President Trump visits Central Florida and West Palm Beach for Forum Club anniversary
THE REST OF YOUR FORECAST ALL COMING YOUR WAY IN. JUST A FEW LADIES. ALL RIGHT CHRIS, NOW BACK TO THAT LIVE TEAM COVERAGE. AS WE MENTIONED, THE PRESIDENT, DONALD TRUMP WILL SOON ARRIVE IN WEST PALM BEACH. HIS TRIP PUSHED BACK A BIT AT LAST CHECK. HE’S NOW EXPECTED TO ARRIVE WITHIN THE HOUR AT ABOUT 645. AND OUR CO-ANCHOR, TODD MCDERMOTT IS JOINING US NOW FROM INSIDE THE KRAVIS CENTER. TODD. GUARANTEE HE WON’T BE HERE AT THE KRAVIS CENTER AT 645, HAVING JUST WRAPPED UP THAT APPEARANCE IN ORLANDO AT THE VILLAGES. BUT THE PRESIDENT WILL BE HERE FOR THIS 50TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION DINNER FOR THE FORUM CLUB. THE FORUM CLUB GOES BACK TO THE 1970S. IT’S A NONPARTISAN PRIVATE MEMBERSHIP CLUB. IT MUST BE NOMINATED TO BECOME A MEMBER. AND THE FIRST PRESIDENT THEY INVITED TO SPEAK BEFORE CLUB WAS JIMMY CARTER. THAT’S HOW LONG I’VE BEEN AROUND, SINCE THAT TIME. SUPREME COURT JUSTICES AND OTHER DIGNITARIES HAVE SPOKEN. TONIGHT IT’S PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TURN. THE CROWD BEGAN ARRIVING BEFORE 4:00 TODAY, AND BEING SERVED. NOW, OF COURSE, THEY WILL WAIT TO HEAR FROM PRESIDENT. WHATEVER HE HAS TO SAY, HIS APPEARANCE WILL KEEP EVERYBODY IN THEIR SEATS UNTIL HE ARRIVES. NOW, IT IS QUITE A DAY FOR THE PRESIDENT. BEFORE HE LEFT WASHINGTON, HE DID SPEAK WITH REPORTERS ON THE WHITE HOUSE LAWN BEFORE BOARDING MARINE ONE TO GO TO JOINT BASE ANDREWS AND FLY HERE TO FLORIDA. HE SAID, QUOTE, HE’S NOT SATISFIED WITH NEGOTIATIONS WITH IRAN TO END THIS UNPOPULAR WAR. THE LATEST POLLING FROM ABC NEWS SHOWS 61% OF AMERICANS DO NOT APPROVE OF THE WAR IN IRAN RIGHT NOW. BUT THE PRESIDENT CLAIMS THE WAR IS EFFECTIVELY DONE OVER BECAUSE WE’RE IN THIS THREE WEEK CEASE FIRE, AS SHAKY AS IT MAY BE WITH THE FATE OF HORMUZ STILL EFFECTIVELY CLOSED. BUT THE WAR HAS HIT THAT 60 DAY MARK. IT’S CRUCIAL BECAUSE AT THAT POINT, FEDERAL LAW SAYS THE PRESIDENT NEEDS TO GO TO CONGRESS FOR APPROVAL OF FURTHER MILITARY ACTION CONNECTED TO THAT, AFTER 60 DAYS, THE PRESIDENT DISCOUNTS THAT AND SAYS THAT HE BELIEVES THAT ACT WAR POWERS ACT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL. IRAN, FOR ITS PART, SAYS IT’S STILL READY TO FIGHT AND DEFEND ITSELF. ITS AIR DEFENDERS ARE STILL OPERATIONAL AND REMAIN ON STANDBY. NOW, I MENTIONED THAT THE PRESIDENT SPOKE TO THE VILLAGES. THAT SPEECH JUST WRAPPING UP. HE TALKED ABOUT THE NO TAX ON TIPS FOR SOME AMERICANS IN PLACE, AS WELL AS TAX BREAKS FOR SOME PEOPLE WHEN IT COMES TO SOCIAL SECURITY, AND ALSO TALKED ABOUT SOME OF THE BIG TAX REFUNDS THAT MANY AMERICANS ARE SEEING