Nearly three months after an assassin’s bullet almost ended former President Donald Trump’s life on live television, Trump returned to the Butler Farm Grounds site, this time accompanied by his new ally, Elon Musk.
Always one to make an entrance, Musk literally jumped onto the stage behind Trump, wearing a black MAGA hat and an “Occupy Mars” shirt, and declared himself to be “Dark MAGA.”
At his first Trump campaign rally, Musk implored everyone watching to “Vote, vote, vote!”
He also explained his reasoning for announcing his support for Trump’s re-election in the immediate aftermath of the July 13th assassination attempt.
“The true test of someone’s character is how they behave under fire,” Musk said of Trump standing up after being shot and saying, “fight, fight, fight.”
“America is home of the brave, and there’s no truer test than courage under fire. So who do you want representing America?” he asked the crowd.
Musk said that, in his view, this could be the last U.S. election if the Democratic party is victorious, as “the other side wants to take away your freedom of speech, they want to take away your right to bear arms, they want to take away your right to vote effectively.
“President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution. President Trump must win to preserve democracy in America. This is a must win situation,” he added.
Musk told Republicans that he had one ask of them: to register to vote and to drag “everyone you know, and everyone you don’t know” to register in the two days remaining to do so.
“And then, make sure they actually do vote. If they don’t, this will be the last election; that’s my prediction.”
“A lot of people think maybe their vote doesn’t count. Well, it does. It matters. This election could be decided by 1,000 votes, 500 votes, a tiny margin,” he said.
“The one takeaway, more than anything, that matters is getting those registrations.
“Honestly, you want to just be a pest to everyone you know, people on the street, just everywhere. Fight, fight, fight. Vote, vote, vote.”
The two billionaires teamed up earlier in the week to deploy his Starlink technology to victims of Hurricane Helene. Starlink is a satellite internet network from SpaceX, Musk’s spacecraft company.
Musk, formerly an outspoken Democrat, has shifted rightward in recent years. He purchased Twitter in 2022, now known as X, in an effort to protect freedom of speech worldwide and later reinstated the infamously banned @realDonaldTrump account.
Trump Gets Emotional
Trump entered the grounds to a live performance by recording artist Lee Greenwood singing one of the president’s favorite songs, his 1984 hit, “God Bless The U.S.A.” The adoring crowd soon broke out into a chorus of the Star Spangled Banner after a fellow rally attendee had to receive medical attention.
Standing in silence for several minutes while the doctors administered aid to his supporter, Trump praised the local doctors and law enforcement for their efforts. He also thanked the Secret Service for saving him the last time he was in Butler.
Trump promised that Musk will lead the United States in reaching Mars before the end of Trump’s second term.
Trump was also visibly struck by emotion as he spoke of Corey Comperatore, the man who died protecting his family during the July 13 assassination attempt. Trump also acknowledged the two injured men, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, who survived the would-be assassin Matthew Thomas Crooks’ shots at Trump from a nearby rooftop.
One of Crooks’s bullets grazed the president’s ear. This time around, that same rooftop was guarded by snipers, and Trump spoke behind bulletproof glass.
A moment of silence was observed for the men at 6:11 p.m., the same time that Crooks’ shooting began exactly twelve weeks ago.
Other speakers graced the stage before Trump’s arrival, which was preceded by a customary flyover of his campaign jet.
Sen. J.D. Vance (R–Ohio), in a call for unity heading into the election, said that he hopes everyone keeps top of mind, “Before we are Democrats, before we are Republicans, we are Americans.“
Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, warned that anyone committing voter fraud would be prosecuted. She then invited Republican activist Scott Presler to stage, who urged college students, truckers, and the Amish to register to vote.
“This event is so important in that it is helping to heal this community and assisting in the turning of a new page in Butler County’s special relationship with President Trump,” Jondavid Longo told NTD News. Longo is the mayor of Slippery Rock, a town just 20 miles north of Butler, and spoke in Butler before Trump arrived.
Trump finished off the night with opera singer Christopher Macchio serenading the Butler rally with five classics, including a finale of “God Bless America.”
Election Day is just 31 days away.