Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk speaks as Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump reacts during a rally at the site of the July assassination attempt against Trump, in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 5, 2024.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
Former President Donald Trump‘s return to Butler, Pennsylvania, the site of his July 13 assassination attempt, quickly evolved from a commemoration for the tragic shooting into his standard rally format.
Within 20 minutes of his roughly 90-minute speech, Trump turned to attacking Vice President Kamala Harris and calling on allies like Tesla CEO Elon Musk to help make his case for reelection.
“Twelve weeks ago, we all took a bullet for America,” the Republican presidential nominee said at the same venue as the July shooting. “We can’t take another four years like this. We won’t have a country left.”
The Trump campaign billed the event as a way to honor Corey Comperatore, the former firefighter who was killed at the July rally, and the city of Butler, which has been catapulted into national attention since the shooting.
Comperatore’s family attended as featured guests, along with David Dutch, one of the rally attendees who was shot and injured. Ahead of Trump’s headlining remarks, several local Butler officials took the stage to recount their July 13 experiences.
But the Butler rally was not just a ceremony for remembrance.
After roughly 20 minutes of honoring Butler and the rally’s victims, Trump turned to his more standard stump speech.
“Who’s Harris? We can’t find out who she is, because if we do, our country is going to be in big trouble,” Trump said.
With roughly four weeks until the Nov. 5 election, the Butler event marked one of Trump’s last high-profile campaign opportunities to make his case for reelection — in a key swing state with 19 electoral votes no less.
Trump also used the rally to put a spotlight on several new members of his entourage.
Midway through Trump’s speech, Elon Musk came up on stage to laud the former president.
“The true test of someone’s character is how they behave under fire,” Musk said, sporting a black MAGA baseball cap, black blazer and “Occupy Mars” t-shirt.
“As you can see, I’m not just MAGA, I’m Dark MAGA,” the tech billionaire said.
“This is no ordinary election,” he continued. “President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution. He must win to preserve democracy in America.”
Trump is charged with crimes related to his alleged effort to overturn his loss to President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.
Musk publicly endorsed Trump hours after the Butler assassination attempt, but has contributed to Republican candidates and causes for years. Since then, their alliance has grown stronger as Musk helps fundraise for the Trump campaign. Trump has also said he would create a government efficiency commission to audit and cut waste throughout the entire federal government, an idea Musk suggested.
Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who was named Trump’s running mate several days after the Butler shooting, also spoke at the rally.
“What happened right here in Butler is a metaphor for the United States of America,” Vance said. “There is…no defeat we cannot turn into victory.”
Other close Trump allies also gave short introductory speeches including real estate magnate Steve Witkoff, Trump’s son Eric Trump and Republican National Committee co-chair and Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump.
Tesla CEO and X owner Elon Musk speaks during a rally for Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. president Donald Trump, at the site of the July assassination attempt against Trump, in Butler, Pennsylvania, U.S., October 5, 2024.
Carlos Barria | Reuters
Trump returned to Butler in a very different presidential race compared to his last visit.
On July 13, Trump was still reveling in the disastrous performance of Biden at their June 27 debate, which spurred Democrats’ growing doubt about their candidate’s ability to win a second term.
Since then, Biden has dropped out of the race, Harris has taken the helm of the Democratic ticket and she has begun to erode Trump’s edge.
Trump first announced his plan to return to Butler in July, 13 days after the rally shooting.
Going into Saturday’s rally, the Secret Service said it beefed up its security plan after facing intense scrutiny following the July rally shooting and another assassination attempt against Trump in September.
On Friday, the Secret Service pledged that it had “made comprehensive changes and enhancements” to its communications abilities and resources.
“The former President is receiving heightened protection and we take the responsibility to ensure his safety and security very seriously,” spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said in a statement.