Trump calls impeachment hearings ‘bull****’ and claims doctor told him to ‘show us that gorgeous chest’ in wild rally speech

Donald Trump used a rally in Florida to rage against what he called the ongoing “bull****” impeachment inquiry, describe three convicted or accused war criminals as “great warriors” and claim doctors told him to “show us that gorgeous chest”.

The president held what his campaign dubbed a “homecoming rally” near Miami on Tuesday night, his first in the state since he officially changed his residency to Mar-a-Lago last month.

As the House impeachment inquiry enters its next phase following the first round of public interviews about Mr Trump’s efforts to pressure Ukraine into investigating his political rivals, he accused the Democrats of “trying to rip our nation apart” with investigations.

“First it was the Russia hoax,” he said, “and now the same maniacs are pushing the deranged impeachment” narrative.

“You see what’s happening in the polls? Everybody said: ‘That’s really bull****,’” he said, prompting the crowd of nearly 20,000 to break into chants echoing his expletive.

Mr Trump once again insisted he had done nothing wrong with his dealings in Ukraine, and argued the Democrats were trying to take him down because “they know that they cannot win the next election”.

He attempted to reassure his audience “we won these last two weeks so solidly,” despite damning testimony from witnesses.

His supporters later chanted “lock her up” after he attacked Hillary Clinton, his opponent in the 2016 presidential election.

The president also defended his decision to intervene in the cases of three convicted or accused war criminals, claiming he had “stuck up for three great warriors against the deep state”.

It came amid reports Mr Trump told aides he wanted the men, who variously ordered soldiers to fire on unarmed civilians, posed for photos with dead bodies and were accused of stabbing a wounded teenage Isis fighter, to campaign for him during his 2020 reelection bid.

Mr Trump also lashed out at coverage of his recent unannounced trip to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, assuring the crowd that if he “didn’t feel great” he “wouldn’t be ranting and raving” at such rallies.

Describing the examination process, he claimed doctors told him to “take off your shirt, sir, and show us that gorgeous chest”.

Mr Trump eventually turned his nearly 90-minute speech to pandering to voters in the swing state, telling them: “You people are successful as hell. You’re smarter. You’re better looking. You’re sharper.”

“If they’re elite,” he said, “then we’re the super elite.”

Florida will be a crucial state for Mr Trump as he campaigns for reelection. He carried it by less than 2 percentage points in 2016.

“Less than one year from now I will join voters across the Sunshine State, my home, as we head to the polls,” Mr Trump said, before predicting that “together, we will win back the House, we will hold the Senate and we will keep that beautiful, beautiful White House”.

Outside the rally, around 200 anti-Trump protesters gathered before the president arrived, flying a helium-filled “Baby Trump” balloon and chanting: “Lock him up.”