Trump to host rally at iconic Madison Square Garden as campaigns barrel toward Election Day

Former President Donald Trump took the stage at his historic Madison Square Garden rally on Sunday evening, where thousands of supporters from the deep-blue Northeast state cheered wildly as the 45th president railed against Biden-Harris administration policies and vowed to "Make America great again."

Trump took the stage at Madison Square Garden just after 7 p.m. in the packed stadium, where he focused his speech on spiraling immigration, inflation woes and looking toward the future with lower consumer costs and securing the border. The rally was first-come, first-serve and sold out within hours of being announced this month. Madison Square Garden has a capacity of 19,500 people.

"I'm hereby calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer," Trump told the crowds as he spoke about the illegal immigration crisis since 2021.

"I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail, going to kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible. And to expedite removals of Tren de Aragua and other savage gangs like MS-13, which is equally vicious, I will invoke the Alien Enemies act of 1798," he said.

The massive rally, where nearly 200,000 people tried to gain access, according to Donald Trump Jr., included a handful of high-profile speakers ahead of Trump's remarks, including an address from former first lady Melania Trump.

"Envision a wonderful America where the seeds of security, prosperity and health are so and once again for the benefit of our families," Melania Trump said before introducing her husband. "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. And now."

Other notable speakers at Trump's rally included House Speaker Mike Johnson, pro wrestling legend Hulk Hogan, tech billionaire Elon Musk, former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's running mate, Sen. JD Vance, and TV personality Dr. Phil McGraw.

Trump's speech included a focus on the economy and spiraling inflation and "bringing back the American dream," including vowing to the audience that he will cut their energy costs in half by January 2026 if he's elected.

Read the full article by Fox News' Emma Colton, Brooke Singman and Michael Dorgan.

New Mexico Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, a Democrat, defended Vice President Harris' support for bipartisan border legislation and pushed back on the idea that the vice president was ruffling feathers on both sides of the party by avoiding questions on potential border security measures.

During an appearance on NewsNation's "The Hill Sunday," Grisham, a Harris surrogate, was asked whether Harris not addressing whether she would continue building a border wall, as well as her push for a conservative bipartisan border bill, has turned off voters from both extremes of the party.

"I don't think that she is stuck," Grisham said about whether Harris is stuck between the two sides. "I think we've gotten stuck largely driven, frankly, by the Republican Party, and when the Republicans were in the majority."

The governor also said the vice president is not opposed to the possibility of doing more to improve border security by supporting the immigration bill that failed to pass through Congress this term.

"She is not eliminating the possibility that it could be bolder and bigger on either side of that equation — protecting the people who are here, the folks who have followed the laws of this country once they got here, kids who knew no other country other than this one, than their own and their families, and also curbing illegal immigration at the border by creating upstream opportunities for getting visas and asylum protections," Grisham said.

"That's smart, and I want the border security smart border security. That's what every border state governor wants," she added.

Harris has been asked reporters to address whether construction of a border wall would continue if she wins next month's election.

"I will tell you that my highest priority is to put the resources into ensuring that our border is secure, which is why I've been very clear I'm going to bring back up as president that bipartisan border security bill and make sure that it is brought to my desk so I can sign it into law," Harris said recently.

New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said Sunday that former President Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City shows a "white flag of surrender," noting that he is comfortable in the city and most people in the area are not undecided voters.

"I think he's waving the white flag of surrender," Hochul said on MSNBC's "The Weekend."

Trump, who is from New York, will be going to his "known, familiar" environment, Hochul said, adding that she believes it will not help him in the election.

"He's giving up, because why else would you come to New York City? You are not going to find undecided voters walking the streets of Manhattan today," she said.

The rally at Madison Square Garden drew thousands in the Democrat stronghold of Manhattan. The event featured high-profile names in politics and entertainment.

Vermont Sen. Barnie Sanders on Sunday declined to describe former President Trump as a "fascist," instead saying that the former president displays signs of "authoritarianism."

Sanders made the comments during an appearance on NBC News' "Meet the Press" when asked whether he believes Trump is a fascist.

"I don't like using those words, but clearly he has a strong, strong tendency to authoritarianism and to undermining American democracy," Sanders said.

