President Trump returned to a few of his more vintage talking points Friday.
In a speech at the National Rifle Association's annual conference in Dallas, Trump echoed a few of his favorite claims, bragged about his performance in office, and looked ahead to the midterm elections.
In calling for stricter immigration laws in an attempt to crack down on gang violence, Trump referenced the speech he made in 2015 when he announced his candidacy for president. Trump said that Central American countries are "sending up" their "worst" people, many of whom are "savage gang members."
"Remember in my opening speech, I got criticized for it. Remember? Well, guess what. They're not sending their finest," Trump said Friday.
In Trump's very first campaign speech in 2015, he sparked anger by claiming that Mexico was "not sending their best," rather, sending people who cause problems for the U.S. "They're bringing drugs. They're bringing crime. They're rapists. And some, I assume, are good people," he said at the time. Trump said Friday that he'd been proven right since then, doubling down on the claim that strict immigration policies and a border wall were necessary to keep Americans safe.
Trump covered many of his favorite topics in the wide-ranging speech, including a push to arm teachers to protect students from school shooters, an accusation that the Russia investigation is a "witch hunt," and an attack on Democrats who oppose his policies. He called on viewers to vote Democrats out in the midterm elections, warning voters not to become "complacent." Read more at CNN.