Former President Donald Trump gave a bizarre instruction at a summit in Florida.
The Republican presidential candidate spoke at the 2024 Believers' Summit in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Friday evening local time. He told Christian attendees that they “don't have to vote again” after this election and said, “We're going to get it done just fine.”
Trump went on to say that Americans need to vote in November, saying that if Christians actually vote, everything will be “fine” in four years.
“You don't have to do this anymore, four more years, you know what? It will be sorted out, it will be fine. You don't have to vote anymore,” he said at the event.
“You have to go out and vote. In four years, you won't have to vote. We'll have it so well organized that you won't have to vote anymore.”
“Christians, go vote. Just this once. You don't have to do it again. Four more years. You know what? It will be sorted out. It will be fine. You don't have to vote anymore, my dear Christians.”
It was not immediately clear what Mr Trump meant by the comments.
When asked, Trump spokesman Steven Cheung said the former president had “spoken about uniting this country.”
But the remarks made commentators uncomfortable.
“This is not subtle Christian nationalism. It's talking about ending our democracy,” said constitutional and civil rights attorney Andrew Seidel.
NBC legal commentator Katie Phang said: “In other words, Trump will never leave the White House if he is re-elected.”
His field And Veep Actress Julia Louis-Dreyfus posted Mr Trump's entire statement on Instagram, writing in her caption: “Donald Trump just said the quiet part LOUD while speaking to Christian nationalists at the Believer's Summit hosted by the conservative group Turning Point Action.
“We shouldn’t wish we had done more in November,” she added, urging her supporters to register to vote.
Fellow actor Morgan Fairchild said on X: “But… what if I want to vote again? I was always raised to believe we can vote again! This is America.”
“Democracy is in danger. This is not a drill,” said well-known podcaster Allison Gill.
Trump's comments came months after he declared that if re-elected to the White House, he would be “a dictator from day one.”
Trump ‘was hit by a bullet’: FBI
The rally in Florida came after the FBI raised speculation that the former president was not injured by a bullet during his assassination attempt, despite repeated claims to have been made.
A heated argument broke out between Trump and FBI Director Christopher Wray. Wray said earlier this week that it was not clear whether Trump had been hit by a bullet or merely by shrapnel or broken glass.
In a new statement released on Saturday morning (AEST), the FBI attempted to clarify conflicting reports.
“What struck former President Trump in the ear was a bullet, either whole or fragmented into smaller pieces, fired from the deceased subject's rifle,” the agency said in a statement.
Trump's doctor had previously stated that there was “absolutely no evidence that the former president was hit by anything other than a bullet.”
“Director Wray’s proposal is wrong and inappropriate,” said Dr. Ronny Jackson, also a Republican congressman from Texas.
The doctor also gave an update on Mr Trump's recovery.
“I want to assure the American people and the rest of the world that President Trump is doing great,” he said.
Mr Trump has since removed the bandage from his ear, which led to copycat bandages among his supporters.
