SOUTHAVEN, Miss — Thousands in the Mid-South descended on the Landers Center Saturday to hear former President Donald Trump speak during the American Freedom Tour.
The remarks came as Congressional scrutiny intensifies about the former President's role in challenging the 2020 election and as he teases another presidential run in 2024.
Hours before the 45th President took the stage in DeSoto County, his Mid-South supporters could hardly contain their enthusiasm.
"Oh my gosh, I've been waiting to get tickets ever sense we knew he was coming," Tina Cooley of Byhalia said.
"It's inspiring, we like his message, we are for family values," Marcie Martin of Cordova added.
The former President spoke for a little more than an hour in his first major public event in Mississippi since 2019, where he hinted at another White House run in 2024.
"I ask you to get ready to work, get ready to fight and get ready to win and we are going to win like never before," the former President said.
That statement came as welcome news to the former President's Memphis area supporters, who are concerned about rising prices and the state of the economy.
"This time in our country everything is gloom and despair and no hope, I feel like he kind of gives us some hope that our country can be great again," Jonathan Nichols said.
"A positive future for America, people coming together, people getting jobs again, gas prices going down," Martin added.
The former President spent a sizeable portion of his remarks attacking the bipartisan Jan. 6 Select Committee and its ongoing hearings.
His former advisors and legal counsel testified they told the former President repeatedly that he lost the 2020 election and any effort to block certification violated federal law - but he pursued it anyways.
The 45th President's supporters saw things differently.
"President Trump did nothing wrong, he said protest peacefully, how you can turn that into something that's a bad thing is beyond me," Nichols said.
Tickets for the Saturday event ranged from $75 for general admission tickets to nearly $4,000. Some sections were blocked or tarped off but the Landers Center was at least 3/4 full.