A billboard in Butler, Pennsylvania, read “In Musk We Trust.” A TRUMP 2024 flag was displayed on a Tesla Cybertruck parked on the side of the road.
Former President Donald Trump returned to Butler for a rally, with one month left in the presidential campaign and less than three months after the assassination attempt that left one rally attendee dead. This time, Trump was joined by X owner Elon Musk and vice presidential candidate JD Vance.
Trump’s walk-on video read a message that read, “Welcome to Butler, Mr. President.”
As President Trump began speaking, the same chart about illegal immigration he had mentioned just before the assassination attempt appeared on the screen. “That’s what I said,” President Trump said. He timed this moment to occur exactly at 6:11 p.m., when he was shot in the ear on July 13. He also held a “moment of silence” in memory of those injured or killed during the assassination. July attempt. As opera singer Christopher Macchio sang “Ave Maria” and Mr. Trump solemnly looked on, the audience took off their hats, wiped their eyes and some knelt.
“For the past eight years, those who seek to prevent us from achieving this future have slandered me, impeached me, prosecuted me, and tried to remove me from the ballot. He might try to kill me,” Trump said, floating a conspiracy theory that the assassination attempt was orchestrated by a political opponent. “Twelve weeks ago, we all took a bullet for America.”
President Trump then invited Musk to the stage. The X owner continued walking, wearing a black blazer over a shirt that read “Occupy Mars” and a black MAGA hat. “As you can see, I’m more than just a MAGA,” Musk said. “I am Dark MAGA.” Dark MAGA is a memecoin, a type of cryptocurrency that draws inspiration from online trends. of evaluation Dark MAGA’s stock price skyrocketed around the time Musk spoke.
Musk repeatedly urged listeners and viewers to register to vote. “This is the most important election of our lifetimes,” Musk said. “This is no ordinary election.”
He ended his short speech with an ominous message. “Drag everyone you know and everyone you don’t know to register to vote.” “If we don’t, this will be the last election. That’s my prediction.”
Mr. Musk’s attendance at Saturday’s rally was a major benchmark in his political evolution. Following the assassination attempt on President Trump in Butler, Musk posted on X that he had decided to “fully support” the former president, shortly after announcing: Creation of Political Action Committee (PAC) This is to support the Trump campaign. Musk initially said he would donate. $45 million per month for PACbut then he changed his tone. Musk also invited Trump to a glitchy live conversation on X-Space in August.
Musk has previously promoted himself as someone who generally tries to stay out of politics, although he has been an Obama, Clinton and Biden voter and has donated to politicians on both sides of the aisle. . in 2015 Vanity Fair EventMusk said he hoped Trump would not confirm the Republican presidential nomination because “that wouldn’t be good” and “it would be a little embarrassing.” He also told CNBC While expressing support for Democratic candidate Hillary Clinton’s platform, she said she did not think Trump had “a personality that reflects well on America.” In 2017, Mr. Musk donated a large amount Regarding the Republican Party, he suggested that his political views may shift to the right. And in 2020, he cheated Many of his fans posted cryptic Twitter posts saying, “Please take the red pill.”
