Trump campaigns at Indiana University of Pennsylvania

INDIANA, Pa. – Former President Donald Trump made a direct appeal to evangelicals and gun owners Monday during his campaign speech at Indiana University of Pennsylvania's Kovalchick Convention and Athletic Complex.

"Christians, we've got to get the Christians to vote," Trump, the Republican Party's presidential nominee, said minutes into his speech that lasted more than an hour and a half.

"They go to church. They love church and that's great. Christians, evangelicals, we have to get them out to vote. We have to get gun owners ... If we have Christians voting in full strength, we couldn't lose. If we had gun owners voting at full strength, we couldn't lose. We have to get gun owners because your guns are under siege."

Locally, Trump addressed the proposed acquisition of Pittsburgh-based U.S. Steel by Japanese steelmaker Nippon Steel.

"We are also going to keep U.S. Steel right here in the United States," Trump said. "We have to be strong and powerful together. We must put tariffs on foreign predators – they are predators – so that they don't destroy our steel industry."

He continued: "We must keep our steel companies. And we must keep making steel. If we have a war, are we going to go out, 'Gee, China, can you send us some steel please?' Oh forget about that. If we have a war, think of it, if we need it for our military, how do we build our tanks, how do we build our ships? We wouldn't have any steel. We have to make U.S. Steel great again."

Internationally, he discussed the ongoing war that escalated when Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022.

Trump suggested what would have been different had he been president at the time and how he would handle the conflict going forward if he is elected.

"As president-elect, if I win this election, the first thing I'm going to do is call up (Ukraine President Volodymyr) Zelenskyy and call up (Russia) President (Vladimir) Putin and I'm going to say, 'You gotta make a deal,'" Trump said. "This is crazy."

He also talked about other subjects that are common at all of his Pennsylvania rallies – undocumented immigration, Democratic Party presidential nominee Vice President Kamala Harris, energy and fracking, crime, and the importance of the commonwealth in the race.

Trump, a twice-impeached convicted felon, who lost a re-election bid in 2020, referred to Harris as a "communist" and said she is responsible for a "gigantic migrant invasion."

"Over the past three years, border czar Harris has inundated small towns all across America with hundreds of thousands of migrants," Trump said.

He emphasized: "We have no idea who they are, where they come from."

Swing state visits

Both candidates have made other visits to Pennsylvania in recent weeks.

Trump spoke Aug. 30 at 1st Summit Arena Cambria County War Memorial. Harris greeted supporters at John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport and met with an invitation-only group at Classic Elements in downtown Johnstown Sept. 13.

The commonwealth – with its 19 Electoral College votes – is considered one of the most important swing states in the election.

"Everything comes down to Pennsylvania," Sean Parnell, a combat veteran and former United States Senate candidate, said during the rally. "If we win Pennsylvania, we will save this country. So my question to you is are you ready to win Pennsylvania and save this country?"

Trump expressed a similar thought, saying, "If we win Pennsylvania, we win the whole thing."

Other speakers included former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, a Republican from New York; House Agriculture Committee Chairman U.S. Rep. Glenn "GT" Thompson, R-Centre; and U.S. Senate candidate David McCormick.

Thompson's speech included remarks about the economy and agriculture.

"If you've had enough of high gas prices, vote Trump," said Thompson, whose 15th Congressional District used to include part of Cambria County. "If you've had enough of unaffordable home electricity costs, vote Trump. If you've had enough of not affording to buy every item that you have on your grocery list, vote Trump. If you've had enough of a weak America and a more dangerous world, vote Trump. If you're fed up with open borders, vote Trump. And if you're ready to make America great again, vote Trump."

Democrats' response

Before the rally, Democrats offered a response during a conference call with Pennsylvania AFL-CIO President Angela Ferritto, Pennsylvania Building & Construction Trades Council President Robert Bair, Pennsylvania House of Representatives Labor and Industry Committee Chairman Jason Dawkins and state Rep. Nick Pisciottano, D-Allegheny.

Bair was critical of Trump's first term as president.

"I don't need to know what Donald Trump's going to do," Bair said. "I saw what he did the first four years. He made a ton of promises. He lied. He said, 'I'm not going to offshore jobs.' He did. Construction ground to a halt. Everything he told us he was going to do, he didn't. If I was still waiting on his infrastructure bill, I'd be retired and probably dead before it ever happened."

He gave his support to Harris, saying, "As a construction guy, nobody knows blueprints better than me. And we have a blueprint. It's called repairing and fixing the middle class, and riding with Vice President Harris, and making her President Harris and getting this job completed."

Ferritto linked Trump to Project 2025, an initiative published by the Heritage Foundation, a conservative think tank, in 2022. The more than 900-page document calls for reshaping the federal government and consolidating executive power, under the premise that Trump wins the election.

"Trump's message was loud and clear then (in his first term), and it is loud and clear now," Ferritto said. "If you're a billionaire looking to get even richer by shipping jobs overseas, he's got your back. If you're a union member or a working family in Pennsylvania, not so much. Now Trump is threatening to make things even worse with his Project 2025. His Project 2025 would make it harder to join a union, let companies stop paying workers overtime, even get rid of child labor protections."

At least 140 people who worked in the Trump administration contributed to Project 2025, according to a review by CNN.

Trump previously posted online: "I know nothing about Project 2025. I have no idea who is behind it. I disagree with some of the things they're saying and some of the things they're saying are absolutely ridiculous and abysmal. Anything they do, I wish them luck, but I have nothing to do with them."