Donald Trump took the stage Sunday night at New York’s Madison Square Garden to deliver his campaign's closing argument with the election nine days away after several of his allies used crude and racist insults toward U.S. Vice-President Kamala Harris and other critics of the former president.
The Republican nominee began by asking the same questions he’s asked at the start of every recent rally: “Are you better off now than you were four years ago?” The crowd responded with a resounding “No!”
“This election is a choice between whether we’ll have four more years of gross incompetence and failure, or whether we’ll begin the greatest years in the history of our country,” he said after being introduced by his wife, Melania Trump, whose rare surprise appearance comes after she has been largely absent on the campaign trail.
Several speakers earlier on Sunday crudely insulted Harris, who is vying to become the first woman and Black woman to win the presidency. And a stand-up comedian made lewd and racist comments about Latinos, Jews and Black people, all key constituencies in the election just nine days away.
“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,” said comedian Tony Hinchcliffe, whose joke was immediately criticized by Harris’ campaign as it competes with Trump to win over Puerto Rican communities in Pennsylvania and other swing states. Shortly after Hinchcliffe’s appearance, music superstar Bad Bunny, who is from Puerto Rico, endorsed Harris.
Trump’s childhood friend David Rem, meanwhile, referred to Harris as “the Antichrist” and “the devil.” Businessman Grant Cardone told the crowd that Harris ”and her pimp handlers will destroy our country.” And former Fox News host Tucker Carlson called Harris, the daughter of Jamaican and Indian immigrants, “a Samoan, Malaysian, low-IQ former California prosecutor.”
Scott Lobaido unveils a painting before Republican presidential nominee former U.S. president Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (Evan Vucci/AP Photo)
The event was a surreal spectacle, turning what his campaign had advertised as the event where he would deliver his closing message in the campaign’s final days to an illustration of what turns off his critics. The lineup included House Speaker Mike Johnson, TV psychologist Dr. Phil McGraw, former professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, and someone who painted a picture of Trump hugging the Empire State Building.
And that was all before the Republican presidential nominee took the stage more than two hours late.
Trump on Sunday added a new proposal to his list of tax cuts aimed at winning over older adults and blue-collar workers, which already includes vows to end taxes on Social Security benefits, tips and overtime pay: A tax credit for family caregivers.
This comes after Harris has talked about the “sandwich generation” of adults caring for aging parents while raising their children at the same time. Harris has proposed federal funding to cover home care costs for older Americans.
Trump otherwise repeated familiar lines about foreign policy and immigration, calling for the death penalty for any migrant who kills a U.S. citizen and saying that the day he takes office, “The migrant invasion of our country ends.”
Many of the speakers Sunday appeared on stage at the Republican National Convention. This time, the same speakers shouted and railed more against Democrats.
Hogan, returning to the venue where he performed years ago as a professional wrestler, seemed to reprise his character, emerging wearing a giant red, orange and yellow boa and violently waving a large American flag as he posed and danced. He spat on the stage during his speech, flexed his muscles repeatedly and told the audience: “Trump is the only man that can fix this country today.”
Hulk Hogan rips his shirt at a campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump at Madison Square Garden, Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
While some Democrats and pundits have questioned Trump’s decision to hold what they dismiss as a vanity event in his hometown, the rally guarantees Trump what he most craves: the spotlight, wall-to-wall coverage and a national audience.
The closing message he will deliver Sunday, according to his campaign, is that Harris “broke” the country and that Trump “will fix it.” Rallygoers hours beforehand waved signs with the words “Trump will fix it.”
Some Democrats, arguing that Trump is a “fascist,” have compared his Sunday event to a pro-Nazi rally at the Garden in February 1939. Several speakers on Sunday ripped Hillary Clinton, the Democrat defeated by Trump eight years ago, for saying recently that Trump would be “reenacting” the 1939 event.
“Hey guys, they're now scrambling and trying to call us Nazis and fascists,” said Alina Habba, one of Trump's attorneys, who draped a sparkly “MAGA” jacket over the lectern as she spoke. “And you know what they're claiming, guys? It's very scary. They're claiming we're going to go after them and try and put them in jail. Well, ain't that rich?”
Declared Hogan in his characteristic raspy growl: “I don't see no stinkin' Nazis in here.”
Trump has denounced the four criminal indictments brought against him as politically motivated. He has ramped up his denunciations in recent weeks of “enemies from within,” naming domestic political rivals, and suggested he would use the military to go after them. Harris, in turn, has called Trump a “fascist.”
