Donald Trump returned to the Pennsylvania Fairgrounds today to hold a major rally in front of a huge crowd in the key state where an assassination attempt on him was made in July. Trump, who is aiming to win Pennsylvania in the upcoming November elections, was welcomed by enthusiastic supporters.
Picking up where he left off in July, when a gunman took aim at him and struck his ear, Trump began his speech with “As I was saying,” while reading the same immigration chart. He pointed out that he was investigating when the attack took place. The dramatic introduction electrified MAGA supporters on social media.
With only 30 days left for the election and early voting already underway in some states, the Trump campaign made sure the rally would capture the public’s attention. His rival, the Vice President kamala harrishas also focused on Pennsylvania, making repeated campaign stops in the state as part of its own aggressive outreach in key battleground states.
The event included a performance by musician Lee Greenwood, who sang
God bless the USA
A song that was often played at Trump’s rallies, and marked the first time he became a billionaire. Elon Musk appeared in a Trump’s rallyMusk, introduced by Trump as a “great gentleman” who “saved free speech”, took to the stage with visible energy, jumping and waving his fists in the air.
Musk, who has become a prominent figure in conservative politics since purchasing Twitter (now rebranded as X), endorsed Trump after the assassination attempt in July. “To protect the Constitution, President Trump must win,” he said. To preserve democracy in America, he must win. “It’s a must-win situation.” Musk also met with Trump and Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, Trump’s running mate, backstage while wearing a black “Make America Great Again” hat. A billboard near the rally displayed Musk’s image along with the message “In Musk We Trust”.
At the beginning of the rally, Trump called for a moment of silence in memory of firefighter Corey Comparatore, who lost his life protecting family members during the July attack. After the silence, opera singer Christopher Macchio performed
Ave Maria
As the bell rang, it marked the moment when the firing began.
Standing behind protective glass at the outdoor rally, Trump called the would-be killer a “vicious monster,” and said the attack was foiled “by the grace of God and the grace of God.” Security at the event was significantly increased, with armed law enforcement officers stationed on rooftops to ensure the safety of rally attendees.
Senator J.D. Vance also addressed the crowd, reflecting on the events of the assassination attempt in July and sharply criticizing Democrats for labeling Trump a “threat to democracy,” calling such rhetoric “inflammatory.” Vance, who was selected as Trump’s vice-presidential nominee shortly after the attack, said, “You heard the gunshots. You saw blood. We all feared the worst. But you knew everything was going to be okay when President Trump raised his fist in the air and yelled, ‘Fight, fight!’ I believe now, with as much conviction as I stand here today, that what happened was a true miracle.
The crowd, which had gathered earlier in the day and filled the massive venue, waited for hours for Trump to arrive. Hotels, motels and inns in the area were reportedly full with many supporters arriving the day before the rally. The program was halted briefly after about 30 minutes when an attendee suffered a medical emergency.
Trump took the opportunity to honor Comper and two other rally attendees, David Deutch and James Copenhaver, who were injured in the July 13 shooting. The three, along with Trump, were shocked when 20-year-old gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire from a nearby rooftop before being shot by sharpshooters.
The structure from which the vandals had fired was now obscured by tractor-trailers, a grassy perimeter, and a fence, with bleachers placed on the sides rather than directly behind Trump. There are still many unanswered questions about how the crooks managed to bypass law enforcement and reach a position so close to the former president, leading to one of the most significant security breaches of all time. secret Service Have faced in recent history. The motive of the shooter is not clear.
butler county District Attorney Rich Goldinger commented this week that efforts had been doubled to ensure security for the event, while County Sheriff Mike Slupé estimated that the Secret Service had deployed “quadruple the assets” compared to the previous rally. The agency is facing scrutiny over its handling of two assassination attempts against Trump.
Butler County, a conservative area on the western edge of Pennsylvania, has consistently supported Trump, giving him 66% of the vote in both 2016 and 2020. Republicans make up 57% of the county’s 139,000 registered voters, compared to 29% of Democrats and 14% of Republicans. % Independent or other.
