Donald Trump Says He'd Prefer Later Start Times as Schedule Ramps Up

At a rally in Savannah, Georgia, on Tuesday, former President Donald Trump expressed a desire to begin his campaign days later in the day, as he visited this critical battleground state. 

Speaking to his supporters, Trump mentioned that his day had started at 8 a.m. after a busy Monday in Pennsylvania, where he made five stops. Reflecting on his campaign schedule, he lamented the long days, noting that he hadn’t been able to fall asleep until well after midnight recently. "I love you," Trump said to the crowd, "but I wouldn't mind starting at 11, 12, or even 1." He humorously questioned why Vice President Kamala Harris could visit "one place in three days," while he had to make multiple stops across the country. This comes after earlier criticism of President Joe Biden for starting his events later in the morning, often around 10 a.m.

Compared to previous election cycles, Trump has held fewer rallies in his 2024 campaign. Axios reports that during the same period in 2016, Trump held 72 rallies between July and September, while this year he has only held 24. In the 2020 election, despite the pandemic, he held 15 rallies in September and 43 in the final five weeks leading up to Election Day.

With age becoming a central issue in this election, Harris’ involvement in the race has brought new challenges for Trump. At 78, Trump is the oldest presidential nominee in U.S. history. Democrats have been emphasizing Harris' fresh approach to politics while cautiously appealing to older voters, as noted by Politico.

As Election Day nears, Trump’s campaign schedule is expected to ramp up, with plans to visit Michigan later this week. His running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, is also actively campaigning in key states. Trump remained optimistic about his efforts, telling the Savannah crowd, "We're definitely outworking the opposition. It’s worth it."

While Harris did not have any campaign events scheduled for Tuesday, she is set to visit Pittsburgh on Wednesday, followed by stops in Arizona and Nevada later in the week. Both candidates have sparred over rally sizes, with Harris poking fun at Trump during a recent debate for shrinking crowds, while Trump accused her of busing in supporters.