Donald J. Trump was inside City Hall in suburban Philadelphia for about 30 minutes on Monday night when a medical emergency in the crowd interrupted his question-and-answer session. Moments later, just as he was about to get back on track, another medical incident nearly derailed things, this time for good.
So Mr. Trump, a political candidate known for his quick departures, took a detour. He seemed to have decided in that moment that rather than try to resume his political plans, it would be more enjoyable for everyone involved, and apparently himself, to instead just listen to music.
Mr. Trump had his staff create a campaign playlist and stood on stage for about 30 minutes, swaying to the songs as the audience slowly dwindled.
He shook his head as he played his usual closing song, Village People’s “YMCA.” He swayed sober to Rufus Wainwright’s version of “Hallelujah,” watched Sinead O’Connor videos, swayed to Elvis, and rocked during “Richmond North of Richmond.” He looked at the audience and left the stage to shake hands at the end. It went out in the middle of the last song.
The impromptu DJ session was a strange conclusion to a political event that began on a familiar stage. Trump, supported by South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, answered questions before a crowd of several hundred people at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, Pennsylvania, about 29 miles northwest of Philadelphia. .
Taking questions from a friendly audience, Trump was able to make a series of talking points about the economy, immigration and attacks on Vice President Kamala Harris. However, the atmosphere at the event changed after about 30 minutes, when two people in the crowd apparently passed out and required medical treatment.
As medical personnel responded to the initial incident and the atmosphere became tense, Trump asked his campaign staff to play “Ave Maria.” Minutes later, after the person was taken away on a stretcher, Noem attempted to return to the question-and-answer session. However, the effort was abruptly halted when the second woman also suddenly needed medical attention.
After the woman stood up and walked to the perimeter of the venue, Trump called for air conditioning to be installed at the venue. While attempting to return the message, Noem joked about inflation and said, “They probably can’t afford it.”
Trump then suggested returning to his safe zone. He called up the immigration chart he’s presented at nearly every recent campaign rally and ordered “Ave Maria” again. After it was played again, Trump decided to end the Q&A session with just five questions.
“No more questions, just listen to the music,” he said. “Let’s make it a musical. Who the hell wants to hear the questions?
Mr. Trump’s crowd cheered in approval, which was as much a reaction to hearing Mr. Trump’s supporters make political talking points to him that they knew well. It shows people flocking to his gathering.
The playlist session offered a glimpse into the private life of Mr. Trump, who is more often seen at his Mar-a-Lago mansion and club in Palm Beach, Florida, than at political events. The former president is known to have taken out an iPad connected to the speaker system there and played a DJ for guests.
After Trump finished his first few songs, basking in the praises of his supporters, most of the crowd at the Expo Center stayed put, filming him on their cellphones and singing along. There was also.
Trump’s supporters often wait for hours to watch rallies, and once inside the venue, there can be long lines for food, water and toilets. At several outdoor events this summer, participants required medical attention for heat exhaustion.
But Trump typically returns to his scheduled remarks after medical issues at other events. On Monday, he seemed even more unsure about how to proceed. Mr. Trump offered what appeared to be a closing statement, played a James Brown song for his campaign, and then offered to ask one or two more questions. As the crowd cheered in approval, he said, “Let’s go,” before playing “YMCA” and sending the crowd home.
However, after the YMCA ended, Trump seemed a little confused. “No one is leaving,” he said. “What’s going on?” the audience cheered and the music continued to play, but Noem stood uncomfortably nearby, and many in the audience seemed unsure if the event was over.
Still, as one song turned into two and then three, a lot of the songs that were in the back of the house started to be filtered out. As the opening chords of Guns N’ Roses’ power ballad “November Rain” played, one of Trump’s top aides, Justin Caporar, appeared on stage holding a piece of paper.
Trump briefly reviewed what was handed to him, and the two chatted briefly. And after a few seconds, Trump decided he had had enough. He waved his hands, pumped his fists, and finally left the stage.
