Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump checks on a person having a medical emergency at a campaign town hall at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center & Fairgrounds, Monday, Oct. 14, 2024, in Oaks, Pa. Alex Brandon/Associated Press
PHILADELPHIA — Former President Donald Trump’s first campaign event in the Philadelphia suburbs took an odd turn Monday night after two consecutive medical emergencies in the crowd prompted Trump to suggest maybe everyone just listen to his playlist.
“Let’s not do any more questions,” Trump said. “Let’s just listen to music … Who the hell wants to hear questions?”
Trump was about 40 minutes into a town hall moderated by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem and featuring friendly questions from the audience when a man collapsed in the risers in the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks.
The event paused as the man received medical attention and was taken out in a stretcher.
Moments later, a woman on a set of risers on the opposite side of the large expo hall needed attention. She eventually walked out with help after supporters waved red “47″ Trump signs to fan her.
But the back-to-back incidents prompted Trump to suggest the town hall – about four questions in – end there and he proceeded to play DJ. Trump requested Luciano Pavarotti’s rendition of “Ave Maria” and other songs that have become staples of his rally playlist.
“Those two people that went down were patriots and we love them,” Trump said, referring to the people who fainted. “So play ‘YMCA.’ There we go! Nice and loud.”
After both emergencies, Trump asked if the air conditioning could be turned up higher. “They probably can’t afford it sir, in this economy,” Noem quipped.
“Would anybody else like to faint?” Trump asked to laughs.
Trump stood on stage fist pumping and swaying side to side, and pointing at the crowd, with Noem beside him for several more songs.
As a Guns N’ Roses song started and Trump remained on stage, Noem perched on one of the chairs. By the time “Memory” from the musical Cats started, Trump had stepped down off the stage to interact with people in the audience who had hung back to take video of him standing on stage while the music played.
Several thousand people packed the expo center and stood close together throughout the event in Montgomery County, a county Joe Biden won by 26 points in 2020.
A representative from the Trump campaign said three people were transported by ambulance from the rally but did not know their status.
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