By Rook T. Winchester | WARREN, MICHIGAN | April 29, 22025
“There’s my friend… He follows me. He follows me.”
— Donald J. Trump, 100 days into his second term as President of the United States
Donald Trump is onstage in Warren, Michigan right now — still talking, still ranting, still confusing reality for a script he wrote on the back of a cheeseburger wrapper. It’s his 100th day back in power, and he’s marking the occasion the only way he knows how: by demanding loyalty, threatening enemies, mocking the disabled, and attacking entire communities with the vocabulary of a bar fight.
This isn’t a campaign rally. This is a broadcast from the center of a cult, and tonight’s sermon is equal parts delusion, vengeance, and vintage-grade bigotry.
FOLLOW ME, DON’T ASK QUESTIONS
Trump kicked things off with a familiar ritual: public praise for a follower, not for what they believe, but for how well they obey.
“He follows me. He follows me.”
It’s not politics. It’s branding. This wasn’t a citizen. This was a prop, displayed like a trophy. Trump doesn’t care who you are — just that you stand there and nod while he devours what’s left of the republic.
WHEN YOU FORGET WHO’S ON YOUR TEAM
Then came the claim that Congressman John James had announced plans to impeach him:
“Some guy that I’d never heard of. John James — is he a congressman? He said, ‘Ladies and gentlemen, I am going to start the impeachment of Donald Trump.’”
Reality check: John James is a Republican. A Trump ally. Someone who’s practically made a second career out of hugging the Trump brand tighter than a seatbelt on a roller coaster. There’s no record of him calling for impeachment.
What Trump meant to say? Possibly Rep. Shri Thanedar, a Michigan Democrat who did file articles of impeachment. But that’s the problem. He doesn’t know. And it doesn’t matter. Because when Trump forgets who’s on his team, the crowd still boos anyway.
INVENTED MONSTERS AND IMMIGRATION MYTHOLOGY
Then came this cinematic bit of fiction:
“So under President Trump, America is a dumping ground for criminals no longer. They’re not even trying to come in.”
He didn’t cite policy. He didn’t cite numbers. He just said “dumping ground” and moved on like a drunk guy bragging about scaring raccoons off his porch.
And then — the blood libel:
“Democrat politicians did not raise one word of protest as American women and girls were raped and slaughtered by these monsters.”
No data. No locations. No sources. Just fear. Just rage. Just a murder fantasy played for applause.
“They were raped and slaughtered by numbers that you don’t even want to hear about.”
There it is — the old trick. Don’t bother checking. Just believe. Just cheer. Just point at the border and scream until someone gets deported.
THE PURGE OF TRANS AMERICANS, SPELLED OUT LOUD
Then came the line that was met with explosive cheers:
“Getting woke lunacy and transgender insanity the hell out of our government.”
This wasn’t campaign rhetoric. It was a purge announcement. Back in January, Trump signed Executive Order 14168 to erase trans identities from federal recognition. Tonight, he used that moment to sell the purge to the crowd in plain English: remove them.
Not just their policies. Not just their protections. Them.
The crowd roared. Not because they misunderstood — but because they understood exactly what he meant.
THE BEAUTIFUL CAR THEORY OF GOVERNMENT
After that, Trump tried his hand at economic policy by describing a Ford commercial:
“We like strong borders. We like good education. We like low interest rates. We like being able to buy a beautiful car.”
That’s not governance. That’s a PowerPoint from the CEO of Walmart.
“And now deduct the interest on the loan. That’s never happened before.”
Except it has. Repeatedly. But this isn’t about facts. It’s about selling vibes to a room full of people who think “inflation” means Starbucks costs more and their grandkids are gay.
THIS WAS NEVER A RALLY. THIS IS A FRANCHISE.
At this point, Trump entered the loyalty roll call:
“Front Row Joe… Mr. Wall… the beautiful women from North Carolina, been to 129 rallies…”
You don’t get into Trump’s inner circle by winning debates. You get there by owning more merch than shame and attending more rallies than church. The more hats you buy, the closer you sit to the golden calf.
They’re not supporters. They’re extras in a vanity cult with no script and no exit plan.
YES, HE MOCKED THE DISABLED — THIS TIME, AL GREEN
And then, like a greatest-hits tour for sociopaths, Trump pulled out his old favorite:
“The other one that’s always with a cane. He’s always impeaching. He raises his cane — he always impeaches!”
That’s not a random jab. That’s Congressman Al Green — a Democratic representative from Texas who has, in fact, introduced multiple impeachment resolutions over the years. Green also uses a cane due to serious health issues.
Trump knew exactly what he was doing. He turned a man’s physical condition into a punchline. Again.
The crowd laughed. Again.
Because that’s the currency. Not ideas. Not strength. Just cruelty, calibrated and rewarded.
THE FINAL COMMAND: PURGE THE PARTY
He wrapped, as he always does, with the clearest message of all:
“Remember who those grandstanders were and vote him the hell out of office, okay?”
He’s not warning Democrats. He’s threatening Republicans. The ones who paused. The ones who flinched. The ones who still remember how laws work.
This is not a political party anymore. It’s a franchise, and if you break the licensing agreement, you’re out.
THIS IS DAY 100
As Trump continues yelling onstage — still mid-sentence, still lost in his own mythology — we know what this night will become.
On Day 100, the President of the United States mocked a disabled lawmaker, lied about being impeached, falsely accused one of his allies of treason, invented a wave of immigrant violence, pledged to erase trans people from the federal government, and closed by ordering a loyalty purge.
And every word of it was cheered.
This isn’t just dangerous. It’s dumb. And dangerous. And dumb.
You don’t need to imagine what American fascism looks like.
You just need to turn on the livestream from Michigan.
He’s still talking.
Subscribe to Closer to the Edge because his isn’t governance. It’s a delusional game show with real-world casualties.
And the host never runs out of airtime.
This post has been syndicated from Closer to the Edge, where it was published under this address.