Trump to rally in Butler at assassination attempt site as Harris visits North Carolina to survey Helene damage: Live
Elon Musk promised to attend the former president’s Butler rally on Saturday: ‘I will be there to support!’
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Donald Trump is heading back to the venue in Butler, Pennsylvania where he survived an assassination attempt just three months ago.
Billionaire and ardent Trump supporter Elon Musk will be in attendance, marking the first time the Tesla CEO will publicly appear at a campaign event for the former president since he endorsed Trump in July right after the harrowing July 13 incident.
The family of Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief who was killed in the attack, will also attend Saturday’s Butler rally, ABC News reported.
The rally will come one day after Kamala Harris hammered Trump’s labor record during a Michigan rally, trying to keep up the momentum after scoring high-profile endorsements from Liz Cheney and Bruce Springsteen.
“Donald Trump is no friend of labor,” the vice president told the crowd, arguing Trump didn’t do enough to help the auto industry or support United Auto Workers who went on strike, like Joe Biden did.
This week’s robust jobs report showing the US economy added 254,000 jobs in September is also likely to help Harris as Trump tries to blame the Biden-Harris administration for inflation.
Still, the political rivals remain in a deadlock in swing states, polls show.
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Trump is returning to the scene of his assassination attempt — a lot has changed since then
Donald Trump is heading back to the Butler, Pennsylvania venue where he survived an assassination attempt three months ago — but the 2024 race has dramatically changed since then.
July 13 — the day that a lone gunman opened fire at the Butler rally, killing one, and injuring others, including the former president — marked a pivotal moment in the highly contested race.
Since then, President Joe Biden dropped out of the race, a heavily scrutinized Secret Service identified its failures and underwent sweeping changes, Trump picked JD Vance as his running mate, enthusiasm for Vice President Kamala Harris grew and Trump lost his lead in the polls, and yet another assassination attempt against Trump unfolded on September 15 at his golf course.
Read the full story...
Trump is returning to the scene of his assassination attempt. What’s changed?
Ahead of his return to the site of the first assassination attempt against him, Trump called the Pennsylvania venue the ‘safest place on Earth’
Who is ahead in swing states?
Kamala Harris and Donald Trump are neck-and-neck in most swing states, polls show.
The vice president is up by less than a point in Pennsylvania ahead of when Trump is set to return to the site of his assassination attempt on Saturday. Barack Obama is expected to make an appearance at a Harris campaign stop in Pittsburgh next week, which could lend her a boost in the must-win state.
Also on Saturday, Harris is heading to North Carolina to survey the devastation caused by Hurricane Helene. Trump currently has a narrow lead — less than one percentage point — in the battleground state, polls show.
Meanwhile, in Georgia, Trump leads by 1.4 per cent as of October 4, according to FiveThirtyEight. The state recently saw a victory for abortion rights, as a judge ruled that the state’s harsh six-week ban on abortions was unconstitutional. State officials have already appealed the ruling. The decision comes days after it was revealed that two women died in Georgia due to delays in care caused by law’s confusing language.
July 13 shooting victims to be honored at the rally
Elon Musk and Dave McCormick are expected to attend Trump’s rally in Butler on Saturday evening.
JD Vance will also join Trump.
Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief killed in the harrowing incident, and other victims of the shooting will reportedly be honored at the campaign event.
A reporter posted a photo of the event venue, showing seats reserved for Comperatore’s family, who are expected to be in attendance.
ICYMI: Trump breaks silence over abortion rift with Melania
Trump is returning to site of assassination attempt
On Saturday, the former president is set to head back to the Butler, Pennsylvania venue where a 20-year-old gunman tried to take his life.
One supporter was killed and two others were injured. Trump left with an ear wound — and a vow to return to the venue in the swing state soon.
His rally will see enhanced security and a cameo from billionaire Elon Musk.
Trump promised to pick up where he left off on July 13. He told a crowd in Erie, Pennsylvania earlier this week: “I think I’ll start the speech by saying, ‘As I was saying.’”
Who’s leading in the polls?
In less than 32 days, Vice President Kamala Harris will go head-to-head with Donald Trump as Americans cast their votes in the 2024 election.
In a polling twist, Republican JD Vance has ridden the wave of success from the vice presidential debate against Tim Walz to see a significant boost in his favorability; which was previously at record-low levels.
Meanwhile, Harris maintains a narrow lead over Trump, but a new poll suggests that a growing number of Republicans may vote Democrat next month.
Just 1 percent of voters have said the debate changed their minds about how they will vote. So how will Harris and Trump fare in November?
Here’s the latest.
Can Kamala Harris beat Donald Trump? Latest poll updates from the 2024 election
Here’s what the latest polls say about the 2024 presidential election, from The Independent’s data correspondent
Another day, another fake celebrity endorsement
Donald Trump once again shared a false endorsement from a prominent figure on his Truth Social account.
Some may remember how the former president previously posted photos suggesting Taylor Swift had endorsed him.
Now, Trump’s account shared a message saying JPMorgan ChaseCEO Jamie Dimon has endorsed him.
Graig Graziosi has the full story.
After Taylor Swift fiasco, Trump again shares fake celebrity endorsement
Trump’s account shared a message saying JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon has endorsed him — but he hasn’t
Marjorie Taylor Greene says ‘they’ control the weather
Is this the sequel to “Jewish Space Lasers”?
Controversial Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene has claimed that a mysterious “they” can control the weather after Hurricane Helene killed more than two dozen people in her state and a total of 200 across the US.
Greene, a Republican from Georgia, made the post on X late Thursday night: “Yes they can control the weather. It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done.”
She did not elaborate on who “they” are.
Katie Hawkinson has the story.
Marjorie Taylor Greene says ‘they’ control the weather after Hurricane Helene
At least 33 people are dead in Georgia due to the second-deadliest hurricane in US history
Watch: Liz Cheney mocks Trump’s fake tan
Republican Liz Cheney mocks Donald Trump’s fake tan
Former Republican Rep. Liz Cheney mocked Donald Trump “spray-tanning” as she campaigned for the first time for Democratic nominee Kamala Harris. Cheney joined Harris onstage in Ripon, Wisconsin on Thursday (3 October). Cheney told crowds how her 10-year-old was sealing envelopes for Republican President Gerald Ford’s reelection campaign, and how she cast her first vote for Republican President Ronald Reagan in 1984. She said: “In other words, I was a Republican even before Donald Trump started spray-tanning.” Cheney’s joke was met with a round of applause and laughter.
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