Watching former President Donald Trump campaign for the 2024 election is like watching a champion sprinter attempt to run a race with 20-pound weights shackled to his ankles -- and still blow away the competition.
While President Joe Biden has access to the presidential bully pulpit, Trump has been gagged from defending himself against multiple attacks that can only be construed as lawfare.
In addition, while Biden is free to campaign, Trump is forced to sit in a courtroom four days a week.
But despite all his restraints, on Thursday evening, the former president once again made lemonade of his lemons when he delivered pizza to firefighters at a Manhattan firehouse shortly after appearing in court for his ongoing criminal trial, according to the New York Post.
Trump arrived at FDNY's Engine Co. 8, Ladder Co. 2 in Midtown around 5:30 p.m., carrying two boxes of pizza from Xeno's Pizza that his campaign had delivered, along with 10 other boxes for the firefighters.
Firefighters greeted the former president with cheers, with one telling him, "You gotta win!" and another saying, "Sir, save us please," according to reporters on the scene.
Trump spent about 10 minutes chatting with firefighters, posing for photos and signing a firehouse daybook and other items.
President Trump delivers pizza🍕 to FDNY in New York after being a full day in courtroom. Man of the people!🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/lpb1faMh7e
— James Rossi 🇺🇸 (@realjamesrossi) May 2, 2024
After a long day in court, Trump delivers pizza to some NY Fire Fighters! That’s our President!👊🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/2NOyP6BX6V
— P.Monty🇺🇸🇮🇹 (@patticakes1722) May 2, 2024
"I love you all - special people," Trump wrote in the daybook along with his signature, the New York Post reported.
President Trump’s pizza delivery to the FDNY Fire House proves that Trump is the best at connecting with voters. This scares the Left a lot. That’s why Democrats keep running election interference scams.
pic.twitter.com/IQgTB8oPZW
— Charles R Downs (@TheCharlesDowns) May 2, 2024
This was the second time Trump had visited this particular firehouse, according to FDNY spokesperson Jim Long.
"He was here in 2021 on Sept. 11," Long told the Post.
When interviewed by the Post, one firefighter said, "He's a nice guy for coming by," and described the former president as "very personable," adding, "he speaks to you, not at you."
However, when asked about his opinion of Biden, the firefighter responded diplomatically with, "He tries."
Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee explained the Trump appeal perfectly during an interview on Newsmax when he said, "I just love Donald Trump for stuff like this. I mean, who else goes in court all day, and then, instead of going home and just taking a hot bath, he goes and delivers pizza to first responders, and shakes their hands and presses the flesh with them?"
"This is classic Donald Trump," Huckabee continued.
"Joe Biden is hiding in the White House -- he does about one event a week, and the rest of the time we don't know where the heck he is," he said.
"I just love Donald Trump for stuff like this. I mean, who else goes in court all day, and then instead of going home and just taking a hot bath, he goes and delivers pizza to first responders…"
— Mike Huckabee@GovMikeHuckabee @RobFinnertyUSA pic.twitter.com/RxkJUJMD2V
— NEWSMAX (@NEWSMAX) May 3, 2024
"We need to have him attend the Frat Party for UNC Chapel Hill Pi Kappa Phi Brohemians!! That would be epic!" one X user wrote, referring to the group of UNC frat brothers who went viral for defending the American flag when pro-Palestinian thugs attempted to remove it from the flagpole.
MAN OF THE PEOPLE: Trump is having a Pizza Party with the FDNY. We need to have him attend the Frat Party for UNC Chapel Hill Pi Kappa Phi Brohemians!! That would be epic!
— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) May 2, 2024
At the end of the day, it's not so much about the pizza or the visit to the firehouse, which many politicians do, but with the reaction Trump seems to command as he walks into a venue and his ability to still give his full attention to every person he is talking to.
There's not a hint of weariness or defeat in his gait after a long day of sitting in a courtroom watching a case seemingly only created to hold him down play out before his eyes.
They can hold him in a cage all day, but once the door is opened and the muzzle is taken off, he's still roaring.
