the queen's last speech meme

She told viewers: "His sense of service, intellectual curiosity and capacity to squeeze fun out of any situation were all irrepressible.

"That mischievous, enquiring twinkle was as bright at the end as when I first set eyes on him.

"But life, of course, consists of final partings as well as first meetings.

"And as much as I and my family miss him, I know he would want us to enjoy Christmas."

The Queen also acknowledged the impact of the COVID pandemic , which forced her to celebrate Christmas at Windsor rather than Sandringham.

Read more: The Queen by the people who knew her

She said: "While COVID again means we can't celebrate quite as we may have wished, we can still enjoy the many happy traditions."

The monarch looked ahead to the Platinum Jubilee marking her 70-year reign, calling it "an opportunity for people everywhere to enjoy a sense of togetherness".

The Christmas speech – written, as always, by The Queen alone – proved to be her final televised speech.

She used her 2020 message to to praise the "indomitable spirit" of those who had risen "magnificently" to the challenges of the pandemic.

Her successor, King Charles III , is expected to carry on the royal festive tradition, which began with King George V in 1932.

Latest stories

Bbc breakfast star forced to step in as host replaced after heartbreaking health update.

BBC Breakfast viewers were left very confused on Saturday morning as one of the show's regular hosts, Charlie Stayt, was unexpectedly replaced by another presenter

Couple discover they do not own dream home despite living there for five years

During a legal battle the couple were informed they had no legal right over the property and that it belonged to the former owner, a pensioner who they bought it from five years previous

Harry and Meghan to arrive in Nigeria after Duke 'left in tears' by new snub

Duke has been stripped of a key role by King Charles ahead of major visit to African country

Dr Michael Mosley says he's taking 2p pill to stop dementia and cancer

Health expert said there was increasing evidence that the supplement recommended by the NHS can prevent colon cancer and maintain brain health

This Morning star dies after being rushed to hospital

He was described as a 'giant in the local news industry and the entertainment world'

King Charles left shocked by rugby player's punch

It was a punch that sent shockwaves through rugby and beyond

Tesco axes aisle from hundreds of stores after teaming up with big brand

It comes after a successful year-long trial in 35 of its large supermarkets

Passenger Bus Crashes Into Saint Petersburg River

A bus crashed off a bridge and into the Moyka River in Saint Petersburg, Russia, on Friday, May 10, with local police saying around 20 people were on board.Local media reported that at least five people died, with four “seriously injured”. These figures had not been officially confirmed.The city’s governor, Alexander Beglov, said emergency services from various departments were on the scene.Local police said the circumstances that led to the bus being driven into the river were still being determined.This security footage shows the bus driving along the side of a building, swerving to hit a car, and then crashing into the river. Credit: Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs via Storyful

Drivers make cars 'invisible' to speed and bus lane cameras

Around one in 15 drivers ‘gaming’ the system using 'staggeringly simple' methods - but now councils are hitting back

Prince Harry and Meghan Markle's Nigeria trip is 'awkward' for Royal Family – 'King Charles and William not pleased'

EXCLUSIVE: The Duke and Duchess of Sussex's trip to Nigeria has been dubbed a 'mini royal tour' - something which a leading expert has pointed out will not "please" senior Royals

Meghan Markle gives incredible new update on Prince Archie and Princess Lilibet during day one of Nigeria trip - live updates

Meghan Markle and Prince Harry arrived in Nigeria on Friday morning following their secret reunion in London the day before. Get the details here…

Baby Reindeer fans heartbroken over sudden death of show star as he leaves 'partner and young kids'

Baby Reindeer has taken the world by storm since its release – but fans have been devastated by the sudden and unexpected death of one of the show's key players

Russia finds vast oil and gas reserves in British Antarctic territory

Russia has found vast oil and gas reserves in the Antarctic, much of it in areas claimed by the UK.

ITV The Chase's Jenny Ryan's shares 'last day' update with Bradley Walsh

The Chaser shared the behind the scenes update

Gardening expert says these four plants will keep rats away from your garden

They're known for their strong fragrances which rats tend to avoid

Sobbing Gemma Collins 'told to terminate intersex pregnancy' by doctors

Gemma Collins has revealed she was advised by doctors to terminate her pregnancy after they found out the baby was intersex, leaving her devastated and 'in shock'

Ukraine's pilots are flying high-risk 'wild weasel' missions first developed in the Vietnam War by the USAF, says defense analyst

Ukrainian pilots fly 'wild weasel' missions using US-made AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, a military analyst told BI.

Katie Price slapped with eviction notice and must be out of Mucky Mansion in days

Katie Price has been served an eviction notice at her famous 'Mucky Mansion' home and must leave the property within days. It comes after it she was declared bankrupt for a second time

Real life of Coronation Street's Leanne Battersby star Jane Danson - famous husband, real name, tragic loss and soap 'exit'

It's been 27 years since Leanne arrived in Weatherfield but she backs her bags in upcoming ITV soap scenes

This Eurovision protest with Greta Thunberg is an ugly new low for the anti-Israel Left

The time has come for our leaders to face the horrifying truth: a possible genocide is under way. Since this awful conflict began last year, countless thousands of innocent people have been killed, many of them children, while thousands more are now desperate refugees.

London setting of Queen Elizabeth’s 1992 annus horribilis speech  Crossword Clue

While searching our database we found 1 possible solution for the:  London setting of Queen Elizabeth’s 1992 annus horribilis speech crossword clue.  This crossword clue was last seen on  May 11 2024 Wall Street Journal Crossword  puzzle . The solution we have for London setting of Queen Elizabeth’s 1992 annus horribilis speech has a total of 9 letters.

