June 10 (UPI) — Former President Donald Trump spoke at state Republican conventions in Georgia and in North Carolina Saturday in his first appearances since his historic indictment on 37 federal counts.
Trump spoke for nearly 90 minutes at Georgia GOP Conference in Columbus, which he broadcasted on the video platform Rumble.
“Every time I fly over a blue state, I get a subpoena,” the former president quipped at the start of his speech.
Trump then went on the offensive, claiming that President Joe Biden and his administration are corrupt “fascists” and repeating false claims that he lost the 2020 presidential election because of voter fraud, among other lies.
“They’ve launched one hoax and witch hunt after another to try and stop our movement and thwart the will of the American people,” Trump said, alleging that Democrats are engaged in “election interference.”
Trump said that the Justice Department and FBI are “corrupt” and being used by Democrats “to interfere in our elections.”
“They’re cheating, they’re crooked, they’re corrupt,” Trump said. “In the end, they’re not coming after me. They’re coming after you and I’m just standing in their way.”
During his lengthy speech, Trump also called special counsel Jack Smith “deranged” and called the Justice Department a “sick nest of people that need to be cleaned out.”
Trump was indicted Friday on charges of willful retention of national defense information and conspiracy to obstruct justice.
“They took one charge and made it 37,” Trump said. “It’s a political hit job.”
After his speech, Trump traveled to the North Carolina Republican Convention in Greensboro where he targeted Democrats as the “party of disinformation.”
“If I wasn’t leading in the polls by so much, we would have no difficulty,” Trump said in North Carolina.
Trump, 76, was much more subdued during his second speech — often losing his train of thought, gripping the sides of the podium and speaking slowly and softly.
In the speech, Trump returned to attacking former first lady Hillary Clinton, who he called “a woman who was out of control.”
The Georgia convention started Friday and runs through the weekend. Former Vice President Mike Pence is also speaking at the event in North Carolina, meaning the two ex-running mates are ostensibly going head-to-head for Republican support.
Pence kicked off his campaign for the GOP presidential nomination on Wednesday as he attempts to distance himself from Trump.
Prosecutors on Friday unsealed a 38-count, 49-page federal indictment against Trump, charging the former president with 31 counts of willful retention of national defense information as well as six other charges.
A former aide was also named and charged in the indictment for making false statements.
Trump on Friday called the case the “greatest witch hunt of all time.”
It’s not clear to what extent Trump will address the indictment and charges during both speeches.
He is scheduled to appear in federal court in Miami this coming Tuesday.