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President Trump held a campaign-style rally Monday night in El
Paso, Texas — just as possible 2020 contender and former U.S.
Democratic Rep. Beto O'Rourke led a border wall protest roughly
a half-mile away.

Trump's event, held at the El Paso County Coliseum for his first
"Make America Great Again Rally" of the year, didn't identify
the dueling rally nearby, in the town that sits along the U.S.-
Mexico border, but the president did mention O'Rourke.

The "young man" with a "great name," "challenged us," the
president said in reference to O'Rourke.

EL PASO BRISTLES AT TRUMP'S CLAIM THAT WALL MADE CITY SAFE

"We have, let's say, 35,000 people tonight, and [O'Rourke] has
200 people, 300 people — not too good," Trump told the crowd. It
was not immediately clear how many people were at Trump and
O'Rourke's events.

Trump added, "In fact, what I would do is, I would say that may
be the end of his presidential bid, but he did challenge it."

The president announced his rally last week during his second
State of the Union address, in which he alleged El Paso is now
one of the nation's safest cities because of a "powerful
barrier" that was put in place — a claim that others disputed.

He reiterated that point on Monday night. Speaking to the crowd,
in front of a large red banner that read, "finish the wall,"
Trump said El Paso is one of the "safest cities" in America
"thanks for a powerful border wall."

LAWMAKERS REACH 'AGREEMENT IN PRINCIPLE' IN BORDER SECURITY
TALKS, WITH $1.3B FOR BARRIER

He claimed that El Paso, compared to Juarez, Mexico, just across
the southern border, had far less murders than the nearby
Mexican city, adding: "Walls work."

Moments before the president took the stage Monday, lawmakers
reached "an agreement in principle" to fund the government and
avoid another partial government shutdown. The deal includes
around $1.3 billion for a barrier along the southern border.

Trump mentioned on stage that he didn't know details, as news of
the deal broke just before his rally, but acknowledged that
"progress [was] being made" for border security.

The White House last month agreed to a temporary spending bill
to end a 35-day partial shutdown, although Trump said at the
time that the move was not a "concession" and that he would not
relent on his demands for a wall.

BORDER-SECURITY ADVOCATES FORM 'HUMAN WALL' ALONG US-MEXICO
BORDER

The talks had cratered over the weekend because of Democratic
demands to limit immigrant detentions by federal authorities,
but lawmakers apparently broke through that impasse Monday
evening.

Trump — who touched on several topics throughout his rally — was
interrupted several times throughout the event, seemingly by
protesters. His supporters responded by shouting chants of "USA"
and "finish the wall" over the disturbances.

The president brought up embattled Gov. Ralph Northam, D-Va.,
after speaking on Democrats' position on abortion. He said he
liked Northam -- who is facing calls to resign after his medical
school yearbook page featured one person in blackface and
another in a KKK robe -- because he steers negative news
coverage away from his administration.

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“I like him,” Trump said. “Keeps us out of the papers. I’d like
to find a few more guys like this one.”

Trump also mentioned Northam's first news conference regarding
the ordeal — "He almost moonwalked!" — in which the governor
recalled how he darkened his skin when he dressed as Michael
Jackson once for Halloween.

Fox News' Mike Emanuel, Chad Pergram and The Associated Press
contributed to this report.

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/trump-holds-maga-rally-in-texas
 

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