PALM BEACH, Fla. — Scotty Howell could be relaxing at her Juno Beach home on a sunny Sunday instead of sweating in temperatures in the low 90s in Palm Beach.
She dressed in an American flag-motif shirt and joined dozens of Donald Trump supporters rallying in the mid-afternoon sun just two blocks from the former president's Mar-A-Lago resort.
"I'm here because I support President Trump," Howell said. "And I want to save this country.” "
About 70 people rallied on the island in reaction to the former president's indictment last week and his first appearance to face charges, scheduled for Tuesday.
"It seems really political to me," Donald Tarca Jr., the rally's organizer, said. "The guy that's in the White House just had his No. 1 opponent arrested."
“"hey tried to knock off their opponent who was popular," added Paula Magnuson, who brought her two dogs, wearing red, white and blue scarves, to the rally.
Scripps News
Trump facing 37 criminal counts, unsealed federal indictment says
Trump will face 37 federal charges related to documents taken to Mar-a-Lago after leaving office in 2021.
Many Democrats call Trump's actions criminal and a threat to national security, due to the sensitivity of some of the documents.
Supporters said the real threat comes from the criminal charges against Trump, which is why they organized this rally.
"With everything that's going on, it kind of got a little bit more attention and we decided to come out," Tarca said.
Those at the rally got a boost from a caravan of more than 50 motorcycles, Humvees, cars and trucks that drove up from Miami in support.
Howell said it shows the depth of support for Trump in the wake of the latest criminal indictments.
"It's a shame," Howell said. "And it's a very sad day for our country."
Most supporters at the Sunday rally said they will not be headed to Miami for Tuesday's hearing in federal court but will gather Wednesday in Palm Beach for Trump's 77th birthday.
Trump will stay at his golf resort in Doral ahead of his court appearance.
He is expected to arrive at Miami International Airport on Monday afternoon before spending the night at the resort, NBC News reported. He is expected to travel back to New Jersey after the hearing, where he will attend a fundraiser for his 2024 presidential campaign.