Trump news: President limits rally to 21 minutes after crowds kept out by Covid restrictions

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In an unexpected turn of events, Donald Trump delivered one of his all-time shortest speech after his campaign rally in Minnesota was limited to 250 people.

Trump lashed out at governor Tim Walz for placing the restrictions. But that didn't stop the president visiting supporters waiting outside as he made a detour to press the flesh of devotees, which included adherents of the QAnon conspiracy.

Trump seemed focused on Minnesota earlier in the day while campaign in Michigan, using his rally to say Ilhan Omar doesn't love the US and would help deliver the election, while comparing George Floyd protests in Minneapolis to Berlin at the height of World War Two.

By the time he got to speak, however, the president had only 21-minutes for the small crowd which was dwarfed by the thousands being drawn to campaign events in other swing states.

Across town, Joe Biden lashed out at Minnesotans disrupting his campaign rally, saying the “ugly folks” were not polite for interrupting his speech criticizing Donald Trump over the Covid-19 pandemic.

The majority of Americans, meanwhile, believe Trump has harmed the standing of the US in the world, according to an exclusive poll for The Independent.

Whether or not that's a strong enough rebuke to lose Trump the presidency, Trump will find out from the privacy of the White House rather than the election night party in his Washington, DC hotel.

► For more on the race for the White House, follow our dedicated US election polling liveblog

Key Points

• Trump delivers one of his all-time shortest speeches
• Trump attacks governor over limiting rally size after taking detour to see overflow crowd
• Biden calls Trump supporters who disrupted Minnesota rally ‘ugly folks’
• Ilhan Omar blasts 'neglected child' Trump for continually insulting her
• Trump ‘won’t attend election night party at DC hotel’

[30 October 2020 23:34 · Justin Vallejo]

In a plot twist, Trump delivers one of his all-time shortest speeches

And just like that, Donald Trump’s Minnesota rally is over.

After battling with governor Tim Walz for limiting the rally attendance to 250 people, the rally ended after just 22-odd minutes.

Trump’s delivery also lacked his usual energy, and the difference between Friday’s early and late rallies were like a first or last presidential debate.

“Remember what your governor did this evening. And it’s a small thing but a horrible thing to thousands and thousands of people that are outside they could be here, we could all be together, a horrible thing they did,” Trump said of the reduced crowd size.

“Your state and your country depend on you, we depend on your vote, we depend on your loyalty, and you have my loyalty.”