Trump draws 9,000 for campaign-like rally in Florida

MELBOURNE, Fla. — President Trump provided his supporters a game plan for transforming America during a speech Saturday in Florida.

Roughly 9,000 people heard the president speak inside a hangar at Orlando Melbourne International Airport, according to Melbourne Fire Chief Chuck Bogle

During his wide-ranging speech on both domestic and foreign issues, Trump promised that, within the next several weeks, he will introduce "a great health care plan that's going to take the place of the disaster Obamacare."

He said his plan will offer "much better health care and a much lower cost. Obamacare doesn't work. It is unaffordable."

The event was organized by the Donald Trump campaign, not the White House.

Large crowd of protesters gathers near Trump rally

Trump declares 'fake news' media 'the enemy of the American people'

Reminiscent of his campaign rallies, those in attendance wore red "Make America Great Again" hats and T-shirts, shook pom-poms and waved signs.

In discussing jobs and the economy, Trump said, "We believe in two simple rules: Buy American and hire American. We're going to start providing jobs like you've never seen before. It's going to be a new day in America. You're going to be proud again."

Trump said he would "make our inner cities safe again," through efforts to "destroy criminal cartels" and stop illegal drugs coming into cities.

The president also said he would soon start to build a wall with Mexico, and would "keep radical Islamic terrorists the hell out of our country" and "develop a plan to totally destroy ISIS."

Trump promised to push forward with immigration restrictions, despite a negative court ruling.

Several supporters at Saturday's rally pointed to immigration as the issue most important to them. They applauded Trump’s immigration ban and his plan to build a wall along the Mexican border.

"I think something needs to be done about it and has needed to be done for a long, and I think it’s finally going to get done,” said Linda Chastain, who traveled from Georgia to see Trump speak.

But many supporters were frustrated by what they described as a lack of cooperation from Trump's opponents.

“I just feel like he’s being, he’s being attacked from all sides. He really is,” said Karla Gamel. “I just hope this suspension gets back in order and that gets rolling,” she added, referring to the halted travel ban.

On other topics, Trump:

• Urged the crowd to call their U.S. senators, and tell them to support confirming his U.S. Supreme Court justice nominee, Neil Gorsuch, to fill the seat left vacant by the death last year of Justice Antonin Scalia.

• Said there would be a new push to build roads, bridges, airports and other infrastructure.

• Wasted no time to go after the "dishonest media" and "fake news."

"They are part of the corrupt system," Trump said, only three minutes into his 46-minute speech.

Near the end of his speech, Trump urged his opponents to "move past the differences of parties" and work to a common goal and to "share one glorious American plan."

Trump's arrival on Air Force One was a spectacle in itself, as the plane rolled to a stop in front of the hangar opening, and the president and first lady Melania Trump got off, with "Proud to Be an American" blaring through the speakers.

Melania Trump started her remarks by reciting The Lord's Prayer.

Trump previously visited the Melbourne airport while on the campaign trail. In the end, Trump collected 181,620 votes out of Brevard, a heavily Republican county, to Hillary Clinton’s 119,525.

For some, Trump’s return to Brevard County highlighted his commitment to representing the Average Joe.

“He’s staying in touch with the people who aren’t the rich: the middle class. He’s supporting us,” said Toni Anderson from Melbourne.

Follow Dave Berman  on Twitter: @bydaveberman; follow Caroline Glenn on Twitter: @bycarolineglenn