THIS YEAR WITH THAT TAX CUT. AGAIN, MOST OF THOSE CUTS ARE ONLY IN PLACE FOR A COUPLE OF YEARS. THAT’S A KEY POINT FOR AMERICAN TAXPAYERS. MORE ON THAT IN A MINUTE. IN THE MEANTIME, BACK TO SECURITY. TONIGHT’S EVENT. IT IS HEAVY, AS YOU WOULD EXPECT THE PRESIDENT TO BE HERE, BUT IT COMES JUST ABOUT EIGHT DAYS FROM WHAT HAPPENED LAST SATURDAY NIGHT AT THE WASHINGTON HILTON DURING THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENTS DINNER, PAUL ALLEN, NOW ACCUSED OF BREACHING SECURITY, RUNNING THROUGH THAT CHECKPOINT WITH A SHOTGUN. THIS IS NEW VIDEO, ENHANCED VIDEO OF WHAT HAPPENED THAT NIGHT. ALLEN DID REACH THE STAIRS WITH THE DOWN TO THE BALLROOM, WHERE THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE, INCLUDING THE PRESIDENT AND FIRST LADY MEMBERS OF THE CABINET. HE’S CHARGED WITH ATTEMPTING TO ASSASSINATE PRESIDENT TRUMP. AND THERE ARE OTHER CHARGES AS WELL. OF COURSE, THAT IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THIS HAS HAPPENED TO THE PRESIDENT, BOTH AS AN OCCUPIER OF THE WHITE HOUSE AND AS A CANDIDATE. IN SEPTEMBER 2024. YOU REMEMBER, RYAN ROUTH WAS FOUND OUTSIDE TRUMP NATIONAL GOLF COURSE IN WEST PALM BEACH, IN THE BUSHES WITH A RIFLE. HE WAS CONVICTED OF TRYING TO ASSASSINATE THE PRESIDENT AS WELL. CAUGHT UP ON I-95 IN MARTIN COUNTY, AND THEN, OF COURSE, A FEW MONTHS BEFORE THAT, DONALD TRUMP, AS A CANDIDATE, WAS GRAZED IN THE AIR BY A BULLET DURING THAT ATTACK THAT TURNED OUT TO BE DEADLY IN BUTLER, PENNSYLVANIA. THAT SHOOTER WAS KILLED. THE PRESIDENT AND THE CABINET, THE ADMINISTRATION INSISTS THEY HAVE FULL FAITH IN SECURITY PROTOCOLS IN PLACE. BUT AGAIN, TODAY BEING THE FIRST TIME THE PRESIDENT HAS LEFT WASHINGTON, D.C., AND LEFT THE GROUNDS OF THE WHITE HOUSE FOR A PUBLIC EVENT. SECURITY APPARENTLY EVEN TIGHTER THAN IT WOULD USUALLY BE, WHICH IS REALLY HARD TO BELIEVE SINCE SECURITY IS ALWAYS SO TIGHT. OUR INVESTIGATIVE REPORTER TERRI PARKER, RIGHT OUTSIDE THE KRAVIS CENTER NOW WITH A LOOK AT THE SECURITY PROTOCOLS AND THE EXTRA STEPS TAKEN TODAY. TERRI. RIGHT. TODD, IT MAY BE HARD TO BELIEVE THAT YOU COULD TIGHTEN SECURITY UP EVEN MORE, BUT THE PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF HAS DONE THAT. RIGHT NOW, THERE ARE TWO SWAT TEAM MEMBERS INSIDE THE EVENT, MAKING SURE NO ONE RUSHES PAST THOSE METAL DETECTORS, AS HAPPENED LAST WEEKEND IN WASHINGTON. ALSO, THE SECRET SERVICE HAS ADDED MORE MANPOWER, AND THE SHERIFF HAS MANY EXTRA LEVELS OF PROTECTION ALL AROUND THE CITY. INSIDE THE KRAVIS CENTER, RIGHT AT THE ENTRY TO PALM BEACH COUNTY SHERIFF’S SWAT TEAM MEMBERS ARMED WITH SHORT M 15 RIFLES, IN ADDITION TO WEST PALM BEACH POLICE OVERSEEING THE METAL