Donald Trump invoked the United Kingdom’s historic Brexit vote in his call for the United States to “redeclare American independence” by electing him president.
“On June 23, people of Britain voted to declare their independence — which is what we’re looking to do also, folks — from their international government, which hasn’t worked,” the GOP nominee said at a rally in Jackson, Miss., Wednesday.
{mosads}British voters “took control of their destiny” to overcome a “rigged system” by voting to leave the European Union, which he said is similarly dominated by corporate interests.
“To everyone watching across our nation right now, to everyone who has been let down by our terrible, terrible politicians, I am asking for your vote on Nov. 8,” said Trump, who recently predicted he would be called “Mr. Brexit” on Twitter.
“This is your chance to remove the special interests from their throne of power and to once again have government of, by and for the people.”
Trump was joined on stage by Nigel Farage, the former head of the UK Independence Party and leading proponent of Brexit.
“I wouldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton if you paid me,” Farage said. “In fact, I wouldn’t vote for Hillary Clinton if she paid me.”
Hoping to harness the nationalist energy that fueled Brexit, Trump warned that a Clinton presidency would signal the continuing rule of large corporations and media executives “who believe in a world without borders.”
Trump, who has faced questions on a recent shift in his immigration stance, outlined three “tests” that he said would determine his immigration policy as president.
He said any immigration plan would need to improve the jobs and wages, safety and security, and quality of life for U.S. citizens.
Hillary Clinton, he said, puts illegal immigrants before American citizens and only talks about undocumented families separated by deportation, while he is focused on parents separated from children by “open borders,” alluding to cases of Americans killed by undocumented immigrants.
“Where is the sanctuary for American children? The dreamers we never talk about are young Americans,” Trump said in his prepared remarks. “Why aren’t young Americans ‘dreamers’ also?”
“Why do our leaders spend so much time talking about how to help people here illegally — they’re here illegally … but they don’t try helping American citizens, some of whom have been devastated by what’s happened to their children and their families?” the billionaire said.
Trump is facing mounting questions over his position on illegal immigration, a central component of his campaign. While he previously vowed to deport all those in the U.S. illegally, in recent weeks he has toned down his rhetoric on the issue.
Trump pledged during an interview on Fox News’s “Hannity” that aired Wednesday night that there would be “no amnesty” if he were elected, but said he would “work with” those living in the U.S. illegally.
Clinton, Trump said, “wants to surrender America to globalism.”
“She wants a country without borders, she wants trade deals written for the benefit of foreign corporations, she wants a government that ignores the will of the people, she wants to sell out American security to the Clinton Foundation for a big, fat pile of cash,” he said.
“Hillary Clinton does not believe in America first.”