Chethma De Mel, Jadetimes Staff
C. J. De Mel is a Jadetimes news reporter covering Entertainment News
In Butler, Pennsylvania, nearly three months after an assassination attempt, former President Donald Trump returned and was determined to get his supporters to win the presidency on November 5th.
In his speech, Trump mentioned the terrible shooting that occurred on July 13th in which volunteer fire chief Corey Competore died and two bystanders were seriously injured. Trump even suffered a grazing wound to his ear, he said. "For 15 seconds, time stood still," Trump told the crowd. Trump rebuked the attack- his assailant a "vicious monster" that had "unleashed evil"-but reassured his supporters that the attacker had not succeeded in his mission.
Security was visibly amped up for Saturday's rally from this incident and a second attempt on Trump's life last month at his West Palm Beach golf course. Trump's running mate JD Vance was among those to attend, along with Eric and Lara Trump, while tech billionaire Elon Musk also joined the rally publicly endorsing Trump after the July shooting.
You deserve a government that protects and respects its own citizens," Trump told the audience, during a speech filled with his familiar themes - tearing into the "corrupt system," vowing to restore respect in U.S. foreign policy, and promising to secure the nation's southern border, framing it as the source of crime.
Then the former president began to attack his political enemies, accusing them of having attempted to interfere with the election-and even insinuating that they had some link to the attempts on his life. "Maybe they even tried to kill me," he reflected, before assuring his supporters: "I've never stopped fighting for you. Never will.
Trump called Corey Competore-who was supposed to be a firefighter and died in July's shooting-a "folk hero," holding a moment of silence in his honor. "Our beautiful Corey," he said.
Elon Musk, beckoned on stage by Trump, said the election in November was "the most important of our lifetime," and called on those in the audience to register and vote for Trump. The rally attracted an estimated 25,000 to 30,000 people. There were traffic standstills in this small town, and thousands of attendees waited in hour-long lines under the hot sun to get inside the venue past vendors selling Trump campaign merchandise.
One attendee, former U.S. Marine Teresa Wilson, said she was in awe of Trump's decision to return to Butler after the shooting. "I'd understand if he avoided coming back," she said, adding that some people were apprehensive. "If he can stand in the place of the previous attempt, then we as his constituency can certainly show up to offer our support."
With only 31 days until the election, polls reveal a close contest in Pennsylvania, one of the critical battleground states. In fact, a recent New York Times/Siena College poll finds Trump almost tied with Vice President Kamala Harris, who leads by just a percentage point at 49% to 48%.
Many rallygoers said the economy, especially inflation, was their top issue in the election. "People can't afford food. They can barely afford gas," said Jessenia Anderson, a voter wearing a "Latinas for Trump" T-shirt. Others, like rapper Sean Moon, said immigration was their top issue. Moon has been to 15 consecutive Trump rallies and spoke about the dangers created by unchecked migrant crossings along the southern border.
With the White House Race now in its last phase, his message of resilience and the promise of an America that would be much stronger in every sense, reverberates with every core supporter.
