Donald Trump returned today to the Pennsylvania fairgrounds, where an assassination attempt was made on his life in July, to hold a major rally before a large crowd in this key swing state. Trump, who is aiming to win Pennsylvania in the upcoming November election, was welcomed by enthusiastic supporters.
Picking up from the point he left off in July, when a gunman targeted him and grazed his ear, Trump began his speech with, “As I was saying,” while gesturing towards the same immigration chart he had been examining when the attack occurred.The dramatic introduction made MAGA supporter on social media go wild.
With just 30 days left until the election and early voting already underway in some states, the Trump campaign made sure the rally would capture public attention. His opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris, has also focused on Pennsylvania, making repeated campaign stops in the state as part of her own aggressive outreach in key battleground areas.
The event included a performance by musician Lee Greenwood, who sang
God Bless the USA
, a song often played at Trump rallies, and marked the first time billionaire Elon Musk appeared at a Trump rally. Musk, introduced by Trump as a “great gentleman” who “saved free speech”, took to the stage with visible energy, jumping and pumping his fists in the air.
Musk, who has become a prominent figure in conservative politics since purchasing Twitter (now rebranded as X), endorsed Trump following the July assassination attempt. He stated, “President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution. He must win to preserve democracy in America. This is a must-win situation.” Musk also met with Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, backstage, wearing a black “Make America Great Again” hat. A billboard near the rally displayed the message, “IN MUSK WE TRUST,” alongside Musk’s image.
At the beginning of the rally, Trump called for a moment of silence in memory of firefighter Corey Comperatore, who lost his life shielding family members during the July attack. After the silence, opera singer Christopher Macchio performed
Ave Maria
as a bell rang, marking the moment the gunfire had started.
Standing behind protective glass at the outdoor rally, Trump referred to the would-be assassin as a “vicious monster,” stating the attack was thwarted “by the hand of providence and the grace of God”. Security at the event was notably increased, with armed law enforcement officers stationed on rooftops, ensuring the safety of the rally attendees.
Senator JD Vance also addressed the crowd, reflecting on the events of the July assassination attempt and sharply criticising Democrats for labelling 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 shots. You saw the blood. We all feared the worst. But you knew everything would be OK when President Trump raised his fist high in the air and shouted, ‘Fight, fight!’ Now I believe, as sure as I’m standing here today, that what happened was a true miracle.”
The crowd, which had gathered early in the day and filled the expansive venue, waited for hours for Trump’s arrival. Area hotels, motels, and inns were reportedly full as many supporters arrived the day before the rally. The event paused briefly after about 30 minutes when an attendee suffered a medical emergency.
Trump took the opportunity to honour Comperatore and to recognise two other rallygoers injured in the July 13 shooting, David Dutch and James Copenhaver. These three, along with Trump, were struck when a 20-year-old gunman, Thomas Matthew Crooks, opened fire from a rooftop nearby before being fatally shot by sharpshooters.
The structure from which Crooks had fired was now obscured by tractor-trailers, a grassy perimeter, and a fence, with bleachers repositioned to the sides instead of directly behind Trump. There are still many unanswered questions regarding how Crooks managed to bypass law enforcement and access a position so close to the former president, leading to one of the most significant security breaches the Secret Service has faced in recent history. The shooter’s motive remains unclear.
Butler County District Attorney Rich Goldinger commented this week that efforts have been redoubled to ensure the safety of the event, while county sheriff Mike Slupe estimated that the Secret Service had deployed “quadruple the assets” compared to the previous rally. The agency continues to face scrutiny for 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% Democrats and 14% independents or others.