Donald Trump, the Republican hopeful for the presidency, took center stage at Madison Square Garden in New York, an iconic venue renowned for hosting everything from Knicks games to legendary concerts by Billy Joel. The rally kicked off with a barrage of charged comments from Trump’s supporters, setting a combative tone for the evening.
As a New Yorker who has been in the spotlight for decades, Mr. Trump aimed to leverage the prestige of this historic location to deliver a compelling critique of his Democratic rival, Kamala Harris. Notably, New York hasn’t backed a Republican presidential candidate since 1984, adding an undercurrent of challenge to Trump’s ambitions.
Throughout his address, Trump emphasized his commitment to halting illegal immigration. He characterized certain migrants as “vicious and bloodthirsty criminals,” pledging that, if he secures victory on November 5, he would initiate “the largest deportation program in American history” right from the first day.
“On day one, I will start the largest deportation program in American history,” he declared, eliciting animated responses from the crowd.
Trump’s sharp rhetoric didn’t stop there. He derided Harris, labeling her a “very low IQ individual,” which ignited cheers and applause from his enthusiastic audience.
Adding to the spectacle was former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, who also took to the podium to voice his support. Trump promised to eliminate sanctuary cities that refuse to work with federal authorities on immigration enforcement, and proposed invoking the Alien Enemies Act of 1798 to deport immigrants with criminal records.
The opening acts were a mixed bag, featuring an eclectic lineup that included former NYC Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Trump’s sons Eric and Don Jr., and others. Giuliani, who was once Trump’s personal attorney, claimed that Harris sided with “the terrorists” concerning the turmoil in the Israeli-Palestinian sphere.
Humor took a controversial turn when comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made derogatory jokes about Latinos, referring to Puerto Rico insultingly as a “floating island of garbage.” Puerto Rican star Ricky Martin swiftly responded by sharing a clip of Hinchcliffe’s comments on Instagram, stating in Spanish, “This is what they think of us.” Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser to Trump’s campaign, expressed to Reuters that the comedian’s remarks do not reflect the views of Trump or his campaign.
Even though Puerto Ricans are U.S. citizens, they cannot cast ballots in federal elections from the island. Nonetheless, many Puerto Ricans residing on the mainland, particularly in battleground states like Pennsylvania, are eligible to vote.
In a separate effort, Kamala Harris engaged with the Puerto Rican community by visiting a restaurant in Philadelphia, the largest city in Pennsylvania, where she pledged to “invest in Puerto Rico’s future” should she assume the presidency. With less than a week left before the election, Harris aimed to bolster her position in this critical state. “We must not wake up the day after the election with any regrets,” she urged at a rally in Philadelphia.
Interestingly, this visit was Harris’s 14th to Pennsylvania since she took on the spotlight after President Joe Biden’s unexpected withdrawal from the race in July.
Meanwhile, Trump’s past opponent, Hillary Clinton, has controversially accused him of echoing the sentiments of a pro-Nazi rally that took place at Madison Square Garden back in 1939, shortly before the outbreak of World War II. Harris’s campaign echoed this sentiment, characterizing the rally as promoting a “dangerously divisive and demeaning message” that mirrored Trump’s rhetoric.
Critics have long claimed that Trump’s language emboldens white supremacists. However, Trump himself firmly denies any parallels to the dark history of the 1930s.
The rally also featured renowned billionaire Elon Musk, who has previously pledged his support for Trump. As he took the stage, supporters chanted “Elon,” creating an energetic atmosphere. Musk remarked, “This is the kind of positive energy that America is all about.” Trump has indicated plans to appoint Musk to spearhead a new government efficiency initiative, arguing that the federal budget could be trimmed by “at least” $2 trillion.
Trump pointed out that discretionary spending, including defense, is expected to reach around $1.9 trillion out of a total federal budget of $6.75 trillion for the upcoming fiscal year, according to the Congressional Budget Office. He insisted that Americans are worse off now than four years ago and introduced a new tax credit aimed at caregivers of family members.
Trump also touted his foreign policy achievements during his presidency from 2017 to 2021, claiming he would avoid starting new wars if re-elected, although he added, “If we have to go to war with China, we would kick their ass.”
As election day nears, polling suggests a razor-thin margin between Harris and Trump in key battleground states. Remarkably, more than 38 million ballots have already been submitted nationwide. Trump has made it a point to link Harris to the Biden administration’s management of immigration and the economy, recently coining the phrase: “She broke it, and I promise I will fix it.”
Even as the economy has shown impressive performance compared to other developed nations following the Covid-19 upheaval, soaring costs of living continue to vex voters, who feel uneasy about the economic direction. Harris has been busy rallying support, recently appearing alongside Bruce Springsteen in Atlanta and Beyoncé in Houston; tomorrow, she is set to deliver a keynote speech on the National Mall in Washington, drawing a sharp contrast to Trump’s approach.
“He is consumed with grievances and dark rhetoric talking about retribution and revenge,” Harris remarked of Trump during her Philadelphia rally.
Notably, Trump’s event at Madison Square Garden, a venue with a rental price tag exceeding $1 million, reportedly sold out, with tickets available on a first-come-first-served basis, similar to Harris’s sizeable rally in Houston, where around 30,000 attendees gathered. In Atlanta, some 20,000 enthusiastic supporters showed up.
When questioned about her campaign’s internal polling, Harris confidently stated, “My internal polling is my instinct,” adding, “The momentum is with us.”
Edited by: Ali Musa
alimusa@axadletimes.com
Axadle international–Monitoring
