(The Epoch Times)—During a rally in New Hampshire, former President Donald Trump revealed how he would bring the increasingly divided United States back to a posture of unity.
President Trump spoke to reporters before taking the stage in Laconia, New Hampshire, where he fielded questions from NTD, The Epoch Times’ sister media outlet, and others. It marked his last campaign stop in the Granite State ahead of the first in the nation primary.
Asked how he would bring the United States back together after years of deep political division, President Trump told NTD that he would do it through “success.”
Now, in a head-to-head with former U.N. ambassador Nikki Haley for the nomination, President Trump refrained from saying he thinks she should drop out, telling NTD, “That’s up to her.”
The comments come as team Haley is praying for a win in New Hampshire, where some polls have shown her roughly neck and neck with the former president.
But President Trump didn’t seem worried. Asked whether he thought he could replicate his historic Iowa win in New Hampshire, President Trump was confident he could.
“I think we’ll win by big margins,” he said.
Despite some polls giving Ms. Haley a reason for optimism, most polls still show President Trump with a sizable lead in New Hampshire, which helped deliver him to the White House in 2016.
Former Rivals Take the Stage
President Trump was joined in Laconia by three of his former rivals for the nomination, who’ve since dropped out and endorsed him.
These included biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, and Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.).
“Now is the time for the Republican Party to come together,” President Trump said. “We have to unify.”
President Trump then turned to his erstwhile adversaries, who spoke in favor of their former rival.
“Right now, we need a commander-in-chief who will lead us to victory in this war,” said Mr. Ramaswamy. “That is this man standing right here.
“If you want to seal the border, vote Trump. If you want to restore law and order in this country, vote Trump. If you want to defeat the deep state, vote Trump. If you want to fight inflation, vote Trump. If you want to revive national pride in this country, vote Trump. If you want to revive our national identity in this country, for Trump. If you want to make America great again, vote Trump.”
Mr. Ramaswamy then turned the podium over to Mr. Burgum.
“Biden has been a disaster on the economy,” the governor said. “He has been a disaster on energy, and he has been a disaster on national security, including the border.
“Under Donald J. Trump, our cities were safer. Our country was safer, and we were absolutely economically better off than we are today. Now, Joe Biden’s energy policies are empowering … dictators, and they’re hurting our economy.
“They’re raising the prices of what you pay for gas in your car, food on your table, and energy to heat your homes. We need Donald Trump. America needs Donald Trump.”
Up next was Mr. Scott, who spent his time on crowd engagement.
“If you want four more years of Donald Trump, let me hear your scream,” he shouted.
The MAGA crowd screamed back.
“If you want the race to be over tomorrow, let me hear you scream,” he said.
Coffee the Christian way: Promised Grounds
Another round of cheers.
“Four more years of low inflation under Donald Trump,” he added. “Four more years of low crime and high law and order under Donald J. Trump.”
President Trump also mentioned Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, emphasizing the proper pronunciation of his name rather than using the now-retired nickname “DeSanctimonious,” and saying he ran a great campaign.
Interrupted by Hecklers
President Trump also faced interruptions from three sets of hecklers during a speech in Laconia, New Hampshire.
The hecklers, whose remarks were unclear, appeared to be climate protestors who’ve recently crashed a series of GOP events in the state, including those of Ms. Haley.
The interrupters were quickly escorted out by security in turn, facing boos and jeers from President Trump’s supporters as they left. Some appeared to be wearing face masks, and members of the crowd shouted against “Antifa.”
The hecklers heralded back to an earlier day of President Trump’s political tenure when hecklers were commonplace. However, President Trump hasn’t faced much strong opposition during his rallies recently.
Trump Says He’ll ‘Free the J6ers’
President Trump said he would free those arrested, convicted, and detained in connection to the Jan. 6 Capitol breach.
While President Trump was speaking at a rally in Laconia, New Hampshire, his final campaign stop before the first in the nation primary election, someone called out “Free the J6ers!”
“We will,” President Trump replied.
