Donald Trump is having a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. on Saturday. Here’s what to expect.
Former President Donald Trump will hold a rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pa. on Saturday. Here's what you need to know about how to watch and which roads to avoid.
![Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Pennsylvania Farm Show Complex in Harrisburg on July 31.](https://www.inquirer.com/resizer/YUwsBO1sS0PHcmFr35wmjwRoqtE=/760x507/smart/filters:format(webp)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/pmn/ZZCQ5U75CVEOHGFD6LK5HZB3BY.jpg)
Former President Donald Trump will be back in Pennsylvania Saturday for a rally taking place just two days before Democrats gather in Chicago for the DNC.
It will be Trump’s seventh visit to Pennsylvania this year and at least the fifth time he’s rallied in Wilkes-Barre since 2016. It comes as Trump appears to have lost ground in Pennsylvania following Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the race, allowing Vice President Kamala Harris to secure the nomination. In two recent polls – one by Quinnipiac and one by the New York Times and Siena College – Harris was up by three and four percentage points among likely in Pennsylvania, respectively.
“The Trump campaign believes there’s still some juice left in that orange for them in the heart of Northeast Pennsylvania,” Pennsylvania Republican consultant Chris Nicholas told The Inquirer this week. “When you go to Western or north-central Pennsylvania, they’re maximizing their vote. There’s still room to grow in the heart of Northeastern Pennsylvania.”
The commonwealth is so important to Trump’s election chances he proposed two debates to take place in Pennsylvania. At least one will — Trump and Harris will face off on ABC on Sept. 10 in Philadelphia and the National Constitution Center.
» READ MORE: Donald Trump rally in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.: Live updates
Where in Pennsylvania is the Trump rally?
Trump’s rally Saturday is being held at the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza in Wilkes-Barre, about two hours north of Philadelphia in Luzerne County. The arena can hold around 8,000 people.
It’s Trump’s second rally in Pennsylvania since a would-be assassin shot and wounded the former president during an outdoor event in Butler, Pa. last month. Trump held a rally in Harrisburg on July 31, and said he plans to return to Butler in October, but his campaign hasn’t made any specific announcements.
» READ MORE: Donald Trump hopes Wilkes-Barre will hand him Pa. and the presidency
What time does Trump’s Wilkes-Barre rally start?
The arena’s parking lot will open at 9 a.m., and doors are slated to open at noon. Event programming will start at 2 p.m., and Trump is scheduled to speak at 4 p.m.
It’s unclear how long Trump’s speech will last, but his typical campaign remarks have been averaging about an hour and twenty minutes. A speech Trump gave at a rally in Asheville, N.C. earlier this week lasted one hour and 13 minutes, while the news conference he delivered at his New Jersey golf club in Bedminster Thursday lasted one hour and 23 minutes.
How do you get tickets to a Trump rally?
Tickets have been available on Trump’s campaign website on a first come, first served basis throughout the campaign.
The campaign is limiting ticket requests to two per person.
Will roads be shut down?
There were be rolling closures on Interstate 81 as Trump makes his way back-and-forth from the Wilkes-Barre Scranton International Airport, Pennsylvania State Police announced Friday.
Beginning at 2 p.m., both Exit 168 on I-81 and Highland Park Boulevard from Schechter Drive to Mundy Street will be closed to all traffic, according to Wilkes-Barre Township Police. Both will reopen following the rally.
How can I watch the rally from home?
C-Span will be streaming Trump’s speech live at 4 p.m. You can also find a livestream of Trump’s rally on YouTube Saturday, but you’re better off sticking with mainstream outlets, such as the Washington Post and the Associated Press.
Kamala Harris and Tim Walz will be in Pennsylvania Sunday
Harris and her running mate, Tim Walz, are hitting the road Sunday, the day before the Democratic National Convention kicks off in Chicago.
Earlier this week, Harris and Walz announced they’re kicking off a bus tour in Pittsburgh Sunday that will take them to multiple stops across Western Pa.
Walz is tentatively scheduled to speak on Wednesday at next week’s DNC, while Harris will deliver her remarks on Thursday evening.