Verified Answer

Check the table below for more likely or similar clues and answers related to  London setting of Queen Elizabeth’s 1992 annus horribilis speech  crossword clue.

Recent Usage in Crossword Puzzles:

• Wall Street Journal Crossword, May 11 2024

What is the answer to London setting of Queen Elizabeth’s 1992 annus horribilis speech crossword clue

How many letters are in london setting of queen elizabeth’s 1992 annus horribilis speech crossword clue, when was the crossword clue london setting of queen elizabeth’s 1992 annus horribilis speech last seen, crossword solver, latest crosswords, join our newsletter.

Sign up to receive daily alerts, crossword news, and special offers directly to your inbox. Be the first to know when new solutions are posted and stay ahead of the game.

Recent Searches

• LA Times Crossword May 12 2024 Answers
• WSJCrosswordSolver.com ©

We are in no way affiliated or endorsed by Wall Street Journal. This website is for informational purposes only.

• International edition
• Australia edition
• Europe edition

‘We shall be worthy of our duty’: the Queen’s most memorable speeches

From wartime broadcasts to Christmas Day messages, here are excerpts from some of her best-known addresses

Princess Elizabeth’s wartime broadcast on BBC Children’s Hour, 13 October 1940

Thousands of you in this country have had to leave your homes and be separated from your fathers and mothers. My sister, Margaret Rose, and I feel so much for you as we know from experience what it means to be away from those we love most of all.

All of us children who are still at home think continually of our friends and relations who have gone overseas – who have travelled thousands of miles to find a wartime home and a kindly welcome in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and the United States of America.

My sister and I feel we know quite a lot about these countries. Our father and mother have so often talked to us of their visits to different parts of the world. So it is not difficult for us to picture the sort of life you are all leading, and to think of all the new sights you must be seeing, and the adventures you must be having.

We know, every one of us, that in the end all will be well; for God will care for us and give us victory and peace.

My sister is by my side and we are both going to say goodnight to you. Come on, Margaret. Goodnight, children.

The Queen’s first live radio Christmas broadcast, from Sandringham, December 1952

Each Christmas, at this time, my beloved father broadcast a message to his people in all parts of the world. Today I am doing this to you, who are now my people.

At Christmas our thoughts are always full of our homes and our families.

Many grave problems and difficulties confront us all, but with a new faith in the old and splendid beliefs given us by our forefathers, and the strength to venture beyond the safeties of the past, I know we shall be worthy of our duty.

Above all, we must keep alive that courageous spirit of adventure that is the finest quality of youth; and by youth I do not just mean those who are young in years; I mean too all those who are young in heart, no matter how old they may be. That spirit still flourishes in this old country and in all the younger countries of our Commonwealth.

At my coronation next June, I shall dedicate myself anew to your service. I shall do so in the presence of a great congregation, drawn from every part of the Commonwealth and empire, while millions outside Westminster Abbey will hear the promises and the prayers being offered up within its walls, and see much of the ancient ceremony in which kings and queens before me have taken part through century upon century.

Queen’s coronation day speech, 2 June 1953

The ceremonies you have seen today are ancient, and some of their origins are veiled in the mists of the past. But their spirit and their meaning shine through the ages never, perhaps, more brightly than now. I have in sincerity pledged myself to your service, as so many of you are pledged to mine. Throughout all my life and with all my heart I shall strive to be worthy of your trust.

I have behind me not only the splendid traditions and the annals of more than a thousand years but the living strength and majesty of the Commonwealth and empire; of societies old and new; of lands and races different in history and origins but all, by God’s will, united in spirit and in aim.

Therefore, I am sure that this, my coronation, is not the symbol of a power and a splendour that are gone but a declaration of our hopes for the future, and for the years I may, by God’s grace and mercy, be given to reign and serve you as your Queen.

Christmas broadcast on the topic of children’s privacy, 1958

We would like our son and daughter to grow up as normally as possible so that they will be able to serve you and the Commonwealth faithfully and well when they are old enough to do so. We believe the public life is not a fair burden to place on growing children.

Christmas broadcast, 1972

In 1972, the Queen and Prince Philip celebrated 25 years of marriage. That year there was also terrible violence in Northern Ireland, and preparations for Britain to join the European Economic Community. The Queen refers to both these news stories in her speech.

One of the great Christian ideals is a happy and lasting marriage between man and wife, but no marriage can hope to succeed without a deliberate effort to be tolerant and understanding. This doesn’t come easily to individuals and it certainly doesn’t come naturally to communities or nations.

We know only too well that a selfish insistence upon our rights and our own point of view leads to disaster. We all ought to know by now that a civilised and peaceful existence is only possible when people make the effort to understand each other.

Looking at the world, one might be forgiven for believing that many people have never heard of this simple idea. Every day there are reports of violence, lawlessness, and the disregard for human life.

Most of this is excused on purely selfish grounds. I know there are millions of kindly people throughout the world who are saddened with me for all those who suffer from these outrages.

In the United Kingdom we have our own particular sorrows in Northern Ireland and I want to send a special message of sympathy to all those men, women and children who have suffered and endured so much.

But there is a light in this tragic situation. The people are steadfastly carrying on their ordinary business in their factories and places of work.

Voluntary workers, both in and out of uniform, have struggled to keep humanity and commonsense alive. The social services have done their job magnificently. The forces of law and order continue their thankless task with the utmost fortitude in the face of appalling provocation.

Britain is about to join her neighbours in the European Community and you may well ask how this will affect the Commonwealth.