The comment falls in line with past comments President Trump has made calling on the administration to free several of those held on charges related to Jan. 6, who he’s described as “hostages.”
With the conclusion of the rally, President Trump wraps up his long series of campaign stops in New Hampshire, as this was his final rally ahead of the New Hampshire primary.
The New Hampshire primary is an important test for the viability of Ms. Haley, the sole remaining contender still battling for the nomination.
While she only received third place in Iowa—over 30 points behind President Trump’s historic win—New Hampshire is less conservative and less religious, making it more amenable to her sometimes anti-Trump messaging.
A win in New Hampshire could keep her in the race, potentially giving her the momentum to become a serious rival to President Trump—a long shot given President Trump’s domineering lead nationwide, but not unheard-of in the history of presidential politics.
Failure to win the state would indicate trouble for Ms. Haley’s presidential aspirations. A win for President Trump, meanwhile, would all but cement his place as the Republican nominee.
A loss, meanwhile, would still leave Ms. Haley with a great deal of ground to catch up on in future battles, where she still largely trails President Trump by wide margins.
T.J. Muscaro contributed to this report.
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Five Things New “Preppers” Forget When Getting Ready for Bad Times Ahead
The preparedness community is growing faster than it has in decades. Even during peak times such as Y2K, the economic downturn of 2008, and Covid, the vast majority of Americans made sure they had plenty of toilet paper but didn’t really stockpile anything else.
Things have changed. There’s a growing anxiety in this presidential election year that has prompted more Americans to get prepared for crazy events in the future. Some of it is being driven by fearmongers, but there are valid concerns with the economy, food supply, pharmaceuticals, the energy grid, and mass rioting that have pushed average Americans into “prepper” mode.
There are degrees of preparedness. One does not have to be a full-blown “doomsday prepper” living off-grid in a secure Montana bunker in order to be ahead of the curve. In many ways, preparedness isn’t about being able to perfectly handle every conceivable situation. It’s about being less dependent on government for as long as possible. Those who have proper “preps” will not be waiting for FEMA to distribute emergency supplies to the desperate masses.
Below are five things people new to preparedness (and sometimes even those with experience) often forget as they get ready. All five are common sense notions that do not rely on doomsday in order to be useful. It may be nice to own a tank during the apocalypse but there’s not much you can do with it until things get really crazy. The recommendations below can have places in the lives of average Americans whether doomsday comes or not.
Note: The information provided by this publication or any related communications is for informational purposes only and should not be considered as financial advice. We do not provide personalized investment, financial, or legal advice.
Secured Wealth
Whether in the bank or held in a retirement account, most Americans feel that their life’s savings is relatively secure. At least they did until the last couple of years when de-banking, geopolitical turmoil, and the threat of Central Bank Digital Currencies reared their ugly heads.
It behooves Americans to diversify their holdings. If there’s a triggering event or series of events that cripple the financial systems or devalue the U.S. Dollar, wealth can evaporate quickly. To hedge against potential turmoil, many Americans are looking in two directions: Crypto and physical precious metals.
There are huge advantages to cryptocurrencies, but there are also inherent risks because “virtual” money can become challenging to spend. Add in the push by central banks and governments to regulate or even replace cryptocurrencies with their own versions they control and the risks amplify. There’s nothing wrong with cryptocurrencies today but things can change rapidly.
As for physical precious metals, many Americans pay cash to keep plenty on hand in their safe. Rolling over or transferring retirement accounts into self-directed IRAs is also a popular option, but there are caveats. It can often take weeks or even months to get the gold and silver shipped if the owner chooses to close their account. This is why Genesis Gold Group stands out. Their relationship with the depositories allows for rapid closure and shipping, often in less than 10 days from the time the account holder makes their move. This can come in handy if things appear to be heading south.
Lots of Potable Water
One of the biggest shocks that hit new preppers is understanding how much potable water they need in order to survive. Experts claim one gallon of water per person per day is necessary. Even the most conservative estimates put it at over half-a-gallon. That means that for a family of four, they’ll need around 120 gallons of water to survive for a month if the taps turn off and the stores empty out.
