NEW YORK (1010 WINS) — With just over one week until Election Day, former President Donald Trump is holding a campaign rally at the famed Madison Square Garden, located in the heart of Democratic stronghold New York City. The event, which kicks off at 5 p.m. Sunday night, brought crowds to the Manhattan streets many hours before.
WATCH THE RALLY
The official Trump campaign will stream the Madison Square Garden rally on its YouTube page.
FEATURED GUESTS KICK OFF EVENT
Before the event's official 5 p.m. start time, some of the featured speakers took the the podium to offer their thoughts on the former president, including New York radio personality Sid Rosenberg, Lawyer Alina Habba and artist Scott LoBaid, who painted a patriotic portrait of Trump.
LIST OF EVENT SPEAKERS AND PERFORMERS
On Friday night, the Trump campaign released its list of powerhouse speakers for the “historic” Madison Square Garden rally, including public figures like Elon Musk, members of his family and Republican leaders like Speaker Mike Johnson.
“This epic event, in the heart of President Trump’s home city, will be a showcase of the historic political movement that President Trump has built in the final days of the campaign,” his campaign wrote.
The list of speakers includes:
• Senator JD Vance, Vice Presidential Nominee
• Speaker Mike Johnson, Speaker of the House of Representatives
• Rep. Elise Stefanik, U.S. Representative (NY-21)
• Rep. Byron Donalds, U.S. Representative, (FL-19)
• Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, Former Democrat and Four Term Congresswoman (HI-02)
• Mayor Rudy Giuliani, Former Associate Attorney General of the United States and Mayor of New York City
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Former Presidential Candidate
• Lara Trump, Co-Chair, Republican National Committee
• Eric Trump, Son of President Donald J. Trump
• Donald Trump Jr., Son of President Donald J. Trump
• Elon Musk, CEO of SpaceX and Tesla
• Dan Scavino, Senior Advisor to President Donald J. Trump
• Stephen Miller, Senior Advisor to President Donald J. Trump
• Dana White, CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship
• Tucker Carlson, Host of The Tucker Carlson Show
• Brooke Rollins, President and CEO of the America First Policy Institute
• Steve Witkoff, Founder of the Witkoff Group
• Howard Lutnick, Chairman and CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald and Co-Chair of the Trump 2024 Transition Team
• Grant Cardone, CEO, 10X
• Sergio Gor, Right for America PAC
• Michael Harris Jr., Founder of Death Row Records
• Tiffany Justice, Founder of Moms for Liberty
• Lee Greenwood, Singer
• Christopher Macchio, Opera Singer
• Mary Millben, Singer
• Sid Rosenberg, New York Radio Personality
• Kill Tony, Comedian
• Scott Lobaido, Live Painter
• David Rem, Childhood Friend of President Trump
SUPPORTERS GATHER
Music was blaring inside Madison Square Garden hours before the Trump rally as people filtered inside the arena in preparation, many adorned in the former president’s signature red hats.
Trump supporters came from near and far to hear him speak in the iconic venue with a long political history, including Gary Franchi of Chicago, who said he wanted to hear the candidate say he will “Make America Great Again.”
“He doesn’t sugarcoat anything. He tells America the truth, whether we like it or not, and that’s what America needs right now, straightforward leadership, straight-talking leadership, someone who has a command of the economy and business, that can really right the ship of state,” he told 1010 WINS.
Another attendee, a farmer and father of seven who drove in from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, told 1010 WINS that the economy was stronger under Trump than President Joe Biden, and he wants him back in the White House.
Rallygoers were waiting in line outside The Garden as early as 7:30 a.m. on Sunday. While the event isn’t scheduled to begin until 5 p.m., the doors opened at noon for attendees who reserved tickets in advance.
Despite the early-day line and sub-60 degree weather in Manhattan, outside the venue was full of energy as the crowd stood under large-scale advertisements of the presidential candidate, many in Trump merchandise.
Andrew Duff, a first-time voter from Princeton, New Jersey, told 1010 WINS that he was excited to be able to support the former president.
“If he’s going to spend his time trying to fight for us, then I can sit here for three or four hours waiting to hear him speak,” he said.
Andrea Olascoaga from Staten Island agreed. “He is so worth it. He’s the greatest ever,” she said of Trump.
Another supporter told 1010 WINS that he traveled across the Tri-State for the event, excited to see Trump speak for the fourth time.
“I came from Connecticut. This is my fourth time to see President Trump,” he said. “And I came to the one in the Bronx, but I didn’t get early enough, and I couldn’t get in, because there were so many people.”
Trump held a rally in the deeply blue South Bronx in May, part of a political strategy that has sent the candidate into Democratic-leaning communities and in breaks from battleground states, like a recent rally in Coachella, California.
According to another attendee who spoke to 1010 WINS, these moments could be of consequence to Trump and his campaign.
“I think he needs to reach out to Democratic voters, moderate Democratic voters. I think he needs to do that,” he said. “If there’s any weakness that I see in his whole campaign, he needs to reach out to those people.”
The Trump campaign also organized rallies this summer in more conservative areas on the Jersey Shore and at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island.
PROTESTERS OUTSIDE VENUE
Along with Trump supporters, protesters also gathered outside the rally in defiance of Trump. Signs reading slogans like “He’s a [conman, convict] with a cult,” “Trump should be in prison” and “Vote no to fascism” were seen among the crowd.
SECURITY IS TIGHT
Security for the rally is tight. Public safety leaders joined Mayor Eric Adams on Saturday to give a rundown of event security, which includes the deployment of officers, multiple checkpoints and a surveilled Penn Station. The blocks surrounding The Garden were closed to pedestrian and vehicle traffic.
“Your NYPD is joining forces with federal and state agencies and deploying advanced technology, including drones,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Operations Kaz Daughtry said on social media Saturday. “Elite counterterrorism officers, specially trained to assess possible threats, will be stationed at vital posts. We are fully prepared and confident in ensuring a safe event.”
There were not any credible threats to the event or New York City, officials said, but concern was heightened considering the multiple assassination attempts against Trump in the past several months. Trump will not be seen until he takes the stage at the rally.
“We take all of that incredibly seriously. We tailor our approach to threat picture, to threat environment and to context. And so we are going to make sure that this event goes off without a hitch,” NYPD Deputy Commissioner of Intelligence and Counterterrorism Rebecca Weiner said.