The arena was full hours before Trump was scheduled to speak. Outside the arena, the sidewalks were overflowing with Trump supporters in red “Make America Great Again” hats. There was a heavy security presence. Streets were blocked off and access to Penn Station was restricted.
In the crowd was Philip D’Agostino, a longtime Trump backer from Queens, the borough where Trump grew up. The 64-year-old said it was appropriate for Trump to be speaking at a place bills itself as “the world’s most famous arena.”
“It just goes to show ya that he has a bigger following of any man that has ever lived,” D'Agostino said.
New York has not voted for a Republican for president in 40 years. But that hasn't stopped Trump from continuing to insist he believes he can win.
Trump routinely uses his hometown as a foil before audiences in other states, painting a dark vision of the city that bears little resemblance to reality. He’s cast it as crime-ridden and overrun by violent, immigrant gangs who have taken over Fifth and Madison avenues and occupied Times Square.
Trump has a complicated history with the place where he built his business empire and that made him a tabloid and reality TV star. Its residents indicted him last year on 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He was found guilty in that case, and also found liable in civil court for business fraud and sexual abuse.
Video boards outside Madison Square Garden display information about the campaign rally for Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump Sunday, Oct. 27, 2024, in New York. (Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AP Photo)
The rally is one of a series of detours Trump has made from battleground states, including a recent rally in Coachella, California — best known for the famous music festival named after the town — and one in May on the Jersey Shore. This summer he campaigned in the South Bronx.
To reach them, Trump has spent hours appearing on popular podcasts. And his campaign has worked to create viral moments like his visit last weekend to a McDonald’s restaurant, where he made fries and served supporters through the drive-thru window. Video of the stop posted by his campaign has been viewed more than 40 million times on TikTok alone.
Harris has also traveled to non-battleground states for major events intended to drive a national message. She appeared in Houston Friday with music superstar Beyoncé to speak about reproductive rights, and will deliver her own closing argument Tuesday from the Ellipse in Washington, where Trump spoke ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot.
Trump will be joined at the rally by supporters including Tesla and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, who has spent tens of millions of dollars to boost his campaign.
Trump often compares himself to the country’s greatest entertainers. The former reality TV star has long talked about wanting to hold a rally at the venue in interviews and private conversations.
Beyond the national spotlight and the appeal of appearing on one of the world's most famous stages, Republicans in the state say the rally will also help down-ballot candidates. New York is home to a handful of competitive congressional races that could determine which party controls the House next year.
Trump will also use the stop as a major fundraising opportunity as he continues to seriously lag Harris in the money race.
One year after a couple was shot and killed in their Caledon home in what investigators have described as a case of mistaken identity, Ontario Provincial Police say they are still trying to figure out who pulled the trigger.
A Las Vegas man called for police help during a home invasion before an officer fatally shot him, according to authorities and 911 calls.
A disease often thought to only affect 18th century sailors is reemerging in Canada.
Not so long ago, if you wanted to spend Christmas with the royal family, the only way to get close was to press your nose up to the TV screen during the monarch’s Christmas speech.
Donations are ramping up for a BC SPCA cat with a mangled paw after being caught in a hunting snare, one of a rising number of pets to fall prey to the hunting device.
Jannik Sinner clinched Italy’s second consecutive Davis Cup title and capped his breakthrough season by beating Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor.
The Lotto Max jackpot has climbed to $80 million for just the second time in Canadian lottery history.
Montreal's police chief says he expects more arrests stemming from a Friday anti-NATO protest that turned violent, with smashed windows and burned cars in downtown Montreal.
After being elected the 47th president on Nov. 5, Donald Trump is stocking his second administration with key players in the Project 2025 movement he temporarily shunned.
One year after a couple was shot and killed in their Caledon home in what investigators have described as a case of mistaken identity, Ontario Provincial Police say they are still trying to figure out who pulled the trigger.
With two days left before Nova Scotians elect their next government, polls suggest Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Houston's decision to call an early vote will pay off and the real battle will be between the Liberals and NDP for second place.
Ontario's colleges and universities say the federal government's cap on international students is taking a toll on the higher education sector as some schools face growing deficits, layoffs and, in at least one case, a temporary campus closure.
The federal government is providing $45 million in compensation to Inuit in Nunavik as part of Canada's apology for its role in the killing of sled dogs between the mid-1950s and the late 1960s.
Artificially generated videos of a Toronto-based lawyer asking for money appear to be just one way some try to exploit newcomers to Canada during a time of confusion around new immigration rules.