DETECTORS. AFTER SUSPECT COLE THOMAS ALLEN DASHED THROUGH A METAL DETECTOR AND PAST SECRET SERVICE BEFORE BEING STOPPED LAST WEEKEND AT THE WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENCE CENTER. OFFICIALS ARE TAKING NO CHANCES. THE SHERIFF’S SWAT TEAM AND DEPUTIES BEGAN ORGANIZING EARLY THIS MORNING OUTSIDE THE KRAVIS CENTER. THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF DEPUTIES, BOTH HERE AND IN OTHER STRATEGIC SPOTS AROUND THE CITY. WHILE THE SECRET SERVICE HAS SNIPERS ON THE ROOFS OF NEARBY BUILDINGS AND DOES UP CLOSE PROTECTION, THE SHERIFF PROVIDES THE ARMORED VEHICLES, THE BOMB UNIT AND THE SWAT TEAM THAT WILL BE ON FULL DISPLAY AT THIS EVENT TONIGHT. THERE ARE ALSO 7080 DEPUTIES STATIONED A FEW BLOCKS AWAY IN CASE OF ANY DISTURBANCE OR DISRUPTION OUTSIDE THE EVENT, AND THEY CAN BE HERE IN MINUTES IF NECESSARY. THIS IS A LEVEL OF SECURITY NOT TYPICALLY SEEN, BUT THE ALERT LEVEL IS HIGH. AFTER THREE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPTS ON PRESIDENT TRUMP, ONE OF THEM HERE IN WEST PALM BEACH, AND ANOTHER ATTEMPT JUST LAST WEEKEND. AND INTERESTINGLY ENOUGH, EVEN THOUGH PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS BEEN HERE IN WEST PALM BEACH, PALM BEACH TO HOLD WEEKENDS AND CELEBRATIONS AT MAR-A-LAGO, EVEN STATE CEREMONIES. THIS IS THE FIRST TIME THAT THERE HAS BEEN A PUBLIC EVENT SINCE HE WAS ELECTED. USUALLY HE’S AT A PRIVATE FUNDRAISER. MAR A OR ONE OF HIS GOLF COURSES. SO THE SECURITY IS A VERY UNIQUE AND VERY RAMPED UP TONIGHT. TODD, BACK TO YOU. TERRI. AND YOU CAN’T DENY THE PARALLELS TO THIS EVENT TONIGHT IN A MUCH LONGER BALLROOM AT THE WASHINGTON HILTON LAST SATURDAY NIGHT AGAIN I MENTIONED THE POPULAR WAR, WHICH IS NOW, ACCORDING TO THE LATEST POLLING, REACHED A LEVEL OF UNPOPULARITY OF THE VIETNAM WAR IN 1971. AND THEN WITH HIGHER GAS PRICES, ECONOMIC CONCERNS, GAS PRICES DROPPING, ANOTHER DIME ALMOST OVERNIGHT. LET’S GO TO CELTIC. HE IS WITH A DOZEN PROTESTERS CAUGHT ON OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD. CALEB, WHAT’S THE LATEST THERE? WELL, TODD, WE ACTUALLY JUST MOVED OVER TO HOWARD PARK. THAT’S WHERE A VERY LARGE GROUP OF PROTESTERS JUST MOVED TO. AS AS I STEP OUT OF THE WAY, YOU CAN SEE A NUMBER OF PROTESTERS HERE LINING THE STREET OF OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD WITH SIGNS WITH LOUDSPEAKERS AND MANY OTHER THINGS. NOW THEY’RE PROTESTING AS CLOSELY AS THEY CAN TO THE KRAVIS CENTER. MANY OF THEM WERE FORCED TO MOVE HERE ACROSS THE STREET OFF OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD. AND ACCORDING TO SOCIAL MEDIA, THEY HAVE ENCOURAGED PEOPLE ALL DAY TO BRING DIFFERENT THINGS LIKE SIGNS AND