Trump attends school soccer recreation in key early-voting state

The Palmetto Bowl is an annual matchup between the College of South Carolina and Clemson College, the 2 largest universities within the state, and is going down this 12 months within the state capital of Columbia.

Gov. Henry McMaster, a College of South Carolina alumnus who has endorsed Trump, not too long ago stated that the previous president had a “standing invitation” to attend the sport.

Trump watched the sport from a field and went onto the sphere at halftime with McMaster.

The previous president briefly stood on the 50-yard line and waved to the group, receiving cheers and a few boos.

Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina, who has endorsed Trump, was additionally in attendance with the previous president.

Trump, the front-runner for the GOP nomination, maintains a commanding lead over his main rivals in South Carolina, in line with a current CNN ballot, which discovered the state’s former governor, Nikki Haley, as his strongest challenger however nonetheless a distant second.

Haley’s marketing campaign didn’t reply when requested whether or not the Clemson alumna can be attending Saturday’s recreation.

South Carolina is among the earliest contests on the Republican nominating calendar subsequent 12 months, holding its GOP main on February 24 after Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada.

The state was key to Trump securing the GOP presidential nod in 2016, as his victory in that 12 months’s South Carolina main helped form his path to the nomination.

The previous president has visited the state a number of instances this 12 months, together with most not too long ago for a marketing campaign occasion in Summerville in September.

Moreover McMaster, Trump enjoys the assist of a number of different high South Carolina Republicans, together with Graham, Lt. Gov. Pamela Evette and US Reps. Joe Wilson, William Timmons and Russell Fry.

Trump’s put up got here after a US official stated Americans should not anticipated to be a part of the second wave of hostages launched on Saturday.

Nonetheless, the White Home stated it stays “hopeful” three Americans might be a part of the negotiated hostage launch within the coming days.

In a separate put up, Trump claimed, “Hamas now needs a greater deal for hostages. This isn’t going to finish properly!”

The put up appeared to consult with the delay within the launch of anticipated hostages and prisoners on Saturday.

That dispute has since been resolved via mediation, CNN beforehand reported, in line with Qatar’s overseas ministry spokesperson.

In October, Hamas launched two American hostages on “humanitarian grounds.”

Saturday’s Palmetto Bowl wasn’t Trump’s first cease at a soccer recreation this marketing campaign cycle.

The previous president attended a matchup between Iowa State College and the College of Iowa in September and stopped by a tailgate earlier than the sport. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a rival for the GOP nomination, additionally attended the sport in Ames, Iowa.