Trump revisits the heart of his activities for a rally at Madison Square Garden
The ex-president is heading back to his native New York City – a stronghold for the Democrats, where even moderate Republicans doubt winning, but discontent and challenges in the state and local Democratic leadership could potentially save endangered GOP incumbents in nearby suburban constituencies.
This visit is part of a series of Trump trips to blue states, including a rally in California’s Coachella Valley, events in Long Island and Chicago, where he consistently assigns responsibility for crime and a surge in migrants to his Democratic opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.
"I will free every American town under siege and overrun," Trump declared in Las Vegas.
The Madison Square Garden event follows in the footsteps of past political events, with a storied past that includes hosting figures like presidents Grover Cleveland, Herbert Hoover, and Franklin D. Roosevelt, as well as Democratic and Republican national conventions, most recently in 2004. The venue even played host to JFK's birthday celebration in 1962, complete with Marilyn Monroe's celebrated serenade.
However, Madison Square Garden's history is not without controversy. Witnessing controversial events, such as the pro-Nazi "Pro-American Rally" of 1939 organized by the German American Bund, which drew thousands prior to World War II, and a communist party rally in the arena in 1968, when segregationist governor George Wallace spread a law-and-order message in a speech before the election, where he won nearly 10 million votes and carried five states as a third-party candidate.
For Trump, the event is not simply another campaign stop; it also holds personal significance. Having long harbored dreams of performing on the Midtown Manhattan landmark's iconic stage, alongside legends like Billy Joel and Elton John, Trump is likely to have his name displayed prominently on the venue's marquee.
New York is generally considered a safe blue state, though Trump has repeatedly suggested he could win it, an idea that his team acknowledges as implausible.
"We believe we have a chance of winning New York for the first time since, well, quite a while, many years, many decades. And we believe we have a real chance with what's happening now, with the migrants swarming over the city, over the whole state, frankly," Trump told Fox News Radio. Reagan in 1984 was the last Republican nominee to capture the Empire State.
A Republican victory in New York has not been achieved for over two decades, with former Gov. George Pataki earning a third term in 2002 as the most recent instance.
Some Republicans remain hopeful that the event could fortify vulnerable New York GOP legislators looking to retain their House seats in November. Numerous representatives joined Trump in a tele-rally hosted by New York Rep. Elise Stefanik and attended the former president's September event at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island. However, none of these representatives are on the published speaker's list for the Madison Square Garden rally.
Sunday's rally is also projected to be one of Trump's most successful fundraisers, according to multiple sources familiar with the proceedings. Donors are offered several packages, including VIP suites, pre-event access, backstage passes, and photo opportunities.
"The Trump campaign is going to make a small fortune off this event," an informed source informed CNN.
Republican legislators, allies, donors, and celebrities are expected to attend, and notable speakers for the rally include Trump's running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, tech magnate Elon Musk, former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., House Speaker Mike Johnson, Stefanik, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, and former Fox News host Tucker Carlson.
Popular internet personalities and rappers have expressed support for the former president throughout the campaign, with several expected to attend the event.
A Trump ally expressed concern that individuals without genuine intentions of attending may attempt to secure tickets, though sources close to the former president confirmed that measures are in place to prevent such occurrences.
Though Trump will not be competing in any of the seven states – Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – that both campaigns put forth as decisive in the November 5 election, advisers expect the Madison Square Garden rally to receive extensive media coverage.
"It's New York City. It's the largest media market worldwide. It's the epicenter of everything," a campaign advisor told CNN.
Despite Trump's claims of potential victory in New York, the state has not elected a Republican president since Reagan in 1984. This visit to Madison Square Garden, a historic venue with controversial past events, could boost morale for vulnerable Republican legislators in nearby suburban constituencies, where discontent with Democratic leadership may provide opportunities.