LOUDSPEAKERS AS A SYMBOL OF, QUOTE, REJECTING TRUMP. NOW, I TALKED TO SOME OF THE ORGANIZERS OF THIS PROTEST. THEY TELL ME THEY WANTED TO BE VERY VISIBLE HERE OUTSIDE THE KRAVIS CENTER SO THAT DRIVERS ON OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD AND PEOPLE GOING INSIDE, INCLUDING TRUMP HIMSELF, COULD SEE THEM AND THEIR OPPOSITION TO THE PRESIDENT. MEANWHILE, WE’VE ALSO SEEN A VERY SMALL HANDFUL OF TRUMP SUPPORTERS OUT HERE WHO SPOKE TO ONE YOUNG MAN WHO TELLS US HE JUST WANTED TO COME OUT HERE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION WITH THE OTHER SIDE. WE ARE NOT IN FAVOR OF FASCISM. WE ARE OUT HERE FIGHTING TO TO SAVE AND CLAIM OUR DEMOCRACY BACK. THERE’S A LOT OF THINGS THAT HAVE BEEN HAPPENING LATELY THAT ARE UNCONSTITUTIONAL, AND WE DO NOT SUPPORT THAT. I THINK THESE PEOPLE HAVE THE CONSTITUTIONAL RIGHT TO BE OUT HERE RIGHT NOW, AND TO PROTEST THINGS THAT THEY DISAGREE WITH. NOW, I DON’T LIKE THE NAMES THAT THEY’RE CALLING HIM BECAUSE I DON’T AGREE WITH ALL OF THEM. NOW, AGAIN, IT’S A LARGE MAJORITY OF PEOPLE WHO ARE AGAINST TRUMP THAT ARE OUTSIDE HERE ON OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD. THE NUMBER HAS GROWN OVER THE PAST FEW HOURS, AND THEIR MAIN GOAL HERE IS THAT THE PRESIDENT WILL SEE THEM AS HE DRIVES INTO THE CROWD CENTER. FOR NOW, WE’RE LIVE IN DOWNTOWN WEST PALM BEACH. CALEB CALIFANO, BACK TO YOU. CALEB. THANK YOU. IT’S A HOT DAY FOR PROTEST. WE ARE STILL OUT THERE. IT IS ALSO A CROWDED DAY ON THE ROADS AND HIGHWAYS. IT IS THE FRIDAY AFTERNOON RUSH, OF COURSE. PLUS WE HAVE THE ANTICIPATION. THE PRESIDENT’S VISIT TO OUR WPBF 25 NEWS TRAFFIC YASMINE JULMISSE WITH THE LATEST ON THE TRAFFIC SITUATION. YASMINE TODD GOOD EVENING. I THINK PEOPLE WILL BE ABLE TO TRAVEL IN DOWNTOWN WEST PALM BEACH RIGHT NOW, NOT DEALING WITH ANY CLOSURES, WHICH IS GOOD NEWS AND NOT REALLY DEALING WITH ANY CRASHES EITHER. THERE ARE SOME OTHER CRASHES AROUND PALM BEACH COUNTY, BUT NOT DOWNTOWN IN WEST PALM BEACH, WHERE WE JUST SAW A TERRI AND CALEB. AND AS I LOOK BEHIND THEM, I DIDN’T SEE ANY LANE CLOSURES. WE ACTUALLY SAW THIS MORNING AS OFFICIALS WERE OUT THERE PREPARING FOR THE PRESIDENT’S VISIT FOR THIS EVENING. SO THINGS ARE PRETTY FLOWING RIGHT NOW, ALTHOUGH THERE ARE SOME SLOWDOWNS, INCLUDING SPEEDS AROUND TEN MILES PER HOUR. RIGHT ON SABADILLA SPEEDS AROUND 17MPH. AS YOU’RE TRAVELING EASTBOUND ON OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD, BUT NO LANE CLOSURES WILL TAKE THAT. AS WE ZOOM OUT HERE FOR A LOOK AT THE CONDITIONS ON OKEECHOBEE, A LITTLE BIT FURTHER WEST, RIGHT NEAR THE TURNPIKE, SPEEDS AROUND 25MPH AND A CRASH NOT TOO FAR FROM SOUTHERN BOULEVARD