OAN Staff Avril Elfie
9:20am – Saturday, October 6, 2024
Former President Donald Trump held his first rally in Butler, Pennsylvania since his first assassination attempt.
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On Saturday, President Trump returned to the same location he was on July 13th.thgunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire during a rally, injuring 45 people.th president and others. Rally attendee Corey Comperatore was shot and killed.
President Trump acknowledged Comperatore's death and thanked his family for attending.
“The shooting started 12 weeks later at 6:11 a.m.,” President Trump said. “I would like everyone to offer a moment of silence.”
The former president then took to the podium to give a short speech, joined by Tesla CEO Elon Musk.
“Hello everyone. As you can see, I'm not just a MAGA. I'm a dark MAGA,” Musk joked, referring to his black-on-black Make America Great Again cap.
“I want to say it's a great honor to be here, but you know, the true test of a person's character is how they conduct themselves under fire, right?” he continued. . “There were presidents who couldn't walk up the stairs, and there were presidents who were fist-pumping after being shot.”
“It’s just a pest to everyone,” he laughed. “You know, people on the streets everywhere, vote, vote, vote!”
“Fight, fight, fight, vote, vote, vote,” Musk added.
President Trump's running mate, J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), also attended the rally and spoke at the podium.
“What happened here in Butler is a metaphor for the United States of America,” Vance said. “…There is no defeat that cannot be turned into a victory.”
The Secret Service announced ahead of the rally that it had beefed up its security plan in response to heightened scrutiny following the July rally shooting and the repeat attack on Trump in September.
They promised “comprehensive changes and enhancements” to communications capabilities and resources.
“The former president is in strict protection, and we take our responsibility to ensure his safety and security very seriously,” spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.
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