Thousands of people from around the New York area and other parts of the country descended on Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday afternoon for former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally. The NYPD had drones over the area, robots, and a helicopter, as well as antiterrorism units outside monitoring the situation to keep everyone safe.
With just nine days to go until Election Day, a new CBS News poll has the two presidential candidates neck and neck, with Vice President Kamala Harris at 50% and Trump at 49% among likely voters. In battleground states, both are polling at 50%.
The focus of the respective campaigns has been on issues including immigration, the war between Israel and Hamas, and crime.
Trump, JD Vance, Elon Musk, and Melania Trump spoke at the rally. Sunday’s rally marked a detour from the battleground states for Trump. When Trump entered the arena, there was applause, a standing ovation, and the crowd started chanting. Every seat appeared to be filled, from the floor to the highest sections.
In his remarks, Trump framed Vice President Kamala Harris as a “trainwreck” and said electing her would “gamble with the lives of millions.” His speech included familiar campaign lines about immigration, his deportation plans, crime, the border, and the economy.
Among those who took the stage before the former president spoke were vice presidential nominee JD Vance and billionaire supporter Elon Musk. In a surprise, Melania Trump also made an appearance and introduced her husband. It was her first public political speech of this campaign cycle and the first time she has introduced her husband at an event this cycle. Mrs. Trump has largely stayed away from campaigning this year, appearing with her husband only a handful of times throughout Trump’s third presidential run.
Other speakers included Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Trump’s sons, Eric and Donald Jr., wrestler Hulk Hogan, and Staten Island activist Scott LoBaido.
Trump supporters revel in former president’s appearance. The former president is from Queens. CBS News New York met supporters from his home borough, as well as a couple from Chicago and others from around the New York area.
Before Trump took the stage, there was some vulgar language in the speeches. Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made crude jokes referring to Puerto Rico as a “floating island of garbage” and made other offensive jokes about Black people and Latinos. Trump senior advisor Danielle Alvarez told CBS News regarding the Puerto Rico comment, “This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” and the campaign said the jokes were not reviewed or pre-approved.
Mayor Adams later took to X, formerly known as Twitter, and denounced the vulgar language. “The hateful words that were used by some at today’s rally at Madison Square Garden were completely unacceptable. No matter who says it, hate is hate and there is no place for it in our city. As Americans, we always should stand up against racism, antisemitism, and misogyny. Yesterday, ahead of today’s rally, I talked about how we all need to turn down the temperature that fuels hate and violence. I am once again renewing those calls.”
Overall, the rally at Madison Square Garden was a significant event in the current political climate, drawing attention from both supporters and critics alike. The presence of high-profile figures like Trump, Vance, Musk, and Melania Trump added to the spectacle, while the focus on key issues like immigration and crime highlighted the ongoing debates in the lead-up to the election. The rally served as a platform for the candidates and their supporters to make their voices heard and rally support for their respective campaigns.