The new links with Europe will not replace those with the Commonwealth. They cannot alter our historical and personal attachments with kinsmen and friends overseas. Old friends will not be lost; Britain will take her Commonwealth links into Europe with her.

Britain and these other European countries see in the community a new opportunity for the future. They believe that the things they have in common are more important than the things which divide them, and that if they work together not only they, but the whole world will benefit.

We are trying to create a wider family of nations and it is particularly at Christmas that this family should feel closest together.

Speech delivered as UK troops are deployed to the Persian Gulf, 24 February 1991

As a nation, we are rightly proud of our armed forces. That pride has been fully justified by their conduct in the Gulf war so far. As they, with our allies, face a fresh and yet sterner challenge, I hope that we can unite, and pray that their success will be as swift as it is certain and that it may be achieved with as small a cost in human life and suffering as possible. Then may the true reward of their courage be granted- a just and lasting peace.

‘Annus horribilis’: Queen’s speech at the Guildhall to mark the 40th anniversary of her accession, 24 November 1992

1992 is not a year on which I shall look back with undiluted pleasure. In the words of one of my more sympathetic correspondents, it has turned out to be an ‘annus horribilis’. I suspect that I am not alone in thinking it so. Indeed, I suspect that there are very few people or institutions unaffected by these last months of worldwide turmoil and uncertainty. This generosity and whole-hearted kindness of the Corporation of the City to Prince Philip and me would be welcome at any time, but at this particular moment, in the aftermath of Friday’s tragic fire at Windsor, it is especially so.

I sometimes wonder how future generations will judge the events of this tumultuous year.

There can be no doubt, of course, that criticism is good for people and institutions that are part of public life. No institution – city, monarchy, whatever – should expect to be free from the scrutiny of those who give it their loyalty and support, not to mention those who don’t.

Christmas speech, 1996

In difficult times, it is tempting for all of us, especially those who suffer, to look back and say ‘if only’. But to look back in that way is to look down a blind alley. Better to look forward and say ‘if only’.

Address to the nation on the death of Diana, 5 September 1997

We have all been trying in our different ways to cope. It is not easy to express a sense of loss, since the initial shock is often succeeded by a mixture of other feelings: disbelief, incomprehension, anger – and concern for those who remain.

We have all felt those emotions in these last few days. So what I say to you now, as your queen and as a grandmother, I say from my heart.

First, I want to pay tribute to Diana myself. She was an exceptional and gifted human being. In good times and bad, she never lost her capacity to smile and laugh, nor to inspire others with her warmth and kindness.

I admired and respected her – for her energy and commitment to others, and especially for her devotion to her two boys …

No one who knew Diana will ever forget her. Millions of others who never met her, but felt they knew her, will remember her.

The Queen on her golden wedding anniversary, 20 November 1997

When Prince Philip and I were married on this day 50 years ago, Britain had just endured six years of war, emerging battered but victorious. Prince Philip had served in the Royal Navy in the far east, while I was grappling, in the ATS, with the complexities of the combustion engine and learning to drive an ambulance with care.

All too often, I fear, Prince Philip has had to listen to me speaking. Frequently we have discussed my intended speech beforehand and, as you will imagine, his views have been expressed in a forthright manner.

He is someone who doesn’t take easily to compliments but he has, quite simply, been my strength and stay all these years, and I, and his whole family, and this and many other countries, owe him a debt greater than he would ever claim, or we shall ever know.

Christmas message, 1999

As I look to the future I have no doubt at all that the one certainty is change – and the pace of that change will only seem to increase …

There are many, for example, of my age or amongst the more vulnerable in society who worry that they will be left behind. The sheer rate of change seems to be sweeping away so much that is familiar and comforting.

But I do not think that we should be over-anxious. We can make sense of the future – if we understand the lessons of the past.

Centenary of the Entente Cordiale, state banquet in Paris, 5 April 2004

If I may be allowed tonight one small British understatement, our historical relationship has not always been smooth. For centuries we fought each other fiercely, often and everywhere – from Hastings to Waterloo, from the heights of Abraham to the mouth of the Nile.

But since 1815 our two nations have not been to war. On the contrary, we have stood together, resolute in defence of liberty and democracy, notably through the terrible global conflicts of the 20th century.

We are both reminded that neither of our two great nations, nor Europe, nor the wider western alliance, can afford the luxury of short-term division or discord, in the face of threats to our security and prosperity that now challenge us all.

Of course, we will never agree on everything. Life would be dull indeed, not least for the rest of the world, if we did not allow ourselves a little space to live up to our national caricatures – British pragmatism and French elan; French conceptualism and British humour; British rain and French sun; I think we should enjoy the complementarity of it all.

I believe our two peoples understand this sometimes more clearly than our governments. Thousands of British are settling, living and working in France, and thousands of French are crossing the Channel to do the same. Millions of British holidaymakers visit France each year.

Our histories have made us frequent rivals, but like our forebears a hundred years ago, we now need to recognise that we are natural 21st-century partners in Europe and the wider world.

Vive la difference, mais vive L’Entente Cordiale.

60th anniversary D-day commemoration in Arromanches, 6 June 2004

This audience knows of the historic significance of what took place here 60 years ago: the sheer size and scope of the operation – it included the largest massed airborne landing yet attempted anywhere and successfully made; the boldness and imagination of the concept; the months of painstaking planning; the endless training and waiting; and then the ferocity of the day itself and the campaign that followed.

None of this meticulous preparation would have achieved anything without the courage and fortitude, and the dogged determination, of the hundreds of thousands of servicemen who landed on the beaches on that day, and then fought their way inland in the face of determined opposition.

