Celebs, high-profile politicos and surprise attendees joined Trump at historic MSG rally
Fox News
Former President Trump was joined by a bevy of high-profile politicians and celebrities at his historic Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday evening, including surprise attendees and speakers.
“The anti-war/anti-inflation candidate,” “Jersey Shore” star Vinny Guadagnino posted to Instagram stories, alongside a video of Trump taking the stage at MSG. “I don’t vote for anyone I don’t vote for anyone Dick Cheney votes for!”
Guadagnino was spotted in the front row of the sold-out rally on Sunday, sharing videos of top speakers and showering them with praise online, such as posting on Instagram that former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard was “spittin facts” when she said a vote for Harris was a “vote for war.” A reporter with Semafor snagged a photo of Guadagnino in the front row, sharing it on X.
Trump took the stage for the massive rally just after 7 p.m. on Sunday, where roughly 20,000 supporters managed to get a spot in the packed arena, with an estimated 20,000 more supporters gathered outside the Midtown Manhattan venue.
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High-profile supporters touted Trump in prepared remarks ahead of the 45th president’s address, including a few surprise appearances.
Former first lady Melania Trump, for example, introduced her husband at the rally in a surprise appearance where she lamented crime trends and a declining quality of life over the last few years, before looking toward the future under a potential second Trump administration.
“Envision a wonderful America where the seeds of security, prosperity and health are sown once again for the benefit of our families. Let us start together with a shared vision that builds on American greatness. Let’s seize this moment and create a country for tomorrow, the future that we deserve,” she said.
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Melania Trump took the stage while Guns n’ Roses’ “Paradise City” blared in the arena. She and Trump shared a hug and kiss when she introduced the 45th president to the stage during her rare campaign appearance.
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For hours ahead of Trump’s remarks, high-profile supporters addressed the crowds, including tech billionaire Elon Musk, Dr. Phil McGraw, former Democratic presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., former Democratic Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, UFC CEO Dana White, Hulk Hogan, Sen. JD Vance and others.
Elon Musk’s mom, model Maye Musk, was also spotted in the crowd, alongside Musk’s young son.
McGraw, of “Dr. Phil” talk show fame, endorsed Trump during the rally, focusing his address on bullying, and how conservatives are frequently silenced by their political opponents.
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“I’m not here just to stand up for Donald J. Trump. Lord knows, he doesn’t need me to stand up for him. He’s tough as an old army boot. He’s got lots of enemies, different groups that are scared, and between them, they have impeached him, indicted him, raided him, railroaded him, shot him and sued him. And where is he? He is still standing,” McGraw said at the rally.
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“When you attack a citizen, and you use the power of the Internet, you use mob mentality, you incite people to gang up and cause boycotts, then it is beyond ugly,” he said. “And that is what is happening in this country right now, and that is not OK.”
Kennedy, who is the son of former U.S. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy, dropped out of the presidential election in August after initially running as a Democrat, before he switched to an independent run. Kennedy endorsed Trump shortly after suspending his campaign, and has since hit the campaign trail while touting his plans to “Make America Healthy Again” under a potential Trump presidency.
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Kennedy unleashed on his former Democratic Party during his remarks Sunday, saying it has devolved into the party “of war.”
“The Democratic Party is the party of war. It’s the party of the CIA. You had Kamala Harris giving a speech at the Democratic convention that was written by neocons. It was belligerent, pugnacious. It talked about domination of the world by the United States through our weapons of war. It’s the party today that wants to divide Americans. It’s a party that is dismantling women’s sports by letting men play women’s sports,” he said.
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“It’s the party of Wall Street. It’s the party of Bill Gates, who just gave $50 million to Harris. It’s the party, and the Harris campaign is very proud that it received the endorsement of 50 former CIA agents and officers and of John Bolton and of Dick Cheney.”
Musk sported his hallmark all-black “dark MAGA” hat, which he called his “dark gothic MAGA” look on Sunday.
“Your money is being wasted. And the Department of Government Efficiency is going to fix that. We’re going to get the government off your back and out of your pocketbook,” Musk said, referring to his plans to serve as Trump’s “Secretary of Cost-Cutting” for the federal government if the 45th president is victorious next week.
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High-profile politicians were also in attendance on Sunday, including New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, Oklahoma Sen. Markwayne Mullin, House Ways and Means Chair Jason Smith, Majority Whip Tom Emmer, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, and others. Stefanik, Johnson and Donalds also addressed the crowd in prepared speeches.
Hulk Hogan, the retired professional wrestler and longtime friend of Trump’s, also took the stage during the rally, which operated similarly to the RNC, where speakers filed onto the stage in quick succession to deliver short remarks ahead of Trump’s speech.
Hogan, who also spoke during the RNC in July, slammed Harris in his speech, saying she is responsible for the millions of illegal immigrants who crossed the border since 2021 while acting as if “she’s the victim.”
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“All of a sudden, she flips, she flops, she spins and turns around and acts like she was going to be the damn hero,” said Hogan. “But we all know Trump is the only man that can fix this country today, and with Trump as our commander in chief, peace through strength will fix all of our problems in the Middle East.”
One of the speakers, comedian of “Kill Tony” podcast fame Tony Hinchcliffe, came under fire from critics for cracking a joke about Puerto Rico, which the campaign distanced itself from shortly after. The comedian brushed off the blowback over his joke that Puerto Rico is a “floating island of garbage,” saying on X that Democrats “have no sense of humor,” adding, “I love Puerto Rico.”
Trump’s speech focused on efforts and initiatives he will undertake if elected president to “Make America Great Again,” including deporting illegal immigrants, banning sanctuary cities across the nation, slashing energy costs by 50% within a year of taking office, reeling in spiraling inflation, and ending taxes on tips, overtime pay, and Social Security benefits. He also took shots at the Biden-Harris administration, including saying Harris was behind “the most egregious betrayal” of any U.S. leader due to the current White House’s immigration policies.
“Over the past four years, Kamala Harris has orchestrated the most egregious betrayal that any leader in American history has ever inflicted upon our people. She has violated her oath, eradicated our sovereign border and unleashed an army of migrant gangs who are waging a campaign of violence and terror against our citizens,” he said.
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Trump added that under his leadership, the Republican Party has become the “party of inclusion.”
“Jews and Muslims and Catholics and evangelicals and Mormons, and they’re all joining our cause in large numbers, larger than anyone has ever seen in this country before, larger than they’ve ever seen in any country,” he said.
“And we’re a big, powerful party, and they’re losing it. They’re really losing it. Together we will lift America to glory beyond your wildest dreams. It’s going to happen fast, too.”
Trump’s rally in deep blue New York was underscored by his remarks that he’s making a long-shot play for the state.
“You gotta vote. It would be such an honor to win New York. Hasn’t been done in decades. Hasn’t been done in so long. It hasn’t been done in so long. They all say, ‘Sir, you’re wasting your money.’ I don’t think so. Your crime is through the roof. Everything is through the roof,” he said. The last time a Republican presidential candidate won the Empire State was in 1984 during President Ronald Reagan’s landslide re-election victory, when he only lost the state of Minnesota.
Trump ended to roaring applause as vocalist Christopher Macchio belted Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” while the former president stood next to his wife, dancing and singing to the music.
Fox News Digital’s Brooke Singman and Ryan Gaydos contributed to this report.