Tesla CEO and X proprietor Elon Musk speaks as Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump reacts throughout a rally on the web site of the July assassination try in opposition to Trump, in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 5, 2024.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
Former President Donald Trump’s return to Butler, Pennsylvania, the location of his July 13 assassination try, rapidly advanced from a commemoration for the tragic taking pictures into his normal rally format.
Inside 20 minutes of his roughly 90-minute speech, Trump turned to attacking Vice President Kamala Harris and calling on allies like Tesla CEO Elon Musk to assist make his case for reelection.
“Twelve weeks in the past, all of us took a bullet for America,” the Republican presidential nominee mentioned on the similar venue because the July taking pictures. “We won’t take one other 4 years like this. We can’t have a rustic left.”
The Trump marketing campaign billed the occasion as a solution to honor Corey Comperatore, the previous firefighter who was killed on the July rally, and the town of Butler, which has been catapulted into nationwide consideration for the reason that taking pictures.
Comperatore’s household attended as featured company, together with David Dutch, one of many rally attendees who was shot and injured. Forward of Trump’s headlining remarks, a number of native Butler officers took the stage to recount their July 13 experiences.
However the Butler rally was not only a ceremony for remembrance.
After roughly 20 minutes of honoring Butler and the rally’s victims, Trump turned to his extra normal stump speech.
“Who’s Harris? We won’t discover out who she is, as a result of if we do, our nation goes to be in huge hassle,” Trump mentioned.
With roughly 4 weeks till the Nov. 5 election, the Butler occasion marked one among Trump’s final high-profile marketing campaign alternatives to make his case for reelection — in a key swing state with 19 electoral votes no much less.
Trump additionally used the rally to place a highlight on a number of new members of his entourage.
Halfway by Trump’s speech, Elon Musk got here up on stage to laud the previous president.
“The true check of somebody’s character is how they behave beneath hearth,” Musk mentioned, sporting a black MAGA baseball cap, black blazer and “Occupy Mars” t-shirt.
“As you possibly can see, I am not simply MAGA, I am Darkish MAGA,” the tech billionaire mentioned.
“That is no atypical election,” he continued. “President Trump should win to protect the Structure. He should win to protect democracy in America.”
Musk formally endorsed Trump hours after the Butler assassination try, marking a stark pivot within the two billionaires’ beforehand antagonistic relationship. Since then, their nascent alliance has grown stronger as Musk helps fundraise for the Trump marketing campaign whereas eyeing a possible White Home place.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who was named Trump’s operating mate a number of days after the Butler taking pictures, additionally spoke on the rally.
“What occurred proper right here in Butler is a metaphor for america of America,” Vance mentioned. “There may be…no defeat we can not flip into victory.”
Different shut Trump allies additionally gave quick introductory speeches together with actual property magnate Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son Eric Trump and Republican Nationwide Committee co-chair and Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump.
Tesla CEO and X proprietor Elon Musk speaks throughout a rally for Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump, on the web site of the July assassination try in opposition to Trump, in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 5, 2024.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
Trump returned to Butler in a really completely different presidential race in comparison with his final go to.
On July 13, Trump was nonetheless reveling within the disastrous efficiency of President Joe Biden at their June 27 debate, which spurred Democrats’ rising doubt about their candidate’s means to win a second time period.
Since then, Biden has dropped out of the race, Harris has taken the helm of the Democratic ticket and she or he has begun to erode Trump’s edge.
Trump first introduced his plan to return to Butler in July, 13 days after the rally taking pictures.
Going into Saturday’s rally, the Secret Service mentioned it beefed up its safety plan after going through intense scrutiny following the July rally taking pictures and one other assassination try in opposition to Trump in September.
On Friday, the Secret Service pledged that it had “made complete modifications and enhancements” to its communications talents and sources.
“The previous President is receiving heightened safety and we take the accountability to make sure his security and safety very significantly,” spokesman Anthony Guglielmi mentioned in a press release.