After so many frustrating delays, the invasion of Europe, for which everyone in the free world had been praying, had finally started, and everyone hoped that it would lead to a speedy end to the war. My father broadcast to the nation on that day and said: “Once more a supreme test has to be faced. This time the challenge is not to fight to survive, but to fight to win the final victory for the good cause”.

There is just one thing more I want to say. What for you is a haunting memory of danger and sacrifice one summer long ago, is for your country, and for generations of your countrymen to come, one of the proudest moments in our long national history.

I take it upon myself to express the immense debt of gratitude we owe to you all. I salute you, and thank you on behalf of our whole nation.

Opening of a memorial fountain to Diana, 6 July 2004

It is sometimes difficult to believe that it is now nearly seven years since we heard the news that Diana, Princess of Wales had been killed in a car crash in Paris.

By any standard Diana’s tragic death held the attention of the world. Central to this remains the extraordinary effect Diana had on those around her. Her drive to empathise with those in difficulty, hardship or distress, her willingness to embrace a new cause, her shrewd ability to size up all those she met, allowed her not only to touch people’s lives but to change them.

This is her wider legacy. But I cannot forget – and nor can those of us here today who knew her much more personally, as sister, wife, mother, or daughter-in-law – the Diana who made such an impact on our lives. Of course, there were difficult times, but memories mellow with the passing of the years. I remember especially the happiness she gave to my two grandsons.

The Queen’s 80th birthday speech at Mansion House, 15 June 2006

As one gets older, birthdays seem to come round quicker; they are therefore less obvious excuses for wider celebration than personal moments to count one’s blessings. As Groucho Marx once said: “Anyone can get old – all you have to do is live long enough.”

Address to the UN general assembly, 2010

I believe I was last here in 1957. Since then, I have travelled widely and met many leaders, ambassadors, and statesmen from around the world. I address you today as Queen of 16 United Nations member states and as head of the Commonwealth of 54 countries.

The achievements of the United Nations are remarkable. When I was first here, there were just three United Nations operations overseas. Now, over 120,000 men and women are deployed in 26 missions across the world. You have helped to reduce conflict; you have offered humanitarian assistance to millions of people affected by natural disasters and other emergencies; and you have been deeply committed to tackling the effects of poverty in many parts of the world.

But so much remains to be done. Former secretary general Dag Hammarskjöld once said that “constant attention by a good nurse may be just as important as a major operation by a surgeon”. Good nurses get better with practice; sadly the supply of patients never ceases.

In my lifetime, the United Nation[s] has – has moved from being a high-minded aspiration to being a real force for common good. That of itself has been a signal achievement. But we are not gathered here to reminisce. In tomorrow’s world, we must all work together as hard as ever if we are truly to be United Nations.

Speech during the Queen’s first visit ever to Ireland, at Dublin Castle, 18 May 2011

Together we have much to celebrate: the ties between our people, the shared values, and the economic, business and cultural links that make us so much more than neighbours, that make us firm friends and equal partners …

Of course, the relationship has not always been straightforward; nor has the record over the centuries been entirely benign.

It is a sad and regrettable reality that through history our islands have experienced more than their fair share of heartache, turbulence and loss.

These events have touched us all, many of us personally, and are a painful legacy. We can never forget those who have died or been injured or their families.

To all those who have suffered as a consequence of our troubled past I extend my sincere thoughts and deep sympathy.

With the benefit of historical hindsight we can all see things which we would wish had been done differently or not at all.

Speech during President Barack Obama’s state visit, 24 May 2011

Mr President,

I am delighted to welcome you and Mrs Obama to London.

Your visit to this country inevitably reminds us of our shared history, our common language, and our strong intellectual and cultural links. It also reminds us that your country twice came to the rescue of the free and democratic world when it was facing military disaster. On each occasion, after the end of those destructive wars, the generosity of the United States made a massive contribution to our economic recovery. Today the United States remains our most important ally and our two nations contribute to the security and prosperity of our peoples, and of the world, through shared national interests.

But our relationship goes far beyond our military and diplomatic ties. Entertainment may not be so obviously an example of our close ties, but it forms part of the lives of a great many of our people. Over the years, we have enjoyed some of America’s most spectacular musical productions and any number of what we call films – and you might prefer to call movies. In return, British films and theatrical productions have achieved considerable success in your country. This exchange of people and projects has enlarged and invigorated our common language – although I think you will agree we do not always use it in quite the same way!

Queen’s address to the Houses of Parliament to mark her diamond jubilee, 20 March 2012

Parliament has survived as an unshakeable cornerstone of our constitution and our way of life. History links monarchs and parliament, a connecting thread from one period to the next. So, in an era when the regular, worthy rhythm of life is less eye-catching than doing something extraordinary, I am reassured that I am merely the second sovereign to celebrate a diamond jubilee.

Since my accession, I have been a regular visitor to the Palace of Westminster and, at the last count, have had the pleasurable duty of treating with 12 prime ministers.

The happy relationship I have enjoyed with parliament has extended well beyond the more than three and a half thousand bills I have signed into law.

We are reminded here of our past, of the continuity of our national story and the virtues of resilience, ingenuity and tolerance which created it. I have been privileged to witness some of that history and, with the support of my family, rededicate myself to the service of our great country and its people now and in the years to come.

Queen’s speech at the Olympic heads of government reception, 27 July 2012

Over recent months, many in these islands have watched with growing excitement the journey of the Olympic torch around the United Kingdom. As the torch has passed through villages and towns it has drawn people together as families and communities. To me, this spirit of togetherness is a most important part of the Olympic ideal; and the British people can be proud of the part they have played in keeping the spirit alive. Many sports played in these Games have their historic roots in this country; and as a nation we have an abiding passion for sport, as well as a tradition of fair play and a good-natured sense of fun.

