Former President Donald Trump made a triumphant return to hosting large-scale rallies reminiscent of his previous presidential campaigns. Speaking to a massive crowd gathered in the streets of a small South Carolina city on a scorching day prior to the July 4 holiday, Trump expressed his enthusiasm for being there. He addressed thousands of hardworking South Carolina patriots who shared his beliefs in God, family, and country. The event took place in downtown Pickens, a conservative area in South Carolina’s Upstate region with around 3,400 residents. While the exact number of attendees was not immediately clear, law enforcement officials estimated that approximately 15,000 people had assembled by 11 a.m., two hours before Trump’s speech. This region is known to be popular among Republican candidates seeking support for South Carolina’s influential presidential primary, which is the first in the South.
Over the past few months, various candidates, including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former Vice President Mike Pence, biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, former Governor Nikki Haley, and Senator Tim Scott, have all held events in the Upstate, but none garnered a crowd as massive as Trump’s. His appearance effectively brought downtown Pickens to a standstill.
