At Madison Square Garden rally, Trump to present his final case: "Harris broke America"
Trump has consistently expressed a desire to host an event at the arena.
TroibNews 
Donald Trump is set to deliver his final campaign message during a high-profile rally at Madison Square Garden, a venue that symbolizes his confidence in the current race and highlights his celebrity persona.
The choice of this iconic New York City venue stands in stark contrast to Kamala Harris' decision to hold her event at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, she will return to the site where Trump spoke prior to the January 6 Capitol riot. Both candidates aim to portray their opposing rivals as threats to the country.
Trump has consistently expressed his desire to host an event in this arena to capture media attention in the nation's media hub. In addition to its symbolic significance, the rally will serve as a crucial fundraising opportunity, with the campaign offering donors backstage access, some at a premium price of $924,600, as stated by campaign officials. This event presents a chance for Trump to rally support for Republican candidates further down the ballot in New York.
As the election draws nearer, the former president is keen to highlight his star power. At this rally, he plans to assert that Harris “broke” America, while he will position himself as the one who can “fix it.” He will also continue engaging with influencers and podcasters, including Joe Rogan, through interviews.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser for Trump’s 2024 campaign, mentioned on the PMG's Playbook Deep Dive podcast that the unconventional media approach and unique campaign events allow Trump to “reconnect with people” and “is a way for us to reach audiences who are not going to be making their vote decision based off of inside the Beltway publications.”
This nontraditional strategy echoes Trump's 2016 campaign, where he positioned himself as a political outsider who resonated with conservatives looking for an unfiltered candidate.
This approach contrasts sharply with the 2020 campaign, when Trump and his team showcased the power of the presidency at campaign events, featuring Air Force One and hosting the Republican National Convention at the White House, all amidst the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Miller recounted how Trump’s first presidential campaign trip in early 2023, which included an unexpected visit to a local restaurant in South Carolina to engage with supporters, motivated his team to adopt more creative, unconventional event formats.
During that visit, Trump greeted attendees, posed for selfies, and interacted with reporters, notably sharing a viral moment with a server. Since then, he has participated in numerous impromptu appearances at rallies and other events in crucial states, focusing on generating social media buzz.
A recent Pew Research survey indicates that over half of U.S. adults occasionally receive news from social media, with one-third regularly turning to Facebook and YouTube, and 20 percent relying on Instagram. The figures are even higher among younger demographics—39 percent of adults under 30 obtain news from TikTok.
For the Madison Square Garden rally, Trump’s team is arranging special guest appearances to generate attention, reminiscent of when professional wrestler Hulk Hogan made a surprise appearance during the last night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
In light of recent assassination attempts, heightened security measures will be in place at the event. The campaign plans to ensure that protesters cannot enter by verifying that attendees are registered Republicans or have engaged with the campaign in some capacity.
Trump last visited Madison Square Garden in 2019 for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event, where he entered alongside UFC CEO Dana White to a mixed reception of boos and cheers. He remarked at the time that it “was a little bit like walking into a Trump Rally.”
Rachael Bade contributed to this report.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
The choice of this iconic New York City venue stands in stark contrast to Kamala Harris' decision to hold her event at the Ellipse in Washington, D.C. On Tuesday, she will return to the site where Trump spoke prior to the January 6 Capitol riot. Both candidates aim to portray their opposing rivals as threats to the country.
Trump has consistently expressed his desire to host an event in this arena to capture media attention in the nation's media hub. In addition to its symbolic significance, the rally will serve as a crucial fundraising opportunity, with the campaign offering donors backstage access, some at a premium price of $924,600, as stated by campaign officials. This event presents a chance for Trump to rally support for Republican candidates further down the ballot in New York.
As the election draws nearer, the former president is keen to highlight his star power. At this rally, he plans to assert that Harris “broke” America, while he will position himself as the one who can “fix it.” He will also continue engaging with influencers and podcasters, including Joe Rogan, through interviews.
Jason Miller, a senior adviser for Trump’s 2024 campaign, mentioned on the PMG's Playbook Deep Dive podcast that the unconventional media approach and unique campaign events allow Trump to “reconnect with people” and “is a way for us to reach audiences who are not going to be making their vote decision based off of inside the Beltway publications.”
This nontraditional strategy echoes Trump's 2016 campaign, where he positioned himself as a political outsider who resonated with conservatives looking for an unfiltered candidate.
This approach contrasts sharply with the 2020 campaign, when Trump and his team showcased the power of the presidency at campaign events, featuring Air Force One and hosting the Republican National Convention at the White House, all amidst the challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.
Miller recounted how Trump’s first presidential campaign trip in early 2023, which included an unexpected visit to a local restaurant in South Carolina to engage with supporters, motivated his team to adopt more creative, unconventional event formats.
During that visit, Trump greeted attendees, posed for selfies, and interacted with reporters, notably sharing a viral moment with a server. Since then, he has participated in numerous impromptu appearances at rallies and other events in crucial states, focusing on generating social media buzz.
A recent Pew Research survey indicates that over half of U.S. adults occasionally receive news from social media, with one-third regularly turning to Facebook and YouTube, and 20 percent relying on Instagram. The figures are even higher among younger demographics—39 percent of adults under 30 obtain news from TikTok.
For the Madison Square Garden rally, Trump’s team is arranging special guest appearances to generate attention, reminiscent of when professional wrestler Hulk Hogan made a surprise appearance during the last night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
In light of recent assassination attempts, heightened security measures will be in place at the event. The campaign plans to ensure that protesters cannot enter by verifying that attendees are registered Republicans or have engaged with the campaign in some capacity.
Trump last visited Madison Square Garden in 2019 for an Ultimate Fighting Championship event, where he entered alongside UFC CEO Dana White to a mixed reception of boos and cheers. He remarked at the time that it “was a little bit like walking into a Trump Rally.”
Rachael Bade contributed to this report.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