In all our national Olympics teams there is so much of which we can be proud: groups of young men and women dedicated to excellence and achievement across numerous sporting disciplines. And these teams are ably supported by thousands of organisers, volunteers, and supporters who will be following the action not just at the Olympic venues here in the United Kingdom but throughout the world.

For all these reasons, I wish you and your countries a successful, enjoyable and memorable Games.

‘We will meet again’: Queen’s pandemic speech, recorded at Windsor Castle, 5 April 2020

I am speaking to you at what I know is an increasingly challenging time. A time of disruption in the life of our country: a disruption that has brought grief to some, financial difficulties to many, and enormous changes to the daily lives of us all.

I want to thank everyone on the NHS frontline, as well as care workers and those carrying out essential roles, who selflessly continue their day-to-day duties outside the home in support of us all.

I also want to thank those of you who are staying at home, thereby helping to protect the vulnerable and sparing many families the pain already felt by those who have lost loved ones. Together we are tackling this disease, and I want to reassure you that if we remain united and resolute, then we will overcome it.

I hope in the years to come everyone will be able to take pride in how they responded to this challenge. And those who come after us will say the Britons of this generation were as strong as any.

That the attributes of self-discipline, of quiet good-humoured resolve and of fellow-feeling still characterise this country. The pride in who we are is not a part of our past, it defines our present and our future.

The moments when the United Kingdom has come together to applaud its care and essential workers will be remembered as an expression of our national spirit; and its symbol will be the rainbows drawn by children.

It reminds me of the very first broadcast I made, in 1940, helped by my sister. We, as children, spoke from here at Windsor to children who had been evacuated from their homes and sent away for their own safety. Today, once again, many will feel a painful sense of separation from their loved ones.

This time we join with all nations across the globe in a common endeavour, using the great advances of science and our instinctive compassion to heal. We will succeed – and that success will belong to every one of us.

We should take comfort that while we may have more still to endure, better days will return: we will be with our friends again; we will be with our families again; we will meet again. But for now, I send my thanks and warmest good wishes to you all.

• Queen Elizabeth II

Most viewed

Former President Donald Trump talks about immigration, economy in Waukesha: recap of Wednesday's rally

Former President Donald Trump was in Waukesha Wednesday for his second rally of the presidential campaign in Wisconsin, speaking at the Waukesha County Expo Center.

Trump's visit comes off the heels of the latest Marquette University Law School poll, which showed him with a two-percentage point lead over President Joe Biden, well within the margin of error. Wisconsin is one of just a handful of contested states that will  decide the next presidential election .

Trump was last in Wisconsin on April 2, when he held a rally in Green Bay . The Waukesha rally is Trump's first campaign event since the start of his hush money trial in Manhattan.

Here's a recap of the day's events:

Immigration, economy major focus of Trump's speech

Similar to his rally in Green Bay, Trump used his speech to criticize Biden on his handling of the U.S.-Mexico border, calling it "the worst border in the history of the world."

"Biden came in and unleashed mayhem on our economy, just like he unleashed mayhem on our border," Trump said. "They have people flowing in from the poorest and the heaviest-crime countries all over the world."

In the latest Marquette University Law School poll , Wisconsin voters considered Trump better than Biden at handling immigration and border security, plus the economy, Israel-Hamas war and foreign relations. Biden had the lead on health care, abortion policy and Medicare and Social Security.

Voters overall ranked the economy as their top issue, with 33% saying it would be most important for deciding who to vote for. Immigration and border security was the second, with 21% citing that issue.

More: Takeaways from Donald Trump's Wisconsin rally: economy, immigration, early voting

— Hope Karnopp

Democrats focus on abortion policy in response

In response to Trump's visit, Democrats focused on abortion access, a key message that they've delivered at Biden campaign events.

"Trump’s abortion bans are wreaking havoc across the country — something he called “incredible” today — and he’s fine with it. Because it’s all about him, not Wisconsin, and not America," said Brianna Johnson, a spokeswoman for the Biden-Harris campaign in Wisconsin.

"As president, Donald Trump delivered less jobs and paved the way for extreme abortion bans across America. His next term could be worse: more bans, more suffering, and higher costs."

Trump briefly addressed abortion in his speech, repeating his position that abortion is best left up to the states. In an interview before his remarks, he declined to weigh in on whether the state Supreme Court should uphold a lower court's ruling restoring abortion access in Wisconsin.

Wisconsin chairman of Republican Party will continue promoting early voting

Republican Party of Wisconsin chairman Brian Schimming told reporters he will continue promoting early voting.

“The Republican National Committee will continue to do that, and so will the president,” Schimming said.

Trump has sent mixed messages on early voting, but has recently shifted his tone. Following the 2020 election, Trump sought to throw out ballots cast in-person absentee in Milwaukee and Dane counties.

Waukesha County Executive Paul Farrow also asked the crowd to vote early.

“We are going to get hammered by out-of-state money," Farrow said. "They’re going to flood every single election that we have. If we get out and vote early, that means our dollars can be targeted to those who haven’t voted yet.”

Staunch Trump ally Mike Lindell splits off over early voting stance

One of Trump’s staunchest allies Wednesday split from the former president on a key issue to the 2024 election cycle: early voting.

Mike Lindell, a pillow manufacturer and one of the most prominent purveyors of Trump’s false election claims, told the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel he didn't support the former president’s recent about-face on absentee voting.

