Inside Donald Trumps Rallies

Donald Trump’s rallies — freewheeling performances full of jokes and audience participation that his fans sometimes travel hours to attend — are a central part of his 2024 presidential campaign.He holds almost two per week, and they are where he often introduces and tests the themes that end up dominating his campaign.To help readers get a better sense of these rallies, my colleagues Ian Prasad Philbrick and Ashley Wu have watched every one since late July (when President Biden dropped out of the race).

Today, The Times is publishing a multimedia article in which Ian and Ashley break down nine main themes that recur at each rally — including his proposed agenda, his allusions to political violence, his flagrant falsehoods, his increasing verbal stumbles and his “hits” — set pieces on subjects like Hannibal Lecter that his audience has come to expect.The article includes video highlights that let you see these themes for yourself.If anything, the statements that Trump makes at his rallies are probably more important in this campaign than they were when he first ran in 2016.

Trump’s aides, his critics and independent observers all agree that he is likely to implement more of his promised agenda in a second term than he did in a first.He understands more about what the president does and how the presidency works than he did in 2016.He has also made clear that he will fill his administration with loyalists, rather than the traditional Republicans who sometimes blocked his agenda last time.

The Senate is also likely to be more compliant, with Mitch McConnell stepping down as the Republican leader.And the federal judiciary, including the Supreme Court, is more Trump-friendly than it was eight years ago.Trump still won’t accomplish his entire proposed agenda.

No president does.But it’s worth listening to what he says on the campaign trail and considering it a preview of a second Trump term.

The work that Ian and Ashley have done cataloging his rall...