Being near a fresh water source, whether it’s a river, lake, or well, is a best practice among experienced preppers. It’s necessary to have a water filter as well, even if the taps are still working. Many refuse to drink tap water even when there is no emergency. Berkey was our previous favorite but they’re under attack from regulators so the Alexapure systems are solid replacements.
For those in the city or away from fresh water sources, storage is the best option. This can be challenging because proper water storage containers take up a lot of room and are difficult to move if the need arises. For “bug in” situations, having a larger container that stores hundreds or even thousands of gallons is better than stacking 1-5 gallon containers. Unfortunately, they won’t be easily transportable and they can cost a lot to install.
Water is critical. If chaos erupts and water infrastructure is compromised, having a large backup supply can be lifesaving.
Pharmaceuticals and Medical Supplies
There are multiple threats specific to the medical supply chain. With Chinese and Indian imports accounting for over 90% of pharmaceutical ingredients in the United States, deteriorating relations could make it impossible to get the medicines and antibiotics many of us need.
Stocking up many prescription medications can be hard. Doctors generally do not like to prescribe large batches of drugs even if they are shelf-stable for extended periods of time. It is a best practice to ask your doctor if they can prescribe a larger amount. Today, some are sympathetic to concerns about pharmacies running out or becoming inaccessible. Tell them your concerns. It’s worth a shot. The worst they can do is say no.
If your doctor is unwilling to help you stock up on medicines, then Jase Medical is a good alternative. Through telehealth, they can prescribe daily meds or antibiotics that are shipped to your door. As proponents of medical freedom, they empathize with those who want to have enough medical supplies on hand in case things go wrong.
Energy Sources
The vast majority of Americans are locked into the grid. This has proven to be a massive liability when the grid goes down. Unfortunately, there are no inexpensive remedies.
Those living off-grid had to either spend a lot of money or effort (or both) to get their alternative energy sources like solar set up. For those who do not want to go so far, it’s still a best practice to have backup power sources. Diesel generators and portable solar panels are the two most popular, and while they’re not inexpensive they are not out of reach of most Americans who are concerned about being without power for extended periods of time.
Natural gas is another necessity for many, but that’s far more challenging to replace. Having alternatives for heating and cooking that can be powered if gas and electric grids go down is important. Have a backup for items that require power such as manual can openers. If you’re stuck eating canned foods for a while and all you have is an electric opener, you’ll have problems.
Don’t Forget the Protein
When most think about “prepping,” they think about their food supply. More Americans are turning to gardening and homesteading as ways to produce their own food. Others are working with local farmers and ranchers to purchase directly from the sources. This is a good idea whether doomsday comes or not, but it’s particularly important if the food supply chain is broken.
Most grocery stores have about one to two weeks worth of food, as do most American households. Grocers rely heavily on truckers to receive their ongoing shipments. In a crisis, the current process can fail. It behooves Americans for multiple reasons to localize their food purchases as much as possible.
Long-term storage is another popular option. Canned foods, MREs, and freeze dried meals are selling out quickly even as prices rise. But one component that is conspicuously absent in shelf-stable food is high-quality protein. Most survival food companies offer low quality “protein buckets” or cans of meat, but they are often barely edible.
Prepper All-Naturals offers premium cuts of steak that have been cooked sous vide and freeze dried to give them a 25-year shelf life. They offer Ribeye, NY Strip, and Tenderloin among others.
Having buckets of beans and rice is a good start, but keeping a solid supply of high-quality protein isn’t just healthier. It can help a family maintain normalcy through crises.
Prepare Without Fear
With all the challenges we face as Americans today, it can be emotionally draining. Citizens are scared and there’s nothing irrational about their concerns. Being prepared and making lifestyle changes to secure necessities can go a long way toward overcoming the fears that plague us. We should hope and pray for the best but prepare for the worst. And if the worst does come, then knowing we did what we could to be ready for it will help us face those challenges with confidence.
