Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump pledged to send a US exploration to Mars at a campaign rally last night.
The former President was returning to the rural Pennsylvania site where he was nearly assassinated for the first time in July.
“As I was saying,” Trump said as he appeared on stage, pretending he was resuming the speech that was interrupted when he was grazed in the ear by a bullet on July 13.
In his speech, he promised that the US will “reach Mars” before the end of his second term, should he be re-elected, and pledged “no men in women’s sports.”
Republican candidate Donald Trump took to the stage in Butler, PA
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Musk was seen jumping on stage
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Supporters hold signs and a firefighter uniform reading “Compertore” during a campaign rally held by Republican presidential nominee
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In mid-speech Trump called up on stage Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and owner of social media platform X. It was his first time at a Trump campaign event since he endorsed the former president after the July 13 shooting.
“The true test of someone’s character is how they behave under fire,” the controversial billionaire said, calling the election a “must-win situation” for Trump and urging the crowd to register to vote, adding: “Be a pest to everyone you know.”
Trump saluted firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was shot and killed by the shooter, and two other people who were wounded.
At 6.11pm the exact time when gunfire erupted on July 13, Trump called for a moment of silence. A bell then tolled four times, once for each of the four victims, including Trump.
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Republican vice presidential nominee JD Vance speaks on stage
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Elon Musk endorsed Trump following the shooting in July
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In his speech, Trump made references to facing “an enemy from within” that he called more dangerous than a foreign adversary. Of the gunman, he said “a cold-blooded assassin aimed to silence me” but “did not stop our movement.”
Ohio Republican Senator JD Vance, Trump’s Vice Presidential running mate, told the crowd: “We’re here to say, we can’t be intimidated, we can’t be stopped.”
In a reference to Trump’s opponent Kamala Harris, Vance added: “Donald Trump took a bullet for democracy. What the hell have you done?”
There were cheers in the crowd when Trump’s plane did a flyby over the rally prior to landing as the loudspeakers played the “Top Gun” theme song.
Trump watches as Tesla CEO Elon Musk speaks
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Democratic presidential nominee and US Vice President Kamala Harris was called out by JD Vance
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Elsewhere, Vice President Harris met with Arab American and Muslim leaders in Flint, Michigan as her presidential campaign seeks to win back voters angry at US support for Israel’s wars in Gaza and Lebanon.
The meeting is one of several attempts in recent days to mend fences with Muslim and Arab voters, who resoundingly backed Democrat Joe Biden in 2020 but could withhold their votes from Harris in numbers that would cost her the key state of Michigan.
During the half-hour meeting, Harris expressed her concern on the scale of suffering in Gaza, civilian casualties and displacement in Lebanon and discussed efforts to end the war, according to a campaign official. She also discussed efforts to prevent a regional war, the official added.
Critics say Biden and Harris have done too little to stop Israel’s military campaign in Gaza, while continuing to supply Israel with weapons to carry it out.
Some Arab Americans believe Harris’ refusal to distance herself from President Biden’s policies in the Middle East, as Israel escalates its attacks, will cost her in November.
Source Agencies
