US: Billionaire Elon Musk took center stage at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, voicing strong support for Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. This marked Musk’s first appearance at a Trump rally since endorsing him in July after a failed assassination attempt on the former president. Musk praised Trump’s resilience, recalling the near-fatal July 13 incident where Trump was grazed by a bullet during a speech at the same venue. Musk emphasized Trump's strength under pressure, contrasting it with current US President Joe Biden.
“We had one president who couldn’t climb a flight of stairs and another who is fist-pumping after getting shot,” Musk quipped, drawing cheers from the crowd. He declared that Trump must win the 2024 election to preserve American democracy, calling it "the most important election of our lifetime." Musk highlighted Trump’s courage, stating, "There is no truer test than courage under fire," and urged Republicans to mobilize voters, warning that failure could mark the last meaningful election in the country.
Musk’s endorsement is significant, given his influence as the owner of social media platform X (formerly Twitter) and his standing as one of the world’s most prominent entrepreneurs. His support for Trump has added momentum to the Republican candidate’s campaign, particularly as Musk’s comments about the integrity of American elections and his criticism of Democratic policies have resonated with a broad segment of Trump’s voter base.
After the rally, Musk took to X to issue a stark warning about the future of the US political landscape. He cautioned that if Trump doesn’t win the 2024 election, the Democratic Party would "legalize so many illegals that there will be no swing states," and predicted that the US would shift toward a single-party socialist system. Musk cited California’s decision to abolish voter ID requirements as a troubling sign of what could happen on a national scale.
Throughout the rally, Musk stressed the importance of voter turnout, saying, “Get everyone you know, and everyone you don’t know, to register to vote. If they don’t, this will be the last election.” His speech showed the urgency of the moment as he called for action to prevent what he sees as the decline of American democracy.
JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, also echoed Musk’s sentiment, lauding Trump for his commitment to the country and took a dig at Kamala Harris saying, “Donald Trump took a bullet for democracy. What have you done?” With just a month until the November 5 election, Musk’s endorsement has sharpened the stakes, energizing Trump’s supporters as they head toward the polls.
