Former President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump will bring his campaign to Coachella Saturday, attending a rally at Calhoun Ranch.
An announcement by his campaign about the appearance accused Democrats — notably his opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris — of turning the “California Dream” into “a nightmare for everyday Americans.”
“Since Harris and Biden took office, prices have skyrocketed by nearly 20 percent, leaving Californians grappling with crushing costs,” according to the Trump campaign announcement. “Families are struggling to stay afloat, with the average California household losing more than $33,232 since January 2021. Californians are suffocating under rising prices for everything from groceries to housing, thanks to Kamalanomics.”
Trump only rarely makes appearances in Democrat-heavy California, mainly attending private fundraisers. Trump has little chance of actually carrying California on election day.
One Harris campaign staffer, Ammar Moussa, scoffed on X about Trump’s planned Saturday rally, writing, “Oh no. This is extremely concerning for our campaign. Please do not go to Coachella, CALIFORNIA, 24 days before the election.”
Coachella Mayor Steven Hernandez released a statement Monday afternoon unfavorably comparing Trump’s planned rally to a 2020 primary campaign event held by Sen. Bernie Sanders, whom he said the city was “proud to welcome.”
“Trump’s attacks on immigrants, women, the LQBTQ community and the most vulnerable among us don’t align with the values of our community,” Hernandez said. “He has consistently expressed disdain for the type of diversity that helps define Coachella. We don’t know why Trump is visiting near Coachella, but we know he wasn’t invited by the people who live here. He ain’t like us.”
Trump was last in Southern California in mid-September, attending a fundraiser in Beverly Hills and holding a news conference at his golf resort in Rancho Palos Verdes. He was also in the area in June, again attending private fundraisers in Beverly Hills and Newport Beach.
Prior to that, he had not been in Southern California since Sept. 29-30, 2023, when he spoke at the California Republican Party Fall Convention in Anaheim and attended a fundraiser in Costa Mesa.
The rally is planned for 5 p.m. Oct. 12 at the ranch at 52995 Calhoun St.
People interested in attending must register online for up to two tickets. Registration is available here.
City News Service contributed to this article.
