Donald Trump’s visit to Columbus for Georgia GOP convention sparks protest, celebration

The national spotlight shined Saturday on Columbus as former President Donald Trump, leading the polls for the 2024 Republican Party presidential nomination despite being federally indicted, spoke at the Georgia GOP State Convention.

Before the estimated crowd of approximately 3,000 people heard Trump’s afternoon speech, the buzz in the Columbus Convention & Trade Center started in the wee hours of the morning, when media with equipment bigger than a cellphone had to check in and get their equipment scanned by security personnel.

NAACP condemns city, GOP

At 10 a.m., three blocks from the convention, approximately 10 NAACP officials and supporters gathered at the Ninth Street steps of the Columbus Government Center for a news conference announcing their condemnation of city and GOP officials for allowing Trump to speak.

“By allowing Trump, an individual under indictment with questionable character, to speak at a community event sends a message that the community tolerates and even condones unhealthy behaviors and unethical actions,” said NAACP Columbus Branch president Wane Hailes.

Allowing Trump to speak, Hailes said, “sends a message that the community prioritizes winning or gaining short-term benefits over morality and ethics”

Hailes concluded, “It is our hope that speaking up can also raise awareness about the consequences of tolerating unhealthy and unethical behaviors and inspire positive changes and accountability within our community.”

Logjam of attendees creates safety concern

Around 12:10 p.m., a GOP official announced from the podium a solution to the logjam of folks entering and exiting the hall and bumping into the lines for the boxed lunches, snack bar and restrooms: Those in line for lunch should return to their seats to let the restroom line dissipate.

Due to tightened security protocol for the Trump visit, the multiple doors to the hall were reduced to one.

Five minutes later, another announcement from the podium: The GOP official asked the delegates to text their friends eating their lunch in the lobby and tell them they need to bring their lunch into the hall to alleviate the crush of folks trying to go through the security checkpoint.

Around 12:45 p.m, the GOP official announced from the podium that he felt like a teacher on the last day of school with students not listening. He again asked the folks blocking the doorway and the security checkpoint lines to return to their seats.

Another five minutes later, the GOP official announced the fire marshal warned the convention might need to order some guests to leave if the congestion in the hallway wasn’t alleviated.

At 1:07 p.m., the GOP official at the podium announced anyone not seated is at risk of being ejected from the convention because the fire marshal was trying to determine whether attendance exceeded the legal limit.

Trade center executive director Hayley Tillery later told the Ledger-Enquirer, to her knowledge, nobody had to leave the convention because of that concern.

Protest against Trump in downtown Columbus

Around 1 p.m., about 10 protesters stood in the median at Broadway and 10th Street and started their demonstration against Trump.

“We just want to show people here for the convention that this state is not a solid bloc for Donald Trump,” said Ilene Kent, who got the protest permit from the Columbus Police Department and invited others on Facebook to join her.

They waved signs at passing motorists, some of whom waved back or shouted jokes. Others responded angrily, making obscene gestures or yelling insults. One man got out of a pickup truck cursing before he got back in the truck and drove away.

“We want them to know that they don’t own this town, and we’re still a blue dot in the state, and we’re going to get bluer and bluer in another couple of years,” Kent said of Columbus, which usually votes Democratic in a typically red state.

Kent said most Trump fans had been “playful” in their retorts to the protest, except for the man in the pickup.

“He was just so angry,” she said, “flipping us the bird, really ugly and disgraceful.”

Trump supporters welcome him at airport

At 1:36 p.m., a group of approximately 100 Trump supporters greeted the former president as his private plane landed at the Flightways Columbus airport.

They wore Make America Great Again hats and waved American flags and signs declaring messages such as “WITCH HUNT.”

Trump shook hands, signed autographs and posed for selfies as the crowd shouted, “Four more years!” and “We love Trump!” His motorcade started driving to downtown at 1:54 p.m.

At 2:18 p.m. the GOP official at the convention podium announced, “The president is here.”

Trump’s speech and reaction

At 2:54 p.m., Trump walked onto the stage as Lee Greenwood’s song “God Bless the USA” blared in the hall.