"Look, this is a guy who provoked an insurrection in January — Jan. 6, 2021 — to prevent, in the first time in American history, a peaceful transfer of power," the senator continued. "So does Donald Trump believe in democracy, believe in the rule of law?"

Sanders also highlighted that several notable Republicans, including his former Vice President Mike Pence, are not supporting Trump's campaign and said it is because the former president is an "authoritarian."

"There is a reason why his own vice president for four years, Mike Pence, says he is not supporting Donald Trump. Why Mitt Romney, the 2012 Republican candidate, not supporting Donald Trump. And it's not because of policy issues," Sanders said.

"It is because they understand that Trump is an authoritarian, does not believe in the rule of law, and for one hundred reasons is unfit to be president of the United States," he continued.

This comes after Trump's former White House chief of staff, retired Gen. John Kelly, said recently that the former president "certainly falls into the general definition of a fascist." Former chair of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, retired Gen. Mark Milley, who served during the Trump administration, also reportedly called Trump a "total fascist."

Vice President Kamala Harris agreed at a CNN town hall Wednesday that Trump is a fascist, saying, "Yes, I do. Yes, I do," when asked if she believes he is one.

Former President Trump said Sunday he would let former independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. "go wild" in tackling issues related to health, medicine and food if the former president wins next month's election.

Trump made the comments during his rally Sunday at Madison Square Garden in New York City, where Kennedy was also a speaker.

"I'm going to let him go wild on health. I'm going to let him go wild on the food. I'm going to let him go wild on the medicines," Trump said.

"The only thing I don’t think I’m going to let him even get near is the liquid gold that we have under our feet," he continued, in reference to oil.

Kennedy initially ran for president as a Democrat before launching a White House bid as an independent and then later dropping out and endorsing Trump.

Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., said Sunday that while he is tempted to call comedian Tony Hinchcliffe "racist garbage" over his joke about Puerto Rico being a "floating island of garbage," doing so would "be an insult to garbage."

The joke from Hinchcliffe, also known as Kill Tony, was made at former President Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

"Tony Hinchcliffe, who is one of the speakers at Donald Trump's rally at MSG, felt the need to hurl a racist insult at the people of Puerto Rico: 'there's literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,'" Torres wrote on the social media platform X.

"As a Puerto Rican, I am tempted to call Hinchcliffe racist garbage but doing so would be an insult to garbage," he continued.

Torres said when Latinos go to vote, they should "never forget the racism that Donald Trump seems all too willing to platform."

Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar, R-Fla., said Sunday that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's joke about Puerto Rico being a "floating island of garbage" is "racist" and "does not reflect GOP values."

"Disgusted by @TonyHinchcliffe’s racist comment calling Puerto Rico a 'floating island of garbage.' This rhetoric does not reflect GOP values," she wrote on the social media platform X.

"Puerto Rico sent 48,000+ soldiers to Vietnam, with over 345 Purple Hearts awarded. This bravery deserves respect," she continued.

The congresswoman concluded: "Educate yourself!"

Hinchcliffe, also known as Kill Tony, made the joke Sunday at former President Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden.

Former President Trump's campaign said comedian Tony Hinchcliffe's joke about Puerto Rico being a "floating island of garbage" does not reflect the views of the former president.

"This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign," Trump senior adviser Danielle Alvarez said in a statement.

The joke from Hinchcliffe, also known as Kill Tony, at Trump's rally at Madison Square Garden on Sunday drew criticism from Democrats and some Republicans, including Florida GOP Sen. Rick Scott and Florida GOP Rep. Maria Elvira Salazar.

"There’s a lot going on. Like, I don’t know if you know this but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico," Hinchcliffe said, prompting mixed reactions from the crowd.

Hinchcliffe also said Latinos "love making babies."

"They do. There's no pulling out. They don't do that. They come inside. Just like they did to our country," he said.

Former President Trump cracked up his supporters at New York City's Madison Square Garden Sunday by making fun of Vice President Harris' alleged trouble ad-libbing speeches.

The Republican presidential candidate took a moment to ask the crowd of nearly 20,000 people if it was nice to have a president who “doesn’t need a teleprompter.”