“I’m 100% against voting early. I always will be," Lindell said. "It’s harder for (Democrats) to cheat with same-day voting."

Trump has long encouraged supporters to abstain from voting absentee and sought to throw out all in-person absentee ballots cast in the two most populous Wisconsin counties during the 2020 election. But Republicans have persuaded Trump to change his stance on the voting option to encourage GOP voters to maximize their voting power.

Lindell, who was meeting with rally attendees Wednesday outside of the Waukesha County Expo Center, also promoted the recall of Assembly Speaker Robin Vos, who has become a target of Trump and his allies over his unwillingness to take steps to overturn Trump’s 2020 loss.

“Robin Vos has to go,” Lindell said. “Vos is the most toxic politician I’ve ever come across.”

— Claudia Levens and Molly Beck

Supporters begin filing into venue for Trump rally

Supporters are slowly beginning to filter in to the Waukesha County Expo Center, where Trump is set to take the stage at 2 p.m.

A large crowd waited outside the expo center long before doors opened, forming a line that snaked through part of the parking lot.

More: Trump backers flock to Wisconsin rally, shrug off break from hush money trial

Vendors sell Trump merchandise outside rally

Steven Reid, 38, of Tennessee wound through the line of Trump supporters before the doors opened Wednesday trying to sell merchandise.

On his cart were hats, keychains, bracelets and more. He said many people already seemed to have hats, though.

“Sometimes they buy stuff and sometimes they don’t,” said Reid, who said he travels the country selling merchandise at Trump rallies.

— Alison Dirr

Biden campaign slams Trump for 'harmful' working-class policies

Ahead of Trump’s visit to Waukesha, the Biden campaign slammed Trump for his backing of policies the Biden campaign characterizes as being harmful to “working people here in Wisconsin,” citing tax cuts for corporations and the nation’s wealthiest residents.

“Wisconsinites can’t continue to pay the price while Trump only looks out for himself and his rich donors,” Biden’s Wisconsin communications director Brianna Johnson said in a statement.

“Enough is enough. Wisconsinites are throwing their support behind President Biden because his focus is on empowering American workers. He oversaw the fastest rate of union growth in Wisconsin in the last 30 years, became the first sitting president to join a picket line, and just last week announced plans to put more money in workers’ pockets by getting them the overtime pay they deserve."

— Molly Beck

Milwaukee protest organizers denounce Trump visit

On the Southside of Milwaukee, organizers and supporters for Voces De La Frontera gathered as they had for nearly 20 years to march for immigrant rights. But Trump’s visit to Waukesha was not ignored by organizers.

“You are not welcome in Wisconsin,” said Christine Neumann Ortiz, executive director for Voces. “You are the real threat to democracy. You orchestrated a failed coup with your corrupt followers and white supremacists. and we reject your racist platform, that promises, dictatorship, military-style mass, deportation, and family separation.“

And while Trump’s visit gathered attention from organizers, so did the protest encampments at UW-Madison and UW-Milwaukee. Students on those campuses and others around the country have been organizing demonstrations against their universities' involvement with the Israeli government and its action against Palestinians in Gaza.

Omar Flores, co-chair for the Coalition to March on the RNC, said the police response to the encampments 'will inform us of how they will treat us during the RNC.'

“The city of Milwaukee and nearby municipalities plan to roll out the red carpet for the Republicans and their hateful agenda, and the residents will do everything they can to reject hate in our communities,” Flores said.

But the Biden administration received some criticism from activists for its backing of Israel in its conflict with Palestinians.

“We see that the US government found $26 billion to finance Israel’s bombardment and destruction of Gaza over 30 hospitals and can’t find the funds to keep maternity wards here in Milwaukee open,” said Dr. Roa Qato, gynecologist and co-leader of the Milwaukee Chapter of Healthcare Workers for Palestine.

“We see families under Biden, and under Trump, struggling to make ends meet and to be able to pay for necessary medical supplies and medication.”

— Ricardo Torres

Crowd gets to Trump rally in Waukesha early

Bil Aldrich, 51, of DeForest pulled up to the rally before 8:30 a.m. Wednesday in a truck flying a Trump 2020 flag that he said he keeps up even when he's not at an event.

He said he goes to every Trump rally he can, and this is his sixth since October 2020.

“They’re fun, great people,” he said. “Every stranger is a better friend than some of my closest family.”

He called Trump “honest to a fault” and said the criminal charges he's facing are “show trials.”

“They’re BS, but he’ll prevail one way or another, even if he ends up running the country from jail,” Aldrich said.

Trump under gag order about Stormy Daniels trial

Trump is taking advantage of a rare mid-week day out of a New York courtroom where he's on trial for allegedly paying off a porn star to be quiet about a past sexual relationship during his first campaign for president. 

But Trump faces potential jail time if he again violates a gag order he's under as part of the court proceeding, making it unlikely he'll mention the case in Waukesha.

Trump was fined after he posted on his social media site Truth Social about potential witnesses in the case, including his former attorney, Michael Cohen, and the porn star at the center of the case, Stormy Daniels. 

New York Judge Juan Merchan fined Trump $10,000 for the posts, which he deemed a violation of the gag order, and said Trump should be able to campaign freely and defend himself against political attacks but that he not willfully violate the court’s orders. 

“If necessary and appropriate under the circumstances, (the court) will impose an incarceratory punishment,” Merchan wrote. 

Where is Donald Trump speaking Wednesday?

Trump is holding his rally at the Waukesha County Expo Center, where he speak at around 2 p.m.

