Trump revisits crucial state where he is revered as a ‘living martyr’ | US News
It was always likely that Donald Trump would return to Butler, the place where he nearly lost his life.
That moment twelve weeks ago was more than just a brush with death. It solidified his divine-like status among his most devoted supporters.
In the crowd, Trump signs were altered to show “Trump” replaced with “Jesus”. One supporter even brought a life-sized crucifix.
As usual, the spectacle was perfectly orchestrated. The Top Gun theme blared as his plane, emblazoned with TRUMP, flew low over Pennsylvania.
The fly-over elicited cheers from the massive crowd below at the same venue where the assassination attempt took place in July.
He stepped onto the same stage with heightened security this time, standing behind a podium shielded on three sides by bulletproof glass.
“As I was saying…” he began, resuming from the interruption in July. He gestured to the same chart that saved his life with a slight head tilt.
The evening began as a time of remembrance for Corey Comperatore, the man who lost his life in the shooting that narrowly missed the former president.
“We’re here for a reason, and that’s to win… and to honor Corey. But Corey wants us to win too,” he declared.
A moment of silence was followed by an operatic rendition of Ave Maria, a poignant and politically charged moment.
And then came the standout moment of the rally. Elon Musk, the tech mogul with significant online influence, appeared thrilled to be there, bounding onto the stage with childlike excitement.
The message from the world’s wealthiest man to a town with below-average wages was clear: get out and vote. “Make sure you’re registered,” he urged, hinting at concerns about voter turnout.
“The other side wants to take away your freedom of speech,” he warned. “They want to take away your right to bear arms. They want to take away your right to vote effectively.”
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None of this may be true, but for a once-apolitical man now fervently pro-Trump, the truth seems irrelevant.
The shooting in July and Mr. Trump’s extraordinary response electrified his campaign, though it was against Joe Biden then.
Now facing Kamala Harris, with the polls tightening, the rally fell into a familiar pattern. He touched on various issues briefly, as is his style.
“All of the migrants coming in are going on between Medicare, social security, other programs, and nobody is able to afford it, and I will settle the war in Ukraine, I will end the chaos in the Middle East and I will prevent, I promise you, World War Three; we’re not going to have World War Three, and right now we’re very close to having it. We will lead the world in space exploration – thank you, Elon – we will lead the world in military and we will reach Mars before the end of my term,” he declared.
They see him as a martyr. That’s why he returned: to reignite that moment of defiance in a crucial state, in a race so tight with just a month remaining.