Trump claimed he hasn’t used a teleprompter for a “long time,” but then took a moment to poke fun at a moment when Harris got stuck speaking when her teleprompter malfunctioned.

“One thing you have to know is that no matter how good your people are that operate this machinery, it's going to break and you're going to be out there all by yourself a lot, and you got to be able to do so,” Trump said. “Three weeks ago, she was saying there was only 32 days left.

“And she's reading it like, ‘there’s 32 days,’ and it's stopped. And she went, ‘there's 32 days, 32, 32,’ and I was watching. I said, ‘this isn't pretty.’

Eventually, Trump said, the teleprompter kicked back in. Still, he added, “she was gone.”

Center for American Liberty CEO Harmeet Dhillon weighed in on a joke that ruffled feathers at a Trump rally in Madison Square Garden on Sunday.

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made the off-color joke during his opening remarks at the rally.

“I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Hinchcliffe said.

Democrats and left-wing pundits immediately seized on the joke as racist and in poor taste.

“Sorry I could not be at the rally,” Dhillon wrote on X. “But I’m getting an earful from my Republican friends and relatives who live in Puerto Rico! (who am I to judge garbage jokes, living in San Francisco).”

MSNBC on Sunday compared a pro-Trump rally in Madison Square Garden to a pro-Nazi rally held at the famous venue in the late 1930s – despite a diverse list of speakers.

Just after 5 p.m. the liberal outlet included in its lower third the headline: “BREAKING NEWS: TRUMP’S MSG RALLY COMES 85 YEARS AFTER PRO-NAZI RALLY AT FAMED ARENA.”

The outlet echoed the same tired talking point of other Democrats, including former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Vice President candidate Tim Walz who have all evoked “Nazis” in response to Sunday night’s rally at Madison Square Garden.

The infamous Nazi rally took place at the arena in 1939. The event was organized by the pro-Nazi German American Bund and was attended by thousands in the lead-up to World War II.

Former President Trump, while speaking at the rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City, called for the death penalty to be imposed on any migrant who kills an American citizen or law enforcement official.

An estimated 20,000 people packed into the famed arena above Penn Station in the Big Apple on Sunday, as Trump outlined his agenda to make America great again.

One of the big topics, which he said was bigger than the economy, was illegal immigration. Trump accused Vice President Harris of violating her oath over the past four years and eradicating the southern boarder, unleashing an army of migrant gangs who are waging a campaign of violence and terror against U.S. citizens.

“The day I take the oath of office, the migrant invasion of our country ends and the restoration of our country begins,” Trump said. “One of the deadliest and most vicious migrant gangs that Kamala has imported into our country is the savage Venezuelan prison gang.”

Trump sarcastically described the Tren de Aragua as a “nice group of people,” who got together in the worst prison in the world.

Not only have they taken over apartment complexes in Aurora, Colorado, but Trump said they are also taking over Times Square.

“On day one, I will launch the largest deportation program in American history, and to get the criminals out, I will rescue every city and town that has been invaded and conquered, and we will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail and then kick them the hell out of our country as fast as possible,” Trump said. “If they come back into our country, it's an automatic ten years in jail with no possibility of parole. And I'm hereby calling for the death penalty for any migrant that kills an American citizen or a law enforcement officer.

Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe faced a swift backlash Sunday after making a joke about Puerto Rico during opening remarks at a rally for former President Trump at Madison Square Garden.

Hinchcliffe, host of the podcast “Kill Tony,” launched into his off-color joke during opening remarks at the rally.

“I don’t know if you guys know this, but there’s literally a floating island of garbage in the middle of the ocean right now. I think it’s called Puerto Rico,” Hinchcliffe said.

The joke was immediately seized upon as racist.

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, D-N.Y., whose family is Puerto Rican, said the joke was supposedly indicative of how the right thinks about poor people.

“And I need people to understand that when they when you have some a-hole calling Puerto Rico floating garbage, know that that’s what they think about you,” she said during a livestream with presidential candidate Tim Walz. “That is, like, that’s just what they think about you. It’s what they think about anyone who makes less money than them.”

Hinchcliffe later defended himself, saying his critics “have no sense of humor.”