The same expo center was used in early March when first lady Jill Biden rallied a crowd of mostly women voters around abortion and health care.

In 2020 , Trump won Waukesha County with about 60% of the vote, compared to Biden's 39%. Margins of victory for Republican presidential candidates in the county have dropped from 35 points in 2012 to 27 in 2016 to 21 in 2020.

What will Donald Trump talk about in Wisconsin on Wednesday?

Trump will "contrast the peace, prosperity and security of his first term with Joe Biden’s failed presidency," his campaign said.

At his Green Bay rally, Trump tore into Biden over his administration's handling of immigration issues at the southern border. The Marquette poll showed Wisconsin voters see Trump better at handling immigration and border security.

Trump also promised to keep Social Security intact if reelected. In that same poll, voters said Biden would do a better job of handling Medicare and Social Security.

Trump also repeated false claims that he won the 2020 election in Wisconsin. Biden won Wisconsin by about 21,000 votes in 2020, a defeat that was key to Trump's reelection loss that year.

• Share full article

Advertisement

Supported by

Kendrick Lamar vs. Drake Beef Goes Nuclear: What to Know

The two rappers had circled one another for more than a decade, but their attacks turned relentless and very personal in a slew of tracks released over the weekend.

By Joe Coscarelli

The long-building and increasingly testy rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake exploded into full-bore acrimony and unverifiable accusations over the weekend. Both artists rapid-fire released multiple songs littered with attacks regarding race, appropriation, sexual and physical abuse, body image, misogyny, hypocrisy, generational trauma and more.

Most relentless was Lamar, a Pulitzer Prize winner from Compton, Calif., who tends toward the isolated and considered but has now released four verbose and conceptual diss tracks — totaling more than 20 minutes of new music — targeting Drake in the last week, including three since Friday.

Each racked up millions of streams and the three that were made available commercially — “Euphoria,” “Meet the Grahams” and “Not Like Us” — are expected to land near the top of next week’s Billboard singles chart, while seeming to, at least momentarily, shift the public perception of Drake, long a maestro of the online public arena and meme ecosystem .

In between, on Friday night, Drake released his own broadside against Lamar — plus a smattering of other recent challengers — in a teasing Instagram interlude plus a three-part track and elaborate music video titled “Family Matters,” in which he referred to his rival as a fake activist and attempted to expose friction and alleged abuse in Lamar’s romantic relationship.

But that song was followed within half an hour by Lamar’s “Meet the Grahams,” an ominous extended address to the parents and young son of Drake, born Aubrey Graham, in which Lamar refers to his rival rapper as a liar and “pervert” who “should die” in order to make the world safer for women.

Lamar also seemed to assert that Drake had more than a decade ago fathered a secret daughter — echoing the big reveal of his son from Drake’s last headline rap beef — a claim Drake quickly denied on Instagram before hitting back in another song on Sunday. (Neither man has addressed the full array of rapped allegations directly.)

On Tuesday, a security guard was shot and seriously injured outside of Drake’s Toronto home, which appeared on the cover art for Lamar’s “Not Like Us.” Authorities said they could not yet speak to a motive in the shooting, but the investigation was ongoing. Representatives for Drake and Lamar did not immediately comment.

How did two of the most famous artists in the world decide to take the gloves off and bring real-life venom into an extended sparring match for rap supremacy? It was weeks, months and years in the making, with a sudden, breakneck escalation into hip-hop infamy. Here’s a breakdown.

Since late March, the much-anticipated head-to-head seemed inevitable. Following years of “will they or won’t they?” lyrical feints, Lamar hit directly on record first this year during a surprise appearance on the song “Like That” by the Atlanta rapper Future and the producer Metro Boomin, both formerly frequent Drake collaborators.

With audible disgust, Lamar invoked the track “First Person Shooter” from last year’s Drake album, “For All the Dogs,” in which a guest verse from J. Cole referred to himself, Drake and Lamar as “the big three” of modern MCs.

Lamar took exception to the grouping, declaring that there was no big three, “just big me.” He also called himself the Prince to Drake’s Michael Jackson — a deeper, more complex artist versus a troubled, pop-oriented hitmaker.

“Like That” spent three weeks at No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100, as Future and Metro Boomin released two chart-topping albums — “We Don’t Trust You” and “We Still Don’t Trust You” — that were anchored by a parade of Drake’s past associates, each of whom seemed to share a simmering distaste toward the rapper, who later called the ambush a “20 v. 1” fight.

In early April, J. Cole fought back momentarily , releasing the song “7 Minute Drill,” in which he called Lamar overrated, before backtracking, apologizing and having the song removed from streaming services. But Drake soon picked up the baton, releasing a wide-ranging diss track called “Push Ups” less than a week later that addressed the field, with a special focus on Lamar’s height, shoe size and supposedly disadvantageous business dealings.

Less than a week later, Drake mocked Lamar’s lack of a response on “Taylor Made Freestyle,” a track released only on social media. It featured Drake taunting Lamar for being scared to release music at the same time as Taylor Swift and using A.I. voice filters to mimic Tupac and Snoop Dogg imploring Lamar to battle for the good of the West Coast.

“Since ‘Like That,’ your tone changed a little, you not as enthused,” Drake rapped in an abbreviated third verse, as himself. “How are you not in the booth? It feel like you kinda removed.” (“Taylor Made Freestyle” was later removed from the internet at the request of the Tupac Estate.)

But it was a seemingly tossed-off line from the earlier “Push Ups” that included the name of Lamar’s longtime romantic partner — “I be with some bodyguards like Whitney” — that Lamar would later allude to as a red line crossed, making all subject matter fair game in the songs to come. (It was this same alleged faux pas that may have triggered an intensification of Drake’s beef with Pusha T in 2018.)

