BUTLER, Pa. — Donald Trump returned to the stage Saturday after being shot by an assassin, leaving fans and detractors alike with no doubt that the man and the movement he has led since descending from the golden escalator are alive. It sent an unmistakable message that it was continuing.
Mr. Trump's second rally in Butler, days before Election Day, represented the starting gun for the final spurt of the campaign — just as the bullets hit Mr. Trump. It was only eight weeks after the attack.
Perhaps more importantly, the event firmly planted the America First flag in the war-torn realm of American politics.
The movement is alive and well and as challenging as ever.
Former Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump speaks at the Butler Farm Show campaign event on October 5, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
Mr. Trump's resilience has been remarkable, confounding Democrats and staunch remnants of the pre-Trump Republican Party. He has persisted despite impeachment, multiple criminal and civil lawsuits, attempts to remove him from the ballot, attacks on the business empire he built, and now multiple attempts on his life. Ta.
Distrustful Democrats were so desperate to stop Trump and his movement that they took the unprecedented step of voting out a sitting US president to replace him against his will.
“First they tried to silence him,” Sen. J.D. Vance (R-Ohio), President Trump's running mate, told the roaring crowd. “When that didn't work, they tried to bankrupt him. When that didn't work, they tried to put him in jail. And then with all the hate they spewed against President Trump, somebody put him in jail. It was only a matter of time before they tried to kill me.”
The July 13 attempt on President Trump's life was never far from his mind. Besides Trump, other names were on the lips of rally attendees.
“Cory”
As he worked his way through the crowd, he couldn't avoid multiple references to Corey Comperatore, who was shot and killed on July 13 by an assassin who had his sights set on Trump.
Mr. Comperatore has become a folk hero among Mr. Trump's supporters, who consider him an ally. Throughout the event, there were repeated chants of “Corey!” Corey! Corey! ” gushed from the crowd. Many people brought monuments and signs honoring Comperatore and his family.
President Trump observed a moment of silence for the Comperatore, which culminated with a moving rendition of “Ave Maria” by renowned classical singer Christoper Macchio.
WATCH — Artists pay tribute to Corey Comperatore at Butler Trump Rally:
Matt Purdy/Breitbart News
But while there were understandably somber moments at the rally, much of the day was in a celebratory mood.
Trump, a master showman, took to the stage alongside Lee Greenwood to sing his iconic national anthem, “God Bless the USA.” The crowd went wild.
Many people had tears in their eyes. president, their The president was alive, but he didn't continue to fight for them.
One Pennsylvania resident who attended Trump's rally for the first time told Breitbart that she planned to tell Trump, “Don't stop, keep fighting, we need it.” “We're all here supporting you. We're here, dude.”
Most political rallies are political in nature, full of bland topics and obnoxious forced applause breaks.
Mr. Trump's rallies are less traditional political events and more organic celebrations of American patriotism. There are speeches and music, but the audience itself is also an important element.
“The difference is you, you, me, and everyone else here,” one attendee told Breitbart.
Of course these people love Trump and they love their country. But they love each other. On Saturday, countless participants took photos together and exchanged numbers and Instagram handles.
Democrats have mocked President Trump's focus on crowd size. But he does so because he understands that the people are the true protagonists of his movement.
Saturday's event space was packed shoulder to shoulder, from the stage to the metal detectors. More than 105,000 people attended, the Trump campaign told Breitbart News.
That's a lot of money for gas, and a boon for babysitters and hoteliers (hotels more than an hour's drive away from the rally were fully booked).
Still, people came in droves.
Members of the crowd do not move with Trump because they feel they too have suffered along with him. His opponents – the world's elites, establishment politicians, and dishonest media – are the same forces that have oppressed them.
On Saturday, the crowd rejoiced that Trump had survived after years of attacks from forces that led to him being shot in Butler. And with Election Day just a month away, his march back to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue seems more likely than ever.
They came not only to cheer him on, but to thank him.
“I came to the rally because I'm proud of him,” a woman from Sacramento, California, who attended the rally for the first time, told Breitbart. we are very proud of him. He's the next president! ”
She told President Trump: “You know we love you, we support you. You give us faith, you give us hope. You. is our only hope!
The extravaganza had all the hallmarks of a typical Trump rally: a man in a brick suit, a female North Carolina executive who has attended well over 200 rallies with him, and Trump merchandise everywhere. .
But this time the energy was different and the emotions were amplified.
One rally attendee described the event to Breitbart News as “historic.” “We didn't want to miss this moment in history.”
Trump's return “demonstrates America's spirit of adapting, persevering and overcoming,” another official added. “He's not afraid. It shows real courage, who he really is.”
This program represented not just the power of the ticket, but the power of the movement and the people who take part in it.
Days after a tumultuous vice presidential debate, Mr. Vance's overwhelming support showed that the America First movement has the next generation of champions.
Eric Trump and Republican National Committee co-chair Lara Trump were cheered like heroes. Women in the crowd could be heard fainting every time the couple's children were mentioned.
Don't get me wrong, Eric and Lara are the stars of this movement.
Lara Trump recognized Scott Pressler, a conservative activist who has worked hard to register voters in Pennsylvania and across the country. Mr. Pressler has achieved celebrity status for his tenacity in mobilizing Americans to vote, and the audience's appreciation was clear.
Elon Musk jumps on stage as Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump speaks at the Butler Farm Show campaign rally on October 5, 2024 in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)
Billionaire and former Barack Obama supporter Elon Musk also joined on stage to urge Americans to register to vote and go to the polls for Trump.
“To protect the Constitution, Mr. Trump must win. To protect American democracy, he must win,” he told the crowd. “This is a must-win situation.”
Local celebrities also supported Trump.
Brian Minto, a former professional boxer and Butler native, told Breitbart News that Pennsylvania will support Trump, just as it did in 2016.
“If you look at the crowd here today, that's not surprising,” Minto said, adding, “We're praying and hoping that he takes over leadership of the White House and changes everything that's going on right now.” There is,” he added.
Mint's appearance at the rally added to the excitement and energy.
“This guy was ranked 10th in the world!” exclaimed one jubilant attendee.
The celebration included a lot of entertainment. A music video played on a giant screen, and the audience watched Breitbart's own John Carn's viral megahit “Fighter.”
Those three minutes might have been the quietest of the day. Many eyes became teary-eyed. Thousands more fists were raised defiantly into the air.
After President Trump's speech, Mr. Macchio returned to the stage to entertain concert attendees, with Mr. Trump standing next to him with a look of approval and admiration on his face, and a giant American flag suspended by a crane in the background. It was fluttering. Even though the sun was shining and the temperature had dropped, the crowd remained the same.
But the sun never set on MAGA. And Saturday's bull market gained its lasting strength.
Opponents of this movement call it populism, nationalism, extreme MAGAism, and many other unprintable terms. But President Trump's triumphant return to Butler makes it undeniable that the America First ideals that Trump managed to spark a political realignment around the world in 2016 will not see off its good night peacefully. I sent a message.
“Our movement to Make America Great Again is stronger, prouder, united and more determined than ever before, and we are closer to victory,” President Trump told the audience.
The millions of Americans who mobilized for President Trump are determined to continue this movement into the 2024 election and beyond.
Bradley Jay is Breitbart News' Capitol Hill correspondent. Follow him on X/Twitter. @BradleyAJay.
