Trump fakes leaving his Rock Hill rally: “The people started to leave”

Donald Trump has a new closing routine, and in Rock Hill, South Carolina, he ran it again. “So with those four points, good afternoon, ladies and gentlemen,” he said. “I’m leaving. Vote for that lady.”

It was a bit. “It’s a hell of a way to end,” he said. Moments later he told the crowd, in his own words, that “the people started to leave.” His review: “That’s all right.”

He explained he’d tried it “the other day” and walked off, and the Secret Service “was running all over.” “They said, he’s leaving early.” He still likes the gag: “it’s a much better routine when you do it that way.” Then he asked the front row whether it isn’t better to walk “down the stairs,” then “come back, finish up.”

In his telling, the bit has now sent the Secret Service running once and the people leaving once. The routine is staying.