AND THE TURNPIKE. SO THESE CORRIDORS ARE OKAY RIGHT NOW. YOU MAY WANT TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THAT AND HEAD HOME MAYBE A LITTLE BIT EARLY, SO THAT YOU CAN AVOID ANY OF THE CLOSURES THAT WILL LIKELY HAPPEN ALONG I-95. THOSE OFF RAMPS NEAR OKEECHOBEE BOULEVARD. SPEAKING OF I-95, LET’S HEAD OUTSIDE FOR A LIVE LOOK AT WHAT IT’S LOOKING LIKE RIGHT NOW ON THE SOUTHBOUND LANES ON THE RIGHT HAND SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN, YOU’RE SEEING THOSE FRIDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING SLOWDOWNS AS YOU’RE APPROACHING WEST PALM BEACH. THEY DO CLEAR BY THE TIME YOU GET TO THE LAKE WORTH BEACH REGION. I DO WANT TO SHOW YOU AGAIN JUST WHAT THE MAPS ARE LOOKING LIKE RIGHT NOW. THEY’RE OKAY. YOU CAN ALSO USE PALM BEACH LAKES BOULEVARD AS AN ALTERNATE ROUTE TODAY, AS WELL AS BELVEDERE ROAD TODD, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. ALL RIGHT, THANK YOU. AND A REMINDER THAT YASMINE IS CHECKING THE TRAFFIC FOR YOU EVERY WEEKDAY MORNING. WPBF 25 NEWS MORNINGS. AND OF COURSE, WE APPRECIATE YOUR HELP WITH THE SITUATION HERE TODAY. PEOPLE ARE STILL ARRIVING AT THE DINNER. NOW LET’S GO TO ARI HAIT NOW TO TALK MORE ABOUT THE PRESIDENT’S APPEARANCE AT THE VILLAGES EARLIER THIS AFTERNOON. WE UNDERSTAND THAT APPEARANCE IS NOT OVER. AND WHAT ELSE THE PRESIDENT HAS IN STORE THIS WEEKEND HERE IN SOUTH FLORIDA? ARI. TODD, THE PRESIDENT, ARRIVED AT THE VILLAGES A LITTLE BIT BEFORE 4:00 THIS AFTERNOON. WHILE HE WAS THERE, HE TOUCHED ON A NUMBER OF DIFFERENT TOPICS DURING HIS SPEECH. THAT SPEECH, BY THE WAY, THAT WRAPPED UP ABOUT 20 MINUTES AGO OR SO, AND HE IS NOW ON HIS WAY HERE TO PALM BEACH COUNTY. DURING HIS SPEECH THERE, HE SPOKE ABOUT HIS POLICY LIMITING TAXES ON SOCIAL SECURITY. HE ALSO TALKED A LITTLE BIT ABOUT THE STATE OF THE ECONOMY. AND HE TALKED ABOUT THAT ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT IN WASHINGTON, D.C., OVER THE WEEKEND AND HOW THAT HAS IMPACTED SECURITY FOR HIS TRIP HERE TO FLORIDA THIS WEEKEND. YOU KNOW, I SHOULDN’T BE HERE. IT WAS JUST A AN ATTEMPT. I WON’T USE THE WORD AN ATTEMPT THEY SAY ON MY LIFE I SHOULD BE INDOORS AT A SECURE FACILITY WHERE I CAN QUIETLY AND SAFELY PLAY OUT MY TERM, DESTROYING EVERYTHING THAT COMES IN OUR WAY. LIKE BAD COUNTRIES THAT WANT TO GET NUCLEAR WEAPONS. SO THEY WANT ME TO BE IN A SECURE PLACE. I SAID, WHAT’S MORE SECURE THAN THE VILLAGES? AND AFTER TONIGHT’S EVENT AT THE KRAVIS CENTER, THE PRESIDENT IS EXPECTED TO COME HERE TO MAR A LAGO FOR THE NIGHT. AND THEN SOMETIME OVER THE WEEKEND, HE IS EXPECTED TO HEAD A LITTLE BIT SOUTH TO MIAMI. THE PGA GOLF IS HAVING A TOURNAMENT AT ONE