Pro-Trump caravans are crowding freeways, sometimes forcing gridlock


Before the 2018 midterm elections, President Trump warned of caravans of migrants coming up via Mexico. With just a few days until the 2020 election, Trump supporters are the ones forming caravans, taking to highways and freeways in large numbers to demonstrate their support for the president or make some other statement.
In some cases, like when a Trump caravans waited on I-35 in Texas to "ambush" a Joe Biden campaign bus, things turned a little sinister. The FBI is investigating that incident, though Trump tweeted that in his opinion, they should let it go. In other cases, the rallies just caused traffic jams. Around Denver on Sunday, the gridlock appears to have been an incidental byproduct of the "MAGA Drag The Interstate" rally. In other places, such as New York and New Jersey, the goal appears to have been to shut down traffic.
Is purposely causing gridlock a winning strategy?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
In New York and New Jersey, it doesn't really matter — Trump was never going to win there anyway. Indiana comedian Brent Terhune, pretending to have organized one real "Trump Train" rally, deadpanned, "We think the best way to show our support is to create traffic. If we can make somebody late for something, then we've shown our support."
The real goal for most caravan participants seems to be a visual show of strength amid dire polling for Trump. But police are preparing for chaos and confrontations on Election Day, and already "early voting has been marred by accusations of voter intimidation and unease around the polls, including many reports of caravans of honking vehicles flying Trump flags at times blocking access to voting sites," The Washington Post reports. Actionable voter intimidation includes people confronting voters in official or military-style uniforms outside polling places or "poll watchers" following voters or aggressively challenging or threatening them.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.
-
Trump's super-charged pardon push raises eyebrows and concerns
IN THE SPOTLIGHT Never shy about using his pardon ability for political leverage, Trump's spate of amnesty announcements suggests the White House is taking things to a new level
-
Elon Musk departs Trump administration
speed read The former DOGE head says he is ending his government work to spend more time on his companies
-
Trump taps ex-personal lawyer for appeals court
speed read The president has nominated Emil Bove, his former criminal defense lawyer, to be a federal judge
-
Starving Gazans overrun US-backed food aid hub
speed read Israeli troops fired warning shots at the Palestinians
-
Israel's Western allies pull back amid Gaza escalation
speed read Britain and the EU are reconsidering allegiance with Israel as the Gaza siege continues
-
Trump drops ceasefire demand after Putin call
speed read Following a phone call with Russia's president, Trump backed off an earlier demand that Putin agree to an immediate ceasefire with Ukraine
-
Pro-EU centrist beats Trump acolyte in Romania vote
speed read The mayor of Bucharest, Nicusor Dan, defeated hard-right nationalist George Simion in the race for Romania's presidency
-
Israel-US 'rift': is Trump losing patience with Netanyahu?
Today's Big Question US president called for an end to Gaza war and negotiated directly with Hamas to return American hostage, amid rumours of strained relations
-
Kurdish PKK militia to disband for Turkey talks
speed read The Kurdistan Workers' Party will disarm after four decades of armed conflict with Turkey, putting an end to 'one of the longest insurgencies in the Middle East'
-
US, China agree to lower tariffs for 90 days
speed read US tariffs will fall to 30% from 145%, while China will cut its tax on US imports to 10% from 125%
-
India strikes Pakistan as tensions mount in Kashmir
speed read Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called it an 'act of war'