Former President Donald Trump's final campaign rally in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Friday night took an unexpected turn as technical issues with the mic repeatedly interrupted his speech.
Opening with his trademark question, “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” Trump was met with a resounding “No!” from the near-capacity crowd.
Encouraged by the enthusiastic response, he soon launched into his closing arguments for Wisconsin voters.
However, frustration soon mounted in the crowd as issues with the sound system and mic affected Trump’s address. Attendees began chanting “Fix the mic!” after struggling to hear parts of his speech.
In response, Trump removed the microphone from the podium, holding it closer to amplify his voice. “I think this mic stinks,” he said, jokingly remarking that he wouldn’t pay the contractor responsible, which he predicted would lead to media stories labeling him as “a bad guy” who doesn’t pay bills.
Despite multiple adjustments, the sound problems persisted, leading Trump to joke about his irritation. “Do you want to see me knock the hell out of people backstage?” he quipped, before describing the situation as “pretty stupid.”
The former president’s frustrations continued as he held the mic for nearly 15 minutes, joking about its weight and comparing it to “weightlifting.” “I’m blowing out my left arm. Now I’m going to blow out my right arm, and I’m blowing out my damn throat too, because of these stupid people,” he said.
Attempting to turn the inconvenience into a lighthearted moment, Trump told the audience, “Pretend you’re listening to it perfectly and I’ll come back and do another one… with a decent mic.” He emphasized that a working microphone was his main request, over additional lighting or teleprompters.
