Extreme heat in Arizona sent 11 people to the hospital as thousands waited to enter a campaign rally featuring former President Donald Trump. Trump took the stage shortly after 5:00 PM EDT (10:00 PM GMT) at a mega-church in Phoenix, where the temperature soared to 111F (44C). This rally was his first since his criminal conviction in a New York hush-money case, where he was found guilty of falsifying business records related to a payment to adult-film actress Stormy Daniels. During the event, Trump reiterated his claims that the case against him was politically driven and called for the conviction to be overturned. “I just went through a rigged trial in New York,” he declared. “It was made-up, fabricated stuff.” He plans to appeal all 34 charges from the trial.
Fans began lining up early outside the massive Phoenix Dream City Church to hear him speak, but strict security measures delayed entry. As supporters waited in the extreme heat, BBC News witnessed several people receiving treatment for heat-related issues, with two individuals taken to the hospital. On Thursday, the National Weather Service (NWS) predicted record-breaking temperatures in parts of California, Nevada, and Arizona, with California’s Death Valley expected to reach 121F (49C). In Phoenix, an excessive heat warning is in effect, and residents are advised to limit outdoor activities and stay hydrated.
Trump’s visit to Phoenix marked the beginning of a small campaign tour, exactly one week after his New York conviction. He spoke for about 90 minutes before heading to a fundraiser in San Francisco. In addition to criticizing his conviction, he promised to reverse President Joe Biden’s new executive order aimed at reducing migrant arrivals at the US-Mexico border. “On day one of my administration, I will be rescinding Crooked Joe’s outrageous executive order,” he said, labeling it as “pro-invasion.” Trump vowed to “terminate every single open-borders policy of the Biden administration.”
As the campaign season progresses, Trump stated in an interview aired on Thursday that he would announce his running mate at next month’s Republican National Convention, noting, “We have some very good people.”
In Las Vegas, where Trump is scheduled to hold his next campaign event on Sunday, record temperatures are also expected. The forecast high of 112F (44C) on Thursday would be the earliest recorded instance of such a temperature in the city’s history. Temperatures are currently 20 to 30 degrees Fahrenheit above average for this time of year, according to the NWS, although they are expected to cool slightly by the time Trump visits on Sunday.
Over 30 million people across the southwestern United States are under alerts for dangerously high temperatures, and officials are urging residents to take precautions. Heat-related illnesses and fatalities are increasingly common in Phoenix and the broader southwest. Scientists attribute the growing frequency and intensity of heatwaves and heat domes to human-induced climate change. The European Union’s Copernicus Climate Change Service reported that the world has experienced 12 consecutive months of record-high temperatures, with last month being the hottest May in recorded history.
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