How We Got Here

Even with Drake-dissing cameos from Future, Ye (formerly Kanye West), Rick Ross, the Weeknd and ASAP Rocky, the main event was always going to be between Drake, 37, and Lamar, 36, who have spent more than a decade subtly antagonizing one another in songs while maintaining an icy frenemy rapport in public.

In 2011, when Drake introduced Lamar to mainstream audiences with a dedicated showcase on his second album, “Take Care,” and an opening slot on the subsequent arena tour, the tone was one of side-eying competition. “He said that he was the same age as myself/and it didn’t help ’cause it made me even more rude and impatient,” Lamar rapped on “Buried Alive Interlude” of his earliest encounter with a more-famous Drake. (On his Instagram on Friday, Drake released a parody of the track, citing Lamar’s jealousy since then.)

The pair went on to appear together on “Poetic Justice,” a single from Lamar’s debut album, “Good Kid, M.A.A.D City,” in 2012, as well as “___ Problems” by ASAP Rocky the same year.

But their collaborations ceased as Drake became his generation’s premier hitmaker across styles in hip-hop and beyond, while Lamar burrowed deeper into his own psyche on knotty concept albums that brought wide critical acclaim alongside less constant commercial success.

When asked, the two rappers tended to profess admiration for one another’s skill, but seemed to trade subtle digs in verses over the years, always with plausible deniability and in the spirit of competition, leading to something of a hip-hop cold war.

The Week It Went Nuclear

Lamar’s first targeted response, “Euphoria,” was more than six minutes long and released last Tuesday morning. In three sections that raised the temperature as they built, he warned Drake about proceeding and insisted, somewhat facetiously, that things were still friendly. “Know you a master manipulator and habitual liar too,” Lamar rapped. “But don’t tell no lie about me and I won’t tell truths ’bout you.”

He accused the biracial Drake, who was born and raised in Toronto, of imitating Black American heritage and insulting him subliminally. “I hate the way that you walk, the way that you talk, I hate the way that you dress,” Lamar said. “I hate the way that you sneak diss, if I catch flight, it’s gon’ be direct.” And he called Drake’s standing as a father into question: “Teachin’ him morals, integrity, discipline/listen, man, you don’t know nothin’ ’bout that.”

Days later, Lamar doubled down with an Instagram-only track called “6:16 in LA,” borrowing both Drake’s “Back to Back” diss tactic from his 2015 beef with Meek Mill and a song title structure lifted from what is known as Drake’s time-stamp series of raps. Opting for psychological warfare on a beat produced in part by Jack Antonoff, Swift’s chief collaborator, Lamar hinted that he had a mole in Drake’s operation and was aware of his opponent’s opposition research.

“Fake bully, I hate bullies, you must be a terrible person,” he rapped. “Everyone inside your team is whispering that you deserve it.”

That night, Drake’s “Family Matters” started with its own justification for getting personal — “You mentioned my seed, now deal with his dad/I gotta go bad, I gotta go bad” — before taking on Lamar’s fatherhood and standing as a man in excruciating detail. “They hired a crisis management team to clean up the fact that you beat on your queen,” Drake rapped. “The picture you painted ain’t what it seem/you’re dead.”

Yet in a chess move that seemed to anticipate Drake’s familial line of attack, Lamar’s “Meet the Grahams” was released almost immediately. “This supposed to be a good exhibition within the game,” Lamar said, noting that Drake had erred “the moment you called out my family’s name.” Instead of a rap battle, Lamar concluded after another six minutes of psychological dissection, “this a long life battle with yourself.”

He wasn’t done yet. Dispensing with subtlety, Lamar followed up again less than 24 hours later with “Not Like Us,” a bouncy club record in a Los Angeles style that delighted in more traditional rap beef territory, like juvenile insults, proudly unsubstantiated claims of sexual preferences and threats of violence.

Lamar, however, didn’t leave it at that, throwing one more shot at Drake’s authenticity as a rapper, calling him a greedy and artificial user as a collaborator — “not a colleague,” but a “colonizer.”

On Sunday evening, Drake responded yet again. On “The Heart Part 6,” a title taken from Lamar’s career-spanning series, Drake denied the accusation that he preyed on young women, indicated that he had planted the bad information about his fake daughter and seemed to sigh away the fight as “some good exercise.”

“It’s good to get out, get the pen working,” Drake said in an exhausted outro. “You would be a worthy competitor if I was really a predator.” He added, “You know, at least your fans are getting some raps out of you. I’m happy I could motivate you.”

Joe Coscarelli is a culture reporter with a focus on popular music, and the author of “Rap Capital: An Atlanta Story.” More about Joe Coscarelli

Explore the World of Hip-Hop

The long-building and increasingly testy rap beef between Kendrick Lamar and Drake  has exploded into full-bore acrimony .

As their influence and success continue to grow, artists including Sexyy Red and Cardi B are destigmatizing motherhood for hip-hop performers .

ValTown, an account on X and other social media platforms, spotlights gangs and drug kingpins of the 1980s and 1990s , illustrating how they have driven the aesthetics and the narratives of hip-hop.

Three new books cataloging objects central to rap’s physical history  demonstrate the importance of celebrating these relics before they vanish.

Hip-hop got its start in a Bronx apartment building 50 years ago. Here’s how the concept of home has been at the center of the genre ever since .

Over five decades, hip-hop has grown from a new art form to a culture-defining superpower . In their own words, 50 influential voices chronicle its evolution .