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Trump in Nashville: 'Time for us to embrace our glorious national destiny'

Trump blasts judge's travel ban halt in Nashville speech

Dave Boucher, Joey Garrison, and Joel Ebert
The Tennessean

President Donald Trump touted his first two months in office as the most productive ever for a president and compared himself to President Andrew Jackson during a raucous rally Wednesday in Nashville that resembled the campaign that catapulted him into office.

President Donald Trump addresses the crowd during a rally at Municipal Auditorium on March 15, 2017, in Nashville.

Drawing roars from the thousands in attendance, Trump slammed a Hawaii federal judge’s decision from earlier in the day that temporarily halted the administration’s new attempt to ban much travel from six majority Muslim countries. It marked the third judicial decision that has gone against the president's attempt to stop refugees and some immigrants from entering the country.

“A judge has just blocked our executive order on travel and refugees coming in to our country from certain countries," he said. "The order blocked was a watered-down version of the first order.

"This ruling makes us look weak, which we no longer are."

Trump vowed to fight for his travel ban, appealing the ruling to the U.S. Supreme Court if necessary while floating the idea of reissuing the original ban. That order barred travel from seven majority Muslim countries and was already halted by two judicial orders.

He also promised to repeal Obamacare while throwing his support behind a House Republican effort to overhaul the controversial law and vowing additional changes of his own.

“It’s time for us to embrace our glorious national destiny,” Trump said at the conclusion of his 40-minute speech.

Trump took the stage Wednesday evening later than expected as long lines of supporters waited in the cold to get into Municipal Auditorium because of a security bottleneck and confusion. Over the course of the day, the line of people grew to be more than a mile long, circling the perimeter of the state Capitol.

On the lawn of the Metro courthouse, thousands of protesters jeered as the president arrived in downtown Nashville. Inside the 1960s-era arena, multiple protesters interrupted Trump's speech and were escorted out — including one woman holding a sign that read, "Medicare for all."

Trump's loyalists responded with chants of "Trump!" and "USA!" that were akin to his many stump speeches last year.

Trump, joined by Tennessee Gov. Bill Haslam and the state's two Republican U.S. senators, began his afternoon in Nashville at The Hermitage, historic home of Jackson, the nation's seventh president whose populist appeal has drawn comparison to Trump.

“He understood that great leadership was about putting America first," Trump said shortly after taking the stage for his rally. “It’s time that America heard your voice, and believe me, on Nov. 8, they heard your voice.”

Trump proceeded to tout his accomplishments, ticking off several of the deeds he considers his early crowning achievements:

  • Pulling out of the Trans-Pacific Partnership trade deal while also continuing to blast the North American Free Trade Agreement.
  • Promoting the construction of the Dakota pipeline.
  • Touting improving job numbers.
  • Progressing with plans to build the border wall.
  • Rolling back some Obama-era regulations — He spent Wednesday morning in Detroit, signaling his administration would move away  from fuel-efficiency standards set by the Obama administration.

“And we have just gotten started," Trump said. "Wait to you see what’s coming, folks.”

Outside, two people not in the auditorium were cited by police for disorderly conduct. One 20-year-old woman was cited after police say she began punching at people who accused her of cutting in line to get into the auditorium. A 44-year-old man shoved a man, police said.

Leading up to Trump's speech, health care had been expected to be the focus, but he didn't approach the issue until nearly a half-hour into his remarks.

"The bill that I will ultimately sign will get rid of Obamacare and make health care better for you and your family," Trump said.

While providing few specifics, Trump acknowledged some of the procedural hurdles still facing the House GOP's bill. He promised additional phases of health care reform without going in to specifics. He also alluded to recent decisions of insurance companies BlueCross BlueShield and Humana to pull out of some markets on the Obamacare exchange in the Volunteer State.

"Insurers are fleeing," Trump said. "It's a catastrophic situation."

President Donald Trump arrives at Nashville International Airport  Wednesday, March 15, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn.

Trump promised a foreign policy of "peace through strength." He drew one of the biggest cheers of the night when he vowed to go through with the border wall.

"Don't even think about it," Trump said. "We will build the wall."

His rhetoric on helping manufacturers mirrored his speech he gave near Detroit earlier in the day.

"We subscribe to two simple rules: Hire American and buy American," Trump said, restating a mantra that opponents have criticized for being hypocritical. "From now on, we are going to defend the American worker and our great American factories."

Trump only briefly mentioned school choice, which some had expected to be a theme.

At The Hermitage, the president also met with about 100 state lawmakers, mostly Republicans, and laid a wreath in honor of Jackson's 250th birthday. Nashville Mayor Megan Barry, who did not attend the rally, attended The Hermitage ceremony.

President Donald Trump arrives at Nashville International Airport  Wednesday, March 15, 2017 in Nashville, Tenn.

Along with U.S. Sens. Bob Corker and Lamar Alexander, Trump was joined on Air Force One en route to Nashville by Secretary of Transportation Elaine Chao. Also on board were Chief of Staff Reince Priebus, chief strategist Steve Bannon, presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway, spokeswoman Hope Hicks, press secretary Sean Spicer and Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner

At the rally, Trump's appearance was kicked off by speeches from Corker; Tennessee Sen. Mark Green, R-Clarksville; Sen. Mae Beavers, R-Mt. Juliet; U.S. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tennessee; Vanderbilt University doctor Manny Sethi; as well as music by the country and gospel group Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers.

Hours before the speech, Blanca Kiely stood near the stage in Municipal Auditorium. Kiely, who will turn 86 next month and said she immigrated to the United States from Colombia in 1954, is confident Trump will change the course of a country she believes is headed in the wrong direction.

“I really think that we have been given a chance to make America great again. I really think, because we can see the difference: When we came in ’54, it was such a beautiful, great place. And we have seen it go down, down, down. We have a second chance to raise it up," Kiely said.

Herself an immigrant, Kiely said it's important for Trump to promote policies that stress legal immigration.

“I think he’s on the right track. We want everyone to come, but we want them to come here legally. Legally: That’s a little word that everybody forgets," Kiely said.

Read more:

Trump blasts judge's travel ban halt in Nashville speech

Trump tours The Hermitage, lays wreath on Andrew Jackson's tomb

More than 2,500 protest Trump rally

Meet the protester who interrupted Trump's rally

Confusion, security cause long lines at Trump rally

Trump vows to repeal 'horrible' Obamacare, lower cost of medicine

Trump supporters joyous before and after Nashville rally

Jon Meacham to Donald Trump: 'Lead all of us. Jackson did. You can, too'

Photos: President Trump's visit to The Hermitage and Nashville

Videos: Trump rally in Nashville