President Donald Trump talks to reporters on the South Lawn of the White House, Friday, Aug. 9, 2019, in Washington, as he prepares to leave Washington for his annual August holiday at his New Jersey golf club. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

NASHUA — “Rigged.”

“Illegal immigrants.”

“Swamp.”

“Invasion.”

These are but a few of the words and phrases one might expect to hear at one of President Donald Trump’s rallies. Although New Hampshire hasn’t gone “red” for Republican in a presidential election in nearly two decades, Trump is planning a 2020 campaign rally for 7 p.m. Thursday at Southern New Hampshire Arena in Manchester.

“Many incredible things are happening right now for our Country. After years of being ripped off by other nations on both Trade Deals and the Military, things are changing fast. Big progress is being made. America is respected again. KEEP AMERICA GREAT!” Trump stated via Twitter on Sunday.

Trump narrowly lost New Hampshire’s four Electoral College votes to Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton in 2016 by a count of 46.8% to 46.5% of the vote. The last Republican to carry New Hampshire in the general election was former President George W. Bush in 2000.

Details of the Manchester remained relatively scarce as of late Monday. Information from the Office of the Press Secretary states that Air Force One is scheduled to land at Manchester-Boston Regional Airport at 5:55 p.m. Thursday. Also, information provided by the campaign states the rally is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.

“The Trump economy continues to soar with New Hampshire having one of the lowest unemployment rates in the entire nation and paychecks continuing to grow,” Donald J. Trump for President Inc. Chief Operating Officer Michael Glassner stated in a news release. “President Trump looks forward to returning to the Granite State to speak directly to the men and women working to Keep America Great alongside him.”

“It’s simple: while President Trump is fighting for Americans and taking action to fix our broken immigration system, Democrats continue to trip over each other to fight for more illegal immigration and make the crisis worse,” a statement provided by the Trump campaign added on Monday.

Opposition

Plenty of organized opposition to Trump’s rally is already planned. Officials with the Joe Biden for President campaign are planning a counter-rally from 6-9 p.m. Thursday at Portland Pie Co., 786 Elm St., Manchester.

“The campaign will be signing folks up to volunteer, collecting Commit to Vote cards, and talking to voters about why Vice President Joe Biden is uniquely qualified to restore the soul of our nation, rebuild the backbone of our country, and unify America,” officials stated.

Also, a group calling itself the Peacekeepers is planning a protest, set to begin at 4 p.m. Thursday at the corner of Elm Street and Granite Street.

“Join us for a peaceful protest outside of the rally. Our presence is needed to show solidarity with immigrants, minorities, and everyone who is experiencing fear at this difficult time in our country,” the organization stated on Monday.

During a recent Trump campaign event in Wheeling, West Virginia, protesters showed up with signs stating, “Free the kids,” and “Children don’t belong in cages,” in reference to the Trump administration’s policy of separating immigrant children from their parents at the southern border.

Trump protests are also known to bring out the Trump baby balloon, which features the president’s likeness on an inflatable baby that wears a diaper and carries a smartphone in one hand. Some cities have allowed protesters to fly the balloon, while others have required protesters to keep the balloon anchored to the ground.

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