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Elon Musk, who is one of the most prominent Trump supporters, called the election a “real battle” and urged people to vote for the ex-president.
Elon Musk gestures on stage during a rally for ex-US President Donald Trump (Photo: Reuters)
In the latest show of support for former US President Donald Trump, tech billionaire Elon Musk sported a black MAGA (Make America Great Again) cap at a mega Trump rally in New York’s Madison Square Garden on Sunday (local time) and described himself as a “dark, gothic MAGA”.
“As you can see, I’m not just MAGA, I’m dark, gothic MAGA. Well, it’s… the energy in this room is incredible,” said Musk, wearing a black t-shirt and jacket, while waving to a large crowd of Trump supporters. “You guys are awesome. Honestly, this is like, what? Yeah. I mean, this is like the kind of positive energy that America is all about.”
Musk, who has been very vocal about his support to a second Trump presidency, called the election a “real battle” and urged people to vote early for the Republican leader. “America’s just not gonna be great. America is going to reach heights that it has never seen before. The future is going to be amazing,” he said at the mega event.
Trump, a New York celebrity for decades, hoped to use the event at the iconic venue known for Knicks basketball games and Billy Joel concerts to deliver his closing argument against Democratic candidate Kamala Harris, even though the state last backed a Republican presidential candidate in 1984.
Racist Language At Trump Rally Sparks Backlash
Before Musk’s ‘gothic’ show of support, Trump’s mega rally in New York began with a series of vulgar and racist remarks by allies of the former president. The diatribe began with comedian and podcast host Tony Hinchcliffe calling Puerto Rico, where Vice President Kamala Harris campaigned on Sunday, a “floating island of garbage”.
Puerto Rican singer Ricky Martin posted a clip of the comments on his Instagram and wrote, in Spanish, “This is what they think of us.” Danielle Alvarez, a senior adviser to the Trump campaign, told Reuters that the joke about Puerto Rico “does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign.”
Later, Republican politician David Rem called Harris “the devil” while waving around a cross, saying she was “the antichrist”. Harris’ campaign in an email said the Madison Square Garden rally was “mirroring the same dangerously divisive and demeaning message” as Trump.
The Puerto Rico comments were also denounced by Angel Cintron, the head of the GOP on the island, and Republican US Representative Maria Elvira Salazar, who represents parts of Miami and has participated in recent Trump events.
“Disgusted by “@TonyHinchcliffe’s racist comment calling Puerto Rico a ‘floating island of garbage.’ This rhetoric does not reflect GOP values. Puerto Rico sent 48,000+ soldiers to Vietnam, with over 345 Purple Hearts awarded. This bravery deserves respect. Educate yourself!” said Salazar.
Hinchcliffe later addressed the backlash, saying his critics had “no sense of humour”. He wrote, “I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone … watch the whole set.”
These people have no sense of humor. Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his “busy schedule” to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a… https://t.co/VFxHRcdv5k— Tony Hinchcliffe (@TonyHinchcliffe) October 27, 2024
Trump Attacks Harris, Calls Her ‘Low IQ Individual’
In a 80-minute speech at Madison Square Garden, Trump spoke repeatedly about his plans to halt illegal immigration and deport migrants he described as “vicious and bloodthirsty criminals” if he wins the upcoming election.
“On day one I will launch the largest deportation program in American history,” he said. “I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered.” Trump called Harris a “very low IQ individual” and drew cheers from supporters for his tough-on-migrants rhetoric.
Trump touted his foreign policy record during his 2017-21 presidency, and said he would not start wars in office, though he added that if the United States did have a war with China, “We would kick their ass.”
Polls show Harris and Trump neck and neck in the battleground states that will decide the next president with just over a week until Election Day. More than 38 million votes have already been cast across the country.
(with inputs from agencies)
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New York, United States of America (USA)