“Wild that a vice presidential candidate would take time out of his ‘busy schedule’ to analyze a joke taken out of context to make it seem racist. I love Puerto Rico and vacation there. I made fun of everyone…watch the whole set. I’m a comedian Tim…might be time to change your tampon,” Hinchcliffe wrote on X, taking a jab at Walz, who was criticized for signing a law to add tampons to boys’ restrooms in schools. 

Former President Trump has taken the stage inside a packed Madison Square Garden in New York City.

After being introduced by his wife Melania Trump, musician Lee Greenwood sang, “God Bless the USA,” and Donald Trump walked onto the stage.

“I just want to say a very big hello to a special place, New York and to an incredible arena, Madison Square Garden. Incredible,” Trump said.

He asked the crowd to be excited about the future of America again and to dream big.

“This will be America's new golden age. It's going to happen quickly,” he said. “Every problem facing us can be solved. But now the fate of our nation is in your hands. Next Tuesday, you have to stand up and you have to tell Kamala Harris that you've done a terrible job, that crooked Joe Biden has done a terrible job. You've destroyed our country. We're not going to take it anymore, Kamala. You're fired. Get out, get out! You're fired.”

Former first lady Melania Trump made a surprise appearance to support her husband, former President Trump, at Madison Square Garden.

Trump spoke about New York City, her husband's hometown.

"For generations, this town has produced America, its most fearless leaders whose mark change the course of the world. New York City and America needs their magic back,” she said.

“Envision a wonderful America where the seeds of security, prosperity, and health are so and once again for the benefit of our families,” she added before introducing Trump. "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. And now.” 

Trump transition co-chair Howard Lutnick, who is also the CEO of Cantor Fitzgerald, said during the Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City that former President Trump has to be elected back into office so the U.S. can “crush Jihad.”

Lutnick shared his story, saying his company was located on the 101st floor of the 105-floor World Trade Center when terrorists crashed an airplane into the building on Sept. 11, 2001.

He said he was not in the skyscraper that day because he was taking his son to his first day of kindergarten. Sadly, Lutnick lost 658 of his friends and colleagues out of the 960 who worked in New York City that day.

As a result of the devastation that day, Lutnick and his colleagues rebuilt the company and took care of the families of those who lost loved ones. Each employee, he said, took 25% of their salaries and gave it to the families they lost.

“That’s what New Yorkers do,” he said. “And we gave those families $180 million. So, the first thing we must do is elect Donald J. Trump because we must crush Jihad.”

Tesla CEO Elon Musk unveils his new goth MAGA look during his appearance at a Trump rally in Madison Square Garden.

“As you can see, I’m not just MAGA. I’m dark gothic MAGA,” Musk, decked out in all black, tells the crowd. “The energy in this room is incredible.”

The billionaire rails against wasteful taxation, telling the crowd: “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.”

He adds: “The future is going to be amazing.”

Donald Trump Jr. tells the crowd at Madison Square Garden Sunday evening that his father, former President Trump, is the “real ‘badass” for coming back defiant after an assassination attempt that nearly claimed his life.

“Everyone's a tough guy on the keyboard, on the internet. You know, everyone's a bada--,” Trump Jr. tells the crowd. “But when you get shot in the face and you come back defiant, ready to fight, that's a bada--. That's the guy. That's the guy that can fix the problems that we have. That's the guy that's going to keep our enemies in check. That's a guy that's going to fight for each and every one of you. He's done it once. Let's send him back to Washington, DC with an over whelming mandate to fix the nonsense once and for all.” 

Donald Trump Jr., criticized Democrats over inflation, saying he felt the pinch on a family trip to McDonald's.

“Last summer, I was coming back from a fishing trip with two of my boys, and we went to McDonald's and it was $48 for a 10-year-old, a 14-year-old, and me,” Trump Jr. told supporters of his father at Madison Square Garden. "And guys, let me tell you, if Donald Trump Jr. had sticker shock at McDonald's, we have a serious problem.”

“It does not have to be this way, guys. We can change it,” he added.

Like many fast-food chains, McDonald's has raised prices amid inflation, angering customers. In September, the chain extended its $5 value meal deal at most locations in the U.S.

Under the deal, customers can pick one of two sandwich options — a McDouble or a McChicken — plus small fries, four-piece McNuggets and a small soda.