Canada Post says it has seen a shortage of more than eight million parcels amid an ongoing strike that has effectively shut down the postal system for nine days compared with the same period in 2023.
A Las Vegas man called for police help during a home invasion before an officer fatally shot him, according to authorities and 911 calls.
Shiite and Sunni Muslim tribes in Pakistan’s northwest have agreed to a ceasefire days after 42 Shiites were killed in an ambush.
Hezbollah fired about 250 rockets and other projectiles into Israel on Sunday in response to deadly Israeli strikes in Beirut.
Four men were convicted on Sunday in connection with the homophobic murder of a 24-year-old nursing assistant that sparked nationwide protests.
Israel said that Zvi Kogan, an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who went missing in the United Arab Emirates, has been found. Three suspects were arrested.
Twenty-four people died after two boats capsized off the Madagascar coast in the Indian Ocean, Somalia's government said Sunday.
Montreal's police chief says he expects more arrests stemming from a Friday anti-NATO protest that turned violent, with smashed windows and burned cars in downtown Montreal.
The chair of the United States House intelligence committee says Canada needs to accelerate its defence spending targets, especially with its military in 'desperate' need of investment.
Women and Gender Equality and Youth Minister Marci Ien is calling the federal government's proposed GST holiday and $250 rebate cheques a 'targeted approach' to address affordability concerns.
A disease often thought to only affect 18th century sailors is reemerging in Canada.
Joshua Orson sits on the edge of a bed in a bright, clean room, thinking about his journey from addict to health-care worker.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced an expanded recall on carrots over risks of E. coli O121 contamination, according to a notice issued Friday.
Canadian neurosurgeons in partnership with Elon Musk's Neuralink have regulatory approval to recruit six patients with paralysis willing to have a thousand electrode contacts in their brains.
Astronomers have spotted orbiting around a young star a newborn planet that took only three million years to form, quite swift in cosmic terms.
OnlyFans says it empowers content creators, particularly women, to monetize sexually explicit images and videos in a safe online environment. But a Reuters investigation found women who said they had been deceived, drugged, terrorized and sexually enslaved to make money from the site.
With a combined US$270 million in worldwide ticket sales, 'Wicked' and 'Gladiator II' breathed fresh life into a box office that has struggled lately.
Chuck Woolery, host of 'Wheel of Fortune,' 'Love Connection' and 'Scrabble' who accused the U.S. government of lying about COVID-19, has died. He was 83.
The Italian artist who created the banana duct-taped to a wall that sold this week for US$6.2 million, said in an interview that the work was a 'provocation' and an invitation to appreciate the true value of art.
The richest person in the world got even richer Friday, with Musk’s net worth hitting a record US$347.8 billion, Bloomberg reported.
A U.S. court has closed the door on "hostile work environment" and wage discrimination claims made by a former BlackBerry Ltd. executive who accused the company's CEO of sexually harassing her and then retaliating against her when she reported the behaviour.
Maple Leaf Foods Inc. has launched a defamation lawsuit against Canada Bread Co. Ltd. and its parent company Grupo Bimbo.
The Australian government introduced what it's called 'world-leading' legislation in parliament this week to wipe social media accounts – including Snapchat, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Reddit and X – from the devices of children under 16.
They are tiny insects that are often overlooked or stepped on, but ants are marching not only into people’s backyards, but also their homes, as the popularity of ant-keeping rises in Canada.
Not so long ago, if you wanted to spend Christmas with the royal family, the only way to get close was to press your nose up to the TV screen during the monarch’s Christmas speech.
Jannik Sinner clinched Italy’s second consecutive Davis Cup title and capped his breakthrough season by beating Netherlands' Tallon Griekspoor.
Max Verstappen claimed the Formula One World Drivers’ Championship at Las Vegas Grand Prix that saw George Russell take victory for Mercedes.
Angel Yin was making putts from across the green and threatening to build a big lead until Jeeno Thitikul finished eagle-birdie for a 9-under 63 to share the lead Saturday going into the final round of the CME Group Tour Championship with US$4 million on the line.
Nearly 46,000 electric vehicles from Kia, Hyundai and Genesis are being recalled in Canada over a potential power loss issue that can increase the risk of a crash.
Northvolt AB has filed for bankruptcy protection in the United States, but said the move will not jeopardize the manufacturer's planned electric vehicle battery plant in Quebec — though hundreds of millions of taxpayer dollars invested in the parent company could be lost.
