Trump campaigns in Omaha

Expected Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump held a rally in Omaha Friday.

Hundreds of fans, curious onlookers, and a few protesters turned out in a hot airplane hangar to listen to Trump discuss familiar themes, some tailored to a Nebraska audience. For example, Trump invoked the spectre of unfair trade deals, promising to retaliate against countries like Japan.

“There won’t be any more tariffs with Japan, or if there will, we’re going to do it the opposite way to them. All I have to do is say ‘That’s alright. You want to charge a tariff of 38 percent to Nebraska for its beef? Then we’re going to charge you a tariff of 38 percent when you sell your cars to the United States. It’s a very simple thing,’” Trump said.

One person at the rally attendee was Robbie Smoot, who flew in from Houston to visit his girlfriend and come to the event. Smoot said he’s concerned about the economic effects of illegal immigration, one of Trump’s signature issues. “My uncle owns an electrical company and they devalue the value of our company. Where I could make $20 an hour, I can only make $8 an hour because the Hispanics come in,” Smoot said, before correcting himself: “Not Hispanics, but illegal aliens.”

The rally was interrupted at several points by protestors, who were escorted out.

One of those who came to listen to Trump was Brian Cowles, who said he wanted to see the candidate for himself. “I’m coming just so that I can hear the word, whatever he has to say,” Cowles said. “I’m really on the fence right now. I was kind of a Cruz fan but now that Cruz is out you’ve just got to look at your options.”

Trump closed his speech asking people to vote for him in next week’s primary and in November. “We can’t afford another four years of Barack Obama. Which is what we get if we get Hillary,” Trump said, adding “We’ll be back. We’ll see you again.”