Donald Trump launched a campaign rally with a marathon rally in downtown Manhattan, flanked by Elon Musk and other allies aiming to frame voters’ decisions about who can solve America’s woes. I turned my attention to my base.
President Trump’s event, which lasted nearly six hours at the famous Madison Square Garden on Sunday, featured criticism of Vice President Kamala Harris on the border, crime and the economy. President Trump flipped through a column depicting America in crisis and reflected on how the Democratic Party of New York had safely won the election.
“We must defeat Kamala Harris and stop the radical left’s agenda in a landslide too big,” Trump said.
He was joined by about two dozen speakers, ranging from famous wrestler Hulk Hogan to House Speaker Mike Johnson to Mr. Musk himself, who has campaigned for Mr. Trump and poured money into his campaign. His speech included harsh comments about Puerto Rico, Palestinians, and black Americans.
Musk predicted that the Trump administration would see $2 trillion in cuts, a massive goal that would fundamentally restructure government spending.
“Your money is being wasted,” Musk said in a rare appearance during the campaign, making him the last speaker other than President Trump and first lady Melania Trump. “We’re going to get the government off your back and out of your pocketbook.”
The event at the iconic venue was aimed at attracting media attention and mobilizing the former president’s supporters about a week before election day. The Trump campaign had promised a spectacle, with thousands of people lining the streets of the city hours before the rally began at the overcrowded 20,000-capacity arena around 3 p.m.
government spending
Although New York is not considered a presidential battleground state, with a close race between Trump and Harris, there are several House races that could give control of the House. Still, the unique setting of Madison Square Garden, home to some of the nation’s biggest cultural moments, provides a stage that helps Republican candidates spread their message beyond their base, including to undecided voters. provided.
It was a culmination of sorts for Trump, who has risen to prominence in New York but has been shunned by many important people as president. The same city where a jury earlier this year convicted him of 34 felonies for falsifying business records.
President Trump has asked Musk, the world’s richest man and a major donor to his campaign, to call the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) after the cryptocurrency Musk uses. He said he would ask him to lead efforts to reduce government spending.
Critics say this position would create a conflict of interest for Mr. Musk. The companies he runs, including Tesla and SpaceX, have billions of dollars worth of federal contracts and benefit from federal spending, including electric vehicle tax credits and infrastructure investments.
Cantor Fitzgerald LP’s Howard Lutnick asked Musk on stage how much of the budget could be “depleted” under President Joe Biden and President Harris. Musk replied, “Well, I think we can do at least $2 trillion.”
The $2 trillion goal represents nearly a third of existing spending. The federal government spent $6.75 trillion in fiscal year 2024, according to the Treasury Department.
According to federal filings, Mr. Musk spent at least $132 million to elect Mr. Trump and other Republicans in 2024. This level of giving has propelled Musk into the upper echelons of political donors, making him one of the most prolific contributors throughout the 2024 cycle.
controversial speaker
The speech also included controversial comments that undermined what had otherwise been President Trump’s message of national unity. Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson joked that Harris was a trailblazer who could become the first “Malaysian of Samoan descent with a low IQ” to be elected. Harris will actually be the first Black woman and the first Indian American to hold the White House.
Several speakers also urged supporters to make sure to vote, take people to the polls and vote early. “We were standing in line like the third monkey on the ark when it started raining,” said Donald Trump Jr., President Trump’s son.
At the event, President Trump recognized the accomplishments of caregivers who care for his family. The Republican candidate did not provide details or say how he would pay for it. His package of tax proposals already includes benefits for tipped workers, hourly workers, the elderly and high-income earners in Democratic-led states that stripped tax breaks during his presidency.
Harris proposed expanding Medicare to include home care services. He also proposes expanding tax credits for parents and increasing credits for startups, offset by higher taxes on businesses and wealthy households.
President Trump said he would raise new revenue through flat tariffs he aims to impose on imports from both U.S. allies and adversaries. Economists have warned that the tariffs would not offset the cost of his proposed tax cuts and could increase costs for American households.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
