Trump landed at Williamsport Regional Airport, where his father held a political rally in May 2019. The son of the president was taken by Secret Service into the borough of Montoursville. Several hundred supporters, many carrying Trump signs and waving American flags, lined Loyalsock Avenue and Broad Street. Trump stopped the Secret Service-run caravan and got out briefly to speak to the crowd, said Vincent Matteo, chairman of the Lycoming County Republican Committee.

Jeff Stroehmann, chair of Lycoming County for Trump 2020, a grassroots organization, said those supporters in the group later presented Trump with a three-dimensional collage by Daniel French, a local artist. Across the top the collage read: “We the People of Lycoming County Stand Behind Donald Trump.”

“How gracious and how approachable he was,” Stroehmann said of Trump jumping out of the caravan and shaking hands for thanking people for their civic engagement.

“The people felt so good when he left,” Stroehmann said. “He was patient and generous with his time.”

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette Eric Trump, son of President Donald Trump greets and shakes hands with Trump supporters as his and his entourage leave the airport on Loyalsock Avenue Saturday.

The event

As many as 250 guests had previously arrived at Trump’s destination, the home of former U.S. Rep. Tom Marino near Cogan Station. The vehicles were parked in a field nearby, as guests were shuttled to the house after getting a temperature screening and filling out a Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention form, precautions because of COVID-19, then received a hand stamp as they were escorted onto the property, Matteo said.

Trump, wearing casual attire – jeans and a button-down shirt – greeted the guests, spoke for about 45 minutes on a variety of topics, and interspersed his talk with humor, Matteo said.

“My father loves Pennsylvania and he knows Pennsylvania has his father’s back,” Trump said. Trump won Pennsylvania in 2016, a state that sealed his victory over Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton.

Trump expressed how the president would be best for the state’s economy, specifically targeting energy independence, keenly aware of the region’s dependence on natural gas drilling for jobs and for the natural resource it provides.

MARK NANCE/Sun-Gazette A crowd of over 100 Trump supporters greet Eric Trump and his entourage as they leave the airport on Loyalsock Avenue Saturday. Trump thrilled the crowd by stopping, shaking hands and greeting the crowd before heading on to the home of former Tom Marino.

The “Make America Great Again” campaign event was full of energy and positive about his father’s chances for reelection, Matteo said. especially in winning Pennsylvania, one of the key swing states considered to be what launched the president to victory in 2016.

He pointed toward what he said were former vice president Joe Biden’s failure, along with former President Barack Obama and that administration in the nuclear deal with Iran and noted the president’s efforts to secure Middle East peace between Israel, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain in the current Abrahamic Accords. President Trump has been nominated for a Nobel Peace Prize.

While Eric Trump spoke, the president was addressing a large crowd in North Carolina, another potential swing state in the election.

The event was absent of any media, a private donation-per-plate affair without a media presence, a request of the Trump campaign. Trump’s visit was one of several across the state after a recent stop in Milford to rally support for his father’s reelection on Nov. 3.

This is friendly territory for the president and Trump did as expected and won the nomination of the Republican Party in the state primary election held on June 2.

The president had one of his biggest wins in the primary in Lycoming County, according to official results from county Voter Services.

Trump garnered about 70 percent of the votes in the area. In his first presidential election, Trump won the county with 35,475 votes or 70.5 percent. Clinton was second with 12,926 votes or 25.7 percent, according to election results.

Williamsport and surrounding areas Trump-Pence political signs outnumber signs for Biden and U.S. Sen. Kamala Harris, D-Calif.

Also introducing Trump were Lawrence Tabas, the chairman of the Pennsylvania GOP Party, U.S. Rep. Fred Keller, R-Kreamer, and state Sen. Gene Yaw, R-Loyalsock Township; state Rep. Jeff Wheeland, R-Loyalsock Township.

Trump arrived at 5:20 p.m. and left when he was scheduled, Matteo said.

“It was a great day,” Matteo said.