OF THE PRESIDENT’S COURSES IN MIAMI, AND HE IS EXPECTED TO ATTEND. THAT’S THE VERY LATEST REPORTING LIVE ON PALM BEACH. I’M ARI HEIGHT. TODD, BACK TO YOU. ALL RIGHT ARI, THANK YOU. THE OVER UNDER HERE IS THE PRESIDENT MAY TOUCH DOWN HERE IN THE NEXT 30 MINUTES OR SO AND MAKE HIS WAY HERE UNTIL THE KRAVIS CENTER, JUST FIVE MINUTES FROM MAR A LAGO. HE WON’T BE STOPPING. I’M SURE HE’S GOING FROM THE AIRPORT HERE NOW. STAY WITH WPBF 25 NEWS. OF COURSE, WE HAVE CONTINUING COVERAGE, CONTINUING COVERAGE OF THE PRESIDENT’S VISIT TONIGHT. IT’S ON THE WEBSITE AS WELL AS FOR YOU AT 11:00. AND NONE OF THESE PEOPLE ARE LEAVING EARLY TO GO HOME. THEY ARE WAITING ON THE PRESIDENT, AND WE’LL BE WAITING TO HEAR WHAT HE HAS TO SAY THIS EVENING, PROBABLY IN THE NEXT HOUR AND CHANGE FOR NOW. AND TODD MCDERMOTT L
President Trump visits Central Florida and West Palm Beach for Forum Club anniversary
President Donald Trump made his first public appearance in Central Florida Friday afternoon following an alleged third assassination attempt against him.He took the stage at The Villages shortly after 4 p.m. He is expected to arrive at Palm Beach International Airport after 6:45 p.m. before heading dinner at the Kravis Center to celebrate the Forum Club’s 50th anniversary. This marks Trump’s first visit back to the area since the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last weekend. Anchor Todd McDermott along with reporters Terri Parker and Caleb Califano are covering security measures and protests outside the event in downtown West Palm Beach. Traffic Anchor Yasmine Julmisse is providing updates on drive-time impacts and road closures for commuters in the area. Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.
President Donald Trump made his first public appearance in Central Florida Friday afternoon following an alleged third assassination attempt against him.
He took the stage at The Villages shortly after 4 p.m. He is expected to arrive at Palm Beach International Airport after 6:45 p.m. before heading dinner at the Kravis Center to celebrate the Forum Club’s 50th anniversary.
This marks Trump’s first visit back to the area since the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner last weekend.
Anchor Todd McDermott along with reporters Terri Parker and Caleb Califano are covering security measures and protests outside the event in downtown West Palm Beach.
Traffic Anchor Yasmine Julmisse is providing updates on drive-time impacts and road closures for commuters in the area.
Stay up-to-date: The latest headlines and weather from WPBF 25
Get the latest news updates with the WPBF 25 News app. You can download it here.