President Donald Trump made a whirlwind visit to Rome on Thursday, stopping at The Varsity before ending the day with a rally at Coosa Steel where he praised his tariff policies to a loud, energized crowd.

The trip followed a week of heavy social media speculation and limited public details about his schedule. Several hundred people lined up at Coosa Steel’s Darlington Drive warehouse before noon hoping to get inside, and doors were closed shortly before Trump arrived as the space filled.

Not all the attention was supportive. Protesters gathered at Broad Street and Turner McCall Boulevard and along Eighth Avenue, holding signs and focusing their message on the Epstein files. Organizers estimated the permitted protest drew about 150 people at its peak. Nearby, supporters also gathered hoping to see the president, and fewer than 100 people waited behind barricades across from The Varsity around lunchtime.

Law enforcement and what appeared to be U.S. Secret Service agents were positioned around The Varsity at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard and Spider Webb Drive. Dump trucks blocked part of the street, traffic backed up on North Broad, and drivers were routed away from the area. Protesters and supporters traded insults during a tense exchange, but there were no reported arrests or physical confrontations.

At Coosa Steel, Trump listed what he called accomplishments from his first year back in office while criticizing the previous administration. He highlighted tariffs, telling the crowd, “I love tariffs… it’s my favorite, favorite word,” and claimed his tariffs on Chinese products helped save Coosa Steel — a statement confirmed by company president Andrew Saville.

The visit coincided with early voting in the 14th Congressional District special election, where 18 candidates are running to complete the term of former Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, who resigned in January. Trump endorsed Republican Clay Fuller, the Lookout Mountain Judicial Circuit district attorney, and brought him on stage. State Rep. Katie Dempsey, R-Rome, spoke ahead of Trump and encouraged voters to participate.