In his first public appearance since the charges of 37 felony counts were unsealed Friday, Trump blasted the federal indictment, calling it “ridiculous” and baseless.”

“They’ve launched one witch hunt after another to try and stop our movement, to thwart the will of the American people,” Trump said, later adding, “In the end, they’re not coming after me. They’re coming after you.”

Muscogee GOP chair Carmen Rice told the Ledger-Enquirer in a text message that Trump’s speech “sparked hope and resolve, as always. He does that quite well. The weaponization of our judicial system seems to have strengthened his campaign.”

Rice was thrilled to be at the packed convention while the former president spoke.

“The room had people farther than the eye could see,” she said. “There was energy and excitement beyond words.”

Trump visits Columbus Waffle House

After speaking for about 1 hour and 25 minutes, Trump’s motorcade left the trade center. As the motorcade drove east on Eighth Street, supporters were on the curb and sidewalk, cheering while the black SUVs, police cars and motorcycles passed.

The motorcade turned left on Veterans Parkway, going north, and arrived at the Waffle House at 1326 Veterans Parkaway.

As the motorcade entered the parking lot, a crowd of about 50 people greeted Trump. Also emerging from an SUV was U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who joined Trump inside the Waffle House.

Supporters stood shoulder-to-shoulder as Trump and Greene schmoozed with them. Trump shook hands, made a reference to “fake news” being there, and a woman told him, “Keep fighting the good fight.”

A man chimed in, “Bring our country back again.”

Trump told the crowd, “We’re having waffles for everyone — a lot of people, a lot of waffles.”

The crowd cheered.

A reporter traveling in the press pool asked Trump about the classified documents he allegedly mishandled.

“Witch hunt,” Trump said, then mentioned President Joe Biden was found to have classified documents as well.

After the visit of 10-15 minutes, Trump’s motorcade headed back to the airport, where another crowd of at least 100 supporters watched him fly away.

Columbus native Josh McKoon elected Georgia GOP chairman

Delegates elected former state Sen. Josh McKoon, a Columbus native now residing in Atlanta, as chairman of the Georgia Republican Party.

McKoon, a lawyer, has worked as general counsel for the Technical College System of Georgia for the past three years. He chaired the Muscogee GOP from 2007-09. He represented District 29 in the Georgia Senate from 2001-09.

The L-E didn’t reach McKoon before publication for comment about becoming chairman, but conservative talk show host John Fredericks, whose Trucking the Truth America First Bus Tour — aka the Mega MAGA Bus or simply the Trump Bus — described McKoon’s reputation among Republicans.

“Since he was in the state Senate, Josh has been there for us as a Trump supporter from Day One,” Fredericks told the L-E. “He was one of the leaders in Georgia for getting things done for the movement, for the conservative cause. He’s a warrior. He has election integrity. He’s a fighter. He ran for Secretary of State, ran a very competitive race, got beat by the rat that’s in there. So he’s got the credentials, and he’s a known guy who will get in the fight. He can lead the Republican Party of Georgia to become basically a populist organization.”

Smooth and successful event

Muscogee County Sheriff Greg Countryman told the Ledger-Enquirer in a text message that his office received no reports of security or safety incidents in the trade center during the convention. He praised the collaboration with the city’s police, fire & EMS and emergency management departments, as well as the trade center.

“We are very fortunate to have the experience and working relationships between our agencies to get the job done,” he said.

Tillery echoed that sentiment.

“It was a phenomenal event,” she said. “Everyone is leaving safe. Everyone had a great time. The slogan here at the trade center is to make history, and we did just that today.”

Rice called Columbus’ performance as the convention’s host “very successful” and noted it had the highest attendance in the state party’s history.

“As Muscogee County GOP Chairwoman, it has been quite surreal and makes me so very proud of my hometown,” she wrote in a text message. “Comments from attendees have been unanimously positive about our venue, the local attractions, restaurants and hospitality. That feels great!”

Staff writer Tim Chitwood, photo chief Mike Haskey, correspondent Darrell Roaden and the Associated Press contributed to this story.