Donald Trump campaigned with his wife Melania for the first time in front of 20,000 fans at a marathon five-hour MAGA rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday night.
The former president said he would be the first Republican to win New York in 40 years and warned that voting for Kamala Harris is a ‘gamble’ that will cost ‘millions of lives’ at the monstrous event in the heart of Manhattan.
The 78-year-old was welcomed to the stage after a surprise appearance by the former first lady and shook the “World’s Most Famous Arena” with his often-repeated attacks on Harris’ border policies and rising crime. .
The lineup of speakers that included Elon Musk and Tucker Carlson began with controversial podcaster and comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, who sparked widespread fury by calling Puerto Rico a “floating island of garbage.”
He was followed by businessman Grant Cardone, who raised eyebrows by saying that Harris and his “pimps” would “destroy the country.”
But after hours of anticipation, the crowd roared when his wife brought Trump on stage calling him the “next commander in chief.”
Trump reflected as he shared his love for New York, the city where he grew up and made a name for himself as a real estate mogul and television star.
But then he criticized Democrats who he says have made the Big Apple – and the country – unrecognizable.
Former President Donald Trump’s return to his hometown of New York City was a massive rally in front of 20,000 fans at the famed Madison Square Garden.
Former first lady Melania Trump gave a powerful speech at Trump’s rally on Sunday — her first appearance on the 2024 campaign trail for her husband.
Trump also doesn’t believe he’s wasting his time or campaign funds by demonstrating in liberal New York City with just nine days left until the 2024 election.
He believes he can win the deeply blue state despite having voted Democratic in every presidential election since 1988.
To underline the importance of the demonstration, Melania surprised her followers by making her first appearance on the campaign trail.
From the stage of the iconic Manhattan Stadium, former President Trump promised to return New York City to its former glory.
“We want to win our country, but we also want to win New York and make it safe, strong, beautiful, affordable and vibrant again,” Trump said.
‘When I left, New York was the place you wanted to be and now people just don’t speak well of it. But let’s bring it back. And we are going to bring him back with force,’ he assured.
Trump made his final pitch to New Yorkers to vote for him as early voting began in the Empire State on Saturday.
Sunday’s massive rally, attended by more than 20,000 supporters, began the former president’s closing argument: Kamala Harris broke it, but Trump will fix it.
“I hope you get out and vote,” Trump said toward the end of his more than hour-long remarks.
“It would be a great honor to win in New York,” he continued. ‘It hasn’t been done in decades, it hasn’t been done in so long. It hasn’t been done for a long time.
‘Everyone says, ‘Sir, you’re wasting your money.’ I don’t think so,” said the optimistic candidate.
Trump sold out Madison Square Garden on Sunday for a rally with just over a week to go.
‘The king of New York has returned to reclaim the city he built,’ declared the former president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., on stage at the renowned Manhattan venue.
Red, white and blue lights surrounded the entire stadium where more than 20,000 people gathered to hear the former president deliver his closing arguments in the final week of his campaign for a second term.
Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla, SpaceX and X, ended his remarks with his surprise introduction to Melania, sending the crowd into an uproar.
“New York City and America need to get their magic back,” she said in her five-minute remarks, which concluded as she prepared the audience for her husband.
Melania flashed a big smile as former President Trump took the stage to hear her song ‘God Bless America’ by Lee Greenwood performed live.
The couple hugged and exchanged kisses on the cheek as they listened to Greenwood’s performance and applauded the musician.
Melania went to the Republican National Convention in July with the rest of the family but did not speak.
Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, spoke at Madison Square Garden, making his second appearance at a Trump rally on Sunday after also joining the former president on stage at his return to Butler, Pennsylvania, earlier this month. .
Trump kisses his wife Melania on the cheek after his remarks at Madison Square Garden
Trump’s middle son, Eric Trump, claimed there were 200,000 people trying to get into the stadium for the rally.
‘Let’s win!’ he declared on stage alongside his wife and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, Lara Trump.
Lara said Trump is at Madison Square Garden because he goes where others don’t go.
‘Does anyone know the last time a Republican president campaigned in the Bronx? He was Ronald Reagan and, ladies and gentlemen, he turned New York red. “I’m just saying,” the co-president said.
Trump pulled out all the stops for the rally that Republican conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik says she’s “been talking about for years.”
More than a dozen speakers took the stage in the hours before Trump’s arrival. This included a list of politicians, lawmakers, celebrities and lifelong friends of the 2024 Republican hopeful.
And the resounding theme among pre-show speakers was that the former president can win New York, even though the deeply blue state has voted Democratic for decades and polls show no indication that Trump can win.
Eric Trump and his wife and co-chair of the Republican National Committee, Lara Trump, speak at Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden in Manhattan on Sunday, October 27, 2024. Eric declared, “We’re going to win!”
The first speaker of the night started the rally off on a controversial foot.
Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made reference to the “floating island of garbage” in the ocean that environmentalists point to as a huge problem. But he said it was really just Puerto Rico.
The phrase earned condemnation from Puerto Rican celebrities Jennifer López, Bad Bunny and Ricky Martin.
“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” a Trump spokesperson said in a statement to the media.
Lawmakers and politicians who spoke before Trump’s arrival also responded to arguments that Trump should not spend time in New York City so close to Election Day on Nov. 5.
‘I don’t follow the polls, but I do follow the energy. This doesn’t seem like second place energy here tonight,” said Vivek Ramaswamy.
The biotech entrepreneur and former 2024 presidential candidate said a friend asked him, “Why the hell are you wasting your time in New York City instead of going to a swing state?”
“Welcome to 2024: New York is a swing state,” Ramaswamy declared.
And the fans who lined up outside the stadium on Sunday agree that New York is in play.
“I think in 2016 people were saying there was no way Donald Trump would ever win the United States, that it would never happen.” “New York is, in many ways, a cultural mirror of what’s going on,” Michael Rydelek, 27, told DailyMail.com.
“And as crazy as the win was in 2016, I think we’re seeing the same thing in 2024,” the Rockland County native speculated. ‘There are many people in New York City who are aware that something needs to change and are willing to follow through with that change. New York City is a big part of that equation.
“People ask, ‘Why is Trump in Madison Square Garden?’ Well, he’s making a play for New York,” Rydelek added.
TV personality Dr. Phill admitted that being at Trump’s rally at The Garden would cause him to lose his job in Hollywood, but admitted, “The problem is, I don’t need one.”
Television personality Dr. Phil surprised the crowd by speaking at the rally and introducing Trump’s running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio).
The famous doctor admitted, “I don’t like or agree with everything Trump says or does…you don’t have to love everything about someone to love them.”
And the last thing you need is a celebrity endorsement. What the hell do I know? For starters, I know I’m not a celebrity. And celebrities don’t know anything about politics or policies,” Dr. Phil said. ‘So why am I here? I’m here to speak out and defend the people who have declared their support for Donald Trump.’
Dr. Phil, whose full name is Phillip McGraw, said that anyone who said what he says in Hollywood would be out of a job.
“The problem is that I don’t need it,” concluded the psychologist.
Dr. Phil joined a host of celebrities who came out to support Trump.
UFC icon Hulk Hogan took off his shirt before taking the microphone with his bicep muscles revealed in his pro-Trump tank top.
And just a few speakers later, UFC CEO Dana White spoke on Trump’s behalf.
UFC icon Hulk Hogan took off his shirt to reveal a pro-Trump tank top before making comments in support of the former president’s re-election where he said Madison Square Garden is “Trump’s home.”