Donald Trump turns 78 in relative quiet, a day after a noisy trip to Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON - Former President Donald Trump marked his 78th birthday on Friday in relative quiet - unlike the volatility of the rest of his birthday week.
"It's just a beautiful night - I hate to conclude," Trump told supporters during an hour-long speech at a birthday event that capped an otherwise uneventful day.
The presumptive 2024 Republican presidential nominee stayed relatively low-key a day after he insulted the city of Milwaukee - which is hosting next month's Republican convention - and further teased his vice presidential selection during his first visit to Capitol Hill for the first time since the pro-Trump insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021.
"There's tremendous unity in the Republican Party," Trump told reporters after seperate meetings with House and Senate Republicans.
Trump is also busy preparing for his scheduled July 11 sentencing after being found guilty in the New York hush money trial - one of many negative items listed by supporters of President Joe Biden as they wished Trump a different kind of "Happy Birthday."
After his Washington visit, "Trump came away looking even more unhinged and out of touch with the voters he’ll need to reach 270 electoral votes," said a memo from Michael Tyler, communications director for the Biden campaign.
A birthday celebration
Trump headlined his own birthday event Friday night with an appearance at "Club 47," a local group of supporters who are paying thousands of dollars for a dinner in West Palm Beach, Fla., near Trump's Mar-a-Lago private club and personal residence.
The former president is expected to hit the campaign trail again Saturday with appearances in Detroit, including a "roundtable discussion" at a Detroit church and a speech before the conservative group Turning Point Action.
Michigan supporters plan to maintain birthday celebrations with a boat parade on Lake St. Clair.
Biden's birthday greetings to Trump
President Joe Biden's campaign marked the ocassion by sending Trump a birthday greeting listing 78 less-than-stellar "accomplishments."
The Biden list included bankruptcies, business failures, allegations of racism, allegations of sexual misconduct, threats to political opponents, suggestions of violence, two impeachments, and four sets of criminal indictments.
“Happy birthday, Donald," said a statement from Biden campaign spokesperson James Singer. "You’re a crook, a failure, a fraud, and a threat to our democracy, economy, rights, and future."
Still, Trump may have had a better birthday than first lady Jill Biden, who marked her 73rd birthday on June 3 in court watching the trial of stepson Hunter Biden.
Milwaukee, a 'horrible city'?
Democrats also continued to hammer Trump over his comments about Milwaukee, the biggest city in a battleground state - Wisconsin - that could decide the Biden-Trump race.
In his meeting with House Republicans, Trump reportedly said: "Milwaukee, where we are having our convention, is a horrible city," according to Punchbowl News.
In the Fox News interview, Trump said he was referring to the city's crime rate, and added that "I love Milwaukee."
Democrats plastered Trump's face and the quote on 10 billboards spread around the city. And Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said he found it "bizarre" that Trump would insult the biggest city in a pivotal state. He added: "All of us lived through his presidency, so right back at ya, buddy."
Biden, Trump, and the G-7
Trump spent part of Friday afternoon posting items on Truth Social, including positive poll numbers and attacks on Biden. He also advertised a rally Tuesday in Racine, Wisc., not far from Milwaukee.
The Republican's presidential campaign responded to the latest Milwaukee attacks by citing negative media coverage of Biden's attendance at the G-7 summit in Italy.
Trump's team also is trying to make Biden's age of 81 an issue in the campaign, saying theoldest president in U.S. history has exhibited signs of "cognitive decline" while "wandering around" during a photo opportunity.
The Biden campaign said its opponents used a video with "an artificially narrow frame" to distort the president's movements as he went over to congratulate a skydiver who participated in a G-7 event.
Happy birthday from Congress
Trump's comments about Milwaukee and other matters came during a pair of closed-door meetings with lawmakers, the first with House Republicans and the second with Senate Republicans.
Both meetings marked Trump's life milestone; House Republicans serenaded the former president with a rendition of "Happy Birthday," while Senate Republicans presented him with a giant cake.
In his Fox interview following the meetings, Trump dropped another hint about his imminent vice presidential selection: He said he probably been in the same room with his running mate during his session with Senate Republicans.
The Republican senators near the top of his list include Tim Scott of South Carolina, J.D. Vance of Ohio, Tom Cotton of Arkansas, and Marco Rubio of Florida.
When asked "was your pick for V.P. in that room with you?" Trump said: "Probably, yes."
Trump repeated that "we will probably announce it during the convention," which is scheduled for July 15-18 in Milwaukee.
It's hard to tell how seriously to take it all; there are some non-senators on Trump's list, including North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum. Trump also told Fox that "I have sort of a pretty good idea" about who the selection will be.
"Look, we have some really talented people," Trump said. "I have a pretty good idea."
'Pretend the day doesn't exist'
Friday's relative peace by Trump's standards capped a week-long series of birthday tributes. During a rally Sunday in Las Vegas, the crowd sang "Happy Birthday" to the ex-president.
“There’s a certain point at which you don’t want to hear ‘Happy Birthday,’” Trump told supporters. “You just want to pretend the day doesn’t exist.”
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Donald Trump’s birthday arrives in relative quiet
