Former President Donald Trump abruptly ended an interview with NewsNation on Thursday, citing security concerns as the reason for his sudden departure. The incident occurred while Trump was in Arizona to deliver a speech on immigration at the southern border.
During the interview with NewsNation reporter Ali Bradley, Trump unexpectedly halted the conversation, stating, “We’re in danger standing here talking.” He further explained, “[Security] doesn’t want me standing here. They don’t want you standing here either”, told The Hill.
The backdrop to this heightened security concern is the ongoing scrutiny over a July 13 assassination attempt on Trump, which has raised questions about security protocols, according to Axios. Adding to the tension, authorities announced on Wednesday that a manhunt was underway in Arizona for a suspect who allegedly threatened the former president’s life.
Ahead of Trump’s speech, authorities apprehended 66-year-old Ronald Lee Syvrud, who is accused of making threatening social media posts targeting Trump. The Cochise County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that Syvrud was arrested without incident. He also had outstanding warrants in Wisconsin for DUI and in Graham County, Arizona, for hit-and-run and felony failure to register as a sex offender.
As Trump prepared to address immigration issues, the political landscape in Arizona and Texas remained tense. Vice President Kamala Harris has been gaining ground in these key states, and on Wednesday, Bexar County Sheriff Javier Salazar endorsed Harris for president at the Democratic National Convention. Salazar praised Harris for her efforts to combat human trafficking at the border and criticized Trump’s immigration policies.
Immigration has been a central theme of Trump’s political platform since his 2016 campaign, and it remains a focal point of his current campaign. During his Arizona visit, Trump continued to criticize Harris and President Joe Biden for the increase in migrants crossing the border. He also brought families to the border to share their tragic stories of loved ones lost to crimes committed by migrants.
“[Trump] needs to be in office, and we need better control and we need to stop this. We need to stop losing children, mothers, sisters, because now I get to grieve every single day,” said Alexis Nungaray, mother of 12-year-old Jocelyn, whose body was found after she disappeared while walking to the store. Two migrants arrested by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) earlier this year were implicated in her death.
In his speech, Trump argued that Harris would never “build the wall” and accused her of not wanting to “do the work” necessary to secure the border. “The choice is simple: Kamala’s mass amnesty of criminals, or President Trump’s mass deportation of criminals,” Trump declared.
Before abruptly ending his interview with NewsNation, Trump emphasized that he remains the leading candidate among voters on the issue of immigration, maintaining a significant lead over Harris despite her recent gains in the polls.