Trump drives by supporters' rally in West Palm Beach
Former President Trump drove by supporters at a rally in Florida on Monday, CBS West Palm affiliate WPEC reported. It's the first time he has been spotted in public since Saturday, when the Senate acquitted him in his second impeachment trial.
Mr. Trump waved to his supporters while riding in an SUV.
One attendee, Tara Crete, told WPEC that she had traveled from Naples, Florida to show her support. When asked if she thinks Mr. Trump's political career is over, she replied, "100% no. It's only been getting started. We are just waking up. You know, what we believe is good for everybody. We believe even people who are liberals, who are atheist, who don't even love this country, it's going to be good for them because at the very core of who we are, we want freedom. And that's what President Trump stands for."
Donald Trump waives to crowd of supporters from inside an SUV in West Palm Beach: https://t.co/Enw4LJTBVc pic.twitter.com/WVN7KTs21s
— WPEC CBS12 News (@CBS12) February 15, 2021
According to WPEC, a plane flew by on Sunday in the area with a banner reading "We love you Prez Trump. Happy Valentine's Day."
Mr. Trump has been in Florida since he left office on January 20. He had been impeached by the House of Representatives one week earlier on a charge of inciting the January 6 riot at the U.S. Capitol. Although seven Republicans broke with the party and found Mr. Trump guilty, the Senate failed to meet a two-thirds threshold to convict.
After voting not guilty, Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell harshly rebuked Mr. Trump, saying he was "practically and morally responsible" for the riot that left 5 people dead.
Following his acquittal, Mr. Trump released a statement thanking his legal team, saying, "the movement to Make America Great Again has only just begun."
A vote by the Senate finding the former president guilty would have paved the way for the chamber to disqualify Mr. Trump from holding office again. The option for Mr. Trump to seek the presidency in 2024 now remains, though the former president has not yet said whether he will run again.
Although Mr. Trump was acquitted of inciting the riot in the Senate trial, he could still face criminal charges. A Georgia prosecutor has opened a criminal investigation into Mr. Trump's alleged attempts to influence the presidential election in the state. Separately, Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance is also overseeing an investigation into Mr. Trump for possible crimes as wide-ranging as fraud and tax evasion.
Melissa Quinn contributed to this report.