NORTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa.— Just a week before Election Day, a fiery Donald Trump Jr. visited a Lehigh County target-shooting range and threw zingers at his father's political enemies.
More than 1,000 people showed up to the rally at Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays — enough to force some supporters to watch from outside, through the building's large garage doors.
The common thread throughout the speech? Putting in a final push for votes for former President Donald Trump in the Republican's bid for another term.
As he walked on stage, Trump Jr. was met with a roaring applause from the room full of red hats.
"So that energy — take it to the polls," he responded.
Takes aim at Democratic rivals
Between his calls for Trump supporters in the room to vote, and ask their friends to vote for Trump, Trump Jr. delivered many one-liners about rival Democrats: Democratic nominee Kamala Harris, Democratic vice presidential nominee Tim Walz, President Joe Biden, former President Barack Obama and former First Lady Hillary Clinton.
"If Donald Trump Junior has sticker shock at McDonald's, we have a serious problem in our country."Donald Trump Jr.
On Harris, Trump Jr. said she never worked at McDonald's, then made reference to his father's viral video scooping French fries at a fast food spot in Feasterville-Trevose this month.
"But she did grow up in a middle-class family, I've been told, and she worked at McDonald's," Trump Jr. said. "No one's seen any pictures, but my father has now worked at McDonald's for exactly ... an infinite amount more than she has."
On the topic of McDonald's, he used it as a marker for inflation.
"If Donald Trump Jr. has sticker shock at McDonald's, we have a serious problem in our country," he said, acknowledging that he came from a wealthy background.
He said he recently bought McDonald's meals for his two children, and it came to $48.
Trump Jr. said Walz, the Minnesota governor, didn't know how to load a shotgun properly. He said Walz is not masculine.
He also took aim at gender inclusivity — near the start of his speech, he said that "kids [are being] indoctrinated with 7,496 genders."
"It's probably been a few more since I've been speaking for 30 seconds," he said.
The remarks were a big hit with the crowd, and at times he had to pause for the laughter in room to finish.
Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays
Lehigh Valley Sporting Clays is owned by Bill Bachenberg, a major GOP donor and advocate for conservative causes at a national level.
He has been chosen by Donald Trump to cast an Electoral College vote for Trump should he win the presidential election.
Bachenberg, one of the so-called "fake electors" for Trump in 2020 after Biden was declared the winner, also was named as a defendant in a 2023 lawsuit where he was alleged to have refused to pay a cybersecurity firm when it did not find evidence of voter fraud in the 2020 election.
Bachenberg, according to his LinikedIn page, and other news reports,also is a board member on the National Rifle Association, as well as a former chief executive officer and senior adviser to data center services company DBSi.
Known for keeping a low profile despite his influence in the Republican Party, he formerly owned a farm near Pittstown in Hunterdon County, New Jersey, according to his LinkedIn profile.
Bachenberg did not return a call seeking comment.
Father's assassination attempt
Trump Jr.'s appearance in Lehigh County came the night before his father is set to hold a campaign rally about 10 miles down the road at PPL Center in Allentown.
Wrapping up his speech, Trump Jr. made reference to the attempt against his father's life on July 13 in Butler, Butler County, as he urged the crowd to vote for him.
"So if you guys show the same resolve, like, that my father showed on July 13," he said.
"Because these days, everyone's a tough guy, right? Everyone's a tough guy on the internet. In person, not so much, but on the internet, on a keyboard from mommy's basement.
"Every guy's a tough guy, but you get shot in the face and you come back defiant, that's real. That kind of thing, that kind of attitude, that embodies the American spirit."
After Trump's remarks, supporters lined up to have placards and photos signed by him as state Police troopers stood beside the stage.
