Las Vegas Review-Journal: 5 takeaways from Donald Trump’s speech in Las Vegas
President Donald Trump highlighted and defended his domestic and foreign policies during a visit to Las Vegas on Wednesday, and he accused Democrats of trying to bring communism to the United States.
Trump, who also took a moment to honor a local police officer killed in a shootout the previous day, spoke to a packed Red Rock Resort ballroom in Summerlin. His appearance was themed around his Working Families Tax Cuts from the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act. He again credited a Las Vegas Strip waitress for coming up with his No Tax on Tips proposal implemented through the bill.
In remarks that lasted just over an hour, Trump touched on a variety of topics, including Tuesday’s primary elections in Michigan and other states.
He dedicated a few minutes to lambaste socialism and communism, which he alleged Democrats were adopting in their platforms.
Trump mentioned two candidates by name: Abdul El-Sayed, the presumed Democratic Senate nominee in Michigan, and Francesca Hong, a Democratic nominee for Wisconsin governor.
Republican Gov. Joe Lombardo, who spoke before Trump, also touched on victories from left-leaning Democrats, some of whom are part of the Democratic Socialists of America.
Nevada Republican congressional candidates state Sen. Carrie Buck and award-winning composer Marty O’Donnell also took the stage to thank Trump for visiting and to criticize the Democratic House members they are challenging, Reps. Dina Titus and Susie Lee.
Here are five takeaways from the Trump event.
Speakers honor fallen officer
Trump began his remarks by sending “love and heartfelt prayers” to the family and loved ones of Austin Abdelnabi, a 30-year-old Metropolitan Police Department officer who was killed in a police shooting Tuesday.
Trump said the Marine Corps. veteran had been gunned down by a “savage criminal” and that he had died a hero.
“So to every law enforcement officer here today, we thank you for your service,” Trump said. “And we say God bless the men and women of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, and frankly, all of law enforcement.”
Several other speakers similarly referenced the shooting.
Lombardo asked the crowd to participate in a moment of silence for Abdelnabi. When Lombardo first mentioned Abdelnabi’s name, an audience member booed, which Lombardo and other attendees admonished.
Trump touts ‘successful’ economy
Throughout his speech, Trump painted an optimistic picture of the U.S. economy. He claimed the country’s exports are “on fire,” that his signature tariffs have made the country rich, and that the stock market has set all-time highs.
Trump touched on several pieces of legislation from the 2025 One Big Beautiful Bill Act, including No Tax on Tips, No Tax on Overtime and No Tax on Social Security.
In a Wednesday news release, the White House said that more than 440,000 Nevada tipped workers saved an average of $10,000 this filing season as a result of the No Tax on Tips policy, which Trump described as an “overnight sensation.”
Trump also touted increased private investment he said he had secured in the U.S. and Nevada.
In total, Trump claimed that these policies have successfully driven costs down.
Lombardo embraces Trump relationship
Nevada Democrats, including Attorney General Aaron Ford, who is challenging Lombardo in November, have tried to tie the governor to Trump’s policies.
Lombardo countered that conversations with former President Joe Biden’s administration fell on deaf ears.
Nevada’s economy is growing with Trump in office, said Lombardo, who added that the state has added more than 100,000 new jobs post-pandemic. He attacked Ford without naming him.
Trump asked attendees to vote for Lombardo in big numbers.
Lombardo quipped that he had to stick to prepared remarks so that his opponents don’t clip them for political attacks.
That’s what happened after Trump brought the governor back on stage. Lombardo defended Trump and touted his administration’s tax cuts, adding that the president cares about Americans.
Opponents criticize Trump by alleging he takes care of his “billionaire friends,” Lombardo said. “Those billionaire friends provide jobs. Unless you take care of them, those jobs are absent,” he added.
Democrats react
On Wednesday morning, Rep. Steven Horsford, D-Nev., Lee and Titus held a press conference at the Las Vegas headquarters of the Culinary Workers Union Local 226, where they spoke about what they called the “Trump slump.”
Anticipating the presidential visit, the Nevada State Democratic Party put up a billboard in Las Vegas that pictured the president and the governor, claiming that Lombardo takes orders from Trump.
Titus claimed that Trump was trying to fool Nevadans.
Lee echoed Titus: “Nevada Democrats have been fighting for tipped workers long before Trump came onto the scene. Southern Nevadans aren’t going to buy what he’s trying to sell, because we feel what he’s been doing to our pocketbooks.”
Attendees celebrate Trump’s economic policy
Trump’s remarks were at times met with raucous applause and chants of “U-S-A” from the audience of a few hundred supporters.
The president welcomed several Las Vegas residents to the stage, and they spoke about how they had benefited from his economic policies. One man, who said he works around 96 hours a week as a foreman and member of the Teamsters union, lauded Trump’s No Tax on Overtime policy.
Other attendees expressed similar experiences.
Las Vegas resident Annell McCoid, who is a nurse, wore a shirt adorned with an American flag and said she loves Trump. Like the foreman, she praised the No Tax on Overtime policy.
Brenda Lovato said she volunteers at Trump’s events whenever he is in Las Vegas. She wore a “Make America Great Again” hat and a shirt with an image of Trump on it.
Lovato said she supports Trump because he is returning the country to the way she remembers it from her childhood.