Musk Inspires Trump Supporters at Butler Rally, Three Months Following Former President’s Assassination Attempt

Butler, Pennsylvania, October 5, 2024 – Tesla CEO Elon Musk made a notable appearance at former President Donald Trump’s campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, a rare public outing for the tech entrepreneur.

Wearing a black “Make America Great Again” hat and a T-shirt emblazoned with “Occupy Mars,” Musk took the stage shortly after Trump addressed a crowd of approximately 60,000 supporters.

The rally took place at the exact location where gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks shot Trump on July 13.

“As you can see, I am not just MAGA—I am Dark MAGA,” Musk declared, emphasising the significance of the upcoming election. “This election is the most important election of our lifetime.

This is no ordinary election. The other side wants to take away your freedom of speech.”

Although Musk has publicly supported Trump in recent months, this marked his first appearance at a significant presidential rally.

He confirmed his attendance on social media earlier in the week. At the start of his remarks, Musk expressed his gratitude to be present, stating, “The true test of someone’s character is how they behave under fire.” He contrasted Trump’s resilience with that of other leaders, saying, “We had one president who couldn’t climb a flight of stairs, and another who was fist pumping after getting shot.”

Encouraging audience engagement, Musk urged attendees to “vote, vote, vote,” and to actively persuade others to do the same. “Just be a pest to everyone,” he said, prompting cheers from the crowd. He added, “Fight, fight, fight, vote, vote, vote,” even jumping in excitement at one point.

Trump’s speech, which began with a warm thank you to the people of Pennsylvania, included a lighthearted comment regarding the assassination attempt on his life in July, as he said, “And as I was saying…” to loud cheers.

His remarks were largely positive, contrasting his usual criticisms of Vice President Kamala Harris and other political opponents.

While addressing the crowd, Trump made pointed comments about those he accused of trying to undermine him, stating, “Above all, you deserve leadership in Washington that does not answer to the lobbyists, to the bureaucrats, or the corrupt special interests, but answers only to you, the hardworking citizens of America.”

He continued, “We have a lot of them over the past eight years; those who want to stop us from achieving this future have slandered me, impeached me, indicted me, tried to throw me off the ballot, and who knows, maybe even tried to kill me. But I’ve never stopped fighting for you. And I never will.”

Trump also revisited an immigration chart he had displayed during the rally, asserting, “I love that chart. I love that graph. Isn’t it a beautiful thing?” He noted that the date shown on the chart was the last day of his presidency, when Border Patrol apprehensions were at their lowest. “Today, it’s out of control,” he remarked.

In a solemn moment, Trump held a tribute for Corey Comperatore, who was fatally shot while protecting his family during the attack on Trump in July. Acknowledging Comperatore’s sacrifice, Trump thanked his family, including his widow and daughters, for their presence. “It is 6:11, 12 weeks to the minute, that the shooting began,” Trump said, leading the crowd in a moment of silence as an opera singer performed “Ave Maria.”