lindell told Leonard in an interview that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — who is slated to become Trump’s main rival for the 2024 GOP nomination, should he choose to run — should “just endorse Trump tomorrow morning” and give up the fight.
Trump on Tuesday was arrested in New York, and later in a Manhattan courtroom pleaded not guilty to 34 low-level felony charges.
The charges were filed against him by the Manhattan district attorney’s office in connection with a yearslong investigation into hush money payment made to the adult film actress, Stormy Daniels.
Trump is set to appear in court again on December 4, just two months before the GOP primaries begin.