WEST PALM BEACH, Florida — Donald Trump spent the day before his 78th birthday being feted by Republicans in Congress, who sang “Happy Birthday” to him and presented him with a cake and gifts. It was a remarkable show of loyalty to a former president who was repudiated by many of the same legislators after the riot at the Capitol on January 6, 2021.
On Friday, Trump will have another birthday celebration, this time with thousands of supporters in his adopted state.
Members of the “Club 47” fan group will hear from Trump in West Palm Beach, Florida, a short distance from his Mar-a-Lago residence. The event sold 5,000 tickets for about $35 each, with spots closer to the stage going for $60, according to Club 47 President Larry Snowden.
Weeks after becoming the first former president to be convicted of a felony, Trump has tightened his grip on much of his party’s base and elected officials. Next month, he is scheduled to accept his party’s presidential nomination for the third time.
Trump is now three years younger than Democratic President Joe Biden, who is 81.
To mark his general election rival’s birthday, Biden’s campaign compiled a list of “78 of Trump’s historic… ‘accomplishments,'” with links to media coverage of policy proposals including “cuts to Social Security and Medicare,” Trump’s presidency during the Republican Party’s losses in the U.S. House and Senate, and several references to his legal cases.
“On behalf of America, our early gift for your 79th: Making sure you are never president again,” Biden campaign spokesman James Singer added to the birthday wishes.
Trump was in Washington on Thursday to meet with House and Senate Republicans in his first visit to the Capitol since the riot, which was carried out by Trump supporters seeking to overturn his 2020 loss to Biden. A group of House Republicans sang “Happy Birthday” to Trump and presented him with a baseball and bat from the annual congressional game.
The senators then presented a cake featuring an American flag with 45 candles, a reference to Trump being the 45th president. Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming then added two more candles with the numbers 4 and 7.
“We’re all committed to making sure he becomes the 47th president,” Barrasso told reporters later, adding: “As I was sitting there, I take them out, I put them on. He loved it. And that was the last big applause at the end when you heard that.”
Among the senators who attended the meeting was Senate Republican leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, who endorsed Trump earlier this year despite not having spoken since 2020. Barrasso told reporters that Trump and McConnell spoke and exchanged a fist bump.
Snowden, the president of the 47 Club, and others said they expect Trump to speak about the verdict in New York as part of his regular campaign message. Trump will be sentenced on July 11.
“Our people are eager to hear your expression of your commitment to moving forward. I know you are committed to moving forward no matter what the leftist side of our country throws at you,” Snowden said.
Club 47 is based in Palm Beach County and says on its website that the club’s goal is to keep Trump supporters “in our area connected and engaged.” Trump most recently spoke at the club in October, days after the Hamas attacks on Israel on October 7.
Lydia Maldonado, a local Hispanic activist who plans to attend Friday, said she has frequently attended events at Club 47 and has been surrounded by crowds decked out in U.S. flag shirts, Trump 2024 gear and themed costumes. from USA
Maldonado said this event is unique compared to any nationwide rally or event featuring the former president. Maldonado said she is excited to attend an event for Trump’s birthday, but she also believes Trump is comfortable and familiar with this crowd since it is his hometown.
“The purpose of having this event is, in large part, to let him know how much the community here loves him and how much the community supports him,” Maldonado said.
){kind=link}