Canadian drivers are regularly in a hurry to get to their destination and a majority are willing to take unnecessary risks on the road, according to the results of a new survey.
The holidays may be a time for family, joy and togetherness, but they can also be hard on the wallet.
Humans weren’t the only ones who struggled through the bomb cyclone that formed off the B.C. coast this week, bringing intense winds and choppy seas.
After driving near the water that winter day, Brian Lavery thought he saw a dog splashing in the waves – then realized it was way too cold for that.
Toronto radio and podcast host Jax Irwin has recently gone viral for videos of her cute -- and at times confusing -- phone conversations.
The Lotto Max jackpot has climbed to $80 million for just the second time in Canadian lottery history.
Two young women from New Brunswick have won one of the most prestigious and sought-after academic honours in the world.
Stretching 3,000 kilometres from the tip of New Zealand to its southernmost point, with just a bicycle for transport and a tent to call home, bikepacking event Tour Aotearoa is not for the faint of heart.
When he first moved to his urban neighbourhood, Barry Devonald was surprised to be welcomed by a whole flock of new neighbours.
When George Arcioni began renovating his kitchen last summer, he didn’t expect to find a stack of letters hidden in the wall behind his oven.
A member of the Vancouver Police Board was asked to resign after social media posts surfaced that made her continued service on the oversight body “untenable,” according to the chair.
Donations are ramping up for a BC SPCA cat with a mangled paw after being caught in a hunting snare, one of a rising number of pets to fall prey to the hunting device.
A murder in China and a civil lawsuit in B.C. have been preventing the sale of multiple Vancouver homes, but one of them could soon hit the market after a court ruling.
Doctors and emergency rooms across Canada have said they are seeing an unusual rise in walking pneumonia cases, particularly in children, but what about here in Ontario?
Joshua Orson sits on the edge of a bed in a bright, clean room, thinking about his journey from addict to health-care worker.
The 120th Santa Claus Parade is back in Toronto on Sunday and will bring along some road closures.
The snowfall warning for Calgary has been lifted after a Saturday snowstorm socked the city, but there are still flurries in the forecast for Sunday.
A week ago, the Calgary Flames were winning despite Martin Pospisil's slump and the NHL club's weak power play.
Snow routes were declared active in Lethbridge, the city posted on its website. Starting at 9 a.m. Monday, parking restrictions will be in effect for streets declared to be snow routes.
Ottawa police laid charges against two people during a pro-Palestinian demonstration on Saturday.
With CTV broadcasting NFL football games on Sundays this season, CTV News at Six will be broadcasting live on our website and the CTV News App.
Ottawa firefighters evacuated an apartment building in Sandy Hill after detecting high levels of carbon monoxide on Saturday night.
Provincial police (SQ) are investigating two suspicious fires on the same street within 24 hours in the municipality of Rawdon.
Montreal's police chief says he expects more arrests stemming from a Friday anti-NATO protest that turned violent, with smashed windows and burned cars in downtown Montreal.
Two pedestrians in their 60s died on Saturday after being struck by a vehicle in Saint-Théodore-d'Acton, in Montérégie.
Electric vehicles are off Alberta car lots, despite what experts say are some ongoing misconceptions about the technology.
Vasily Podkolzin vowed there's more to come after his first goal with the Edmonton Oilers. Podkolzin scored the game’s first goal and Connor McDavid had two goals and an assist for the Oilers in a 6-2 victory over the New York Rangers on Saturday.
Canada Post says it has seen a shortage of more than eight million parcels amid an ongoing strike that has effectively shut down the postal system for nine days compared with the same period in 2023.
A family in Riverview, N.B., is making plans for Christmas and the future after escaping a fire in their home on November, 14.
Saint John Police Force in Saint John, N.B., arrested a 30-year-old man for weapons related offenses on Saturday.
The 134th Salvation Army Christmas Kettle Campaign started Saturday across Canada.
‘Tis the season of giving, and the union representing Winnipeg transit workers found a way to take part and spread holiday cheer throughout the city.
Winnipeg police are asking the public to help find a 15-year-old girl who went missing Saturday afternoon.
A two-day manhunt in northwestern Ontario has ended in more than 20 charges against a Manitoba man and woman.
Regina digging itself out is yet again – mere days after it was slammed with the first major snowfall of the season.
Researchers from McGill University have discovered a first of its kind fossil specimen for Saskatchewan.
Sixteen local authors and book publishers gathered Saturday for the first ever Regina Bookwyrm’s Book Fair, organized by a Navy wife.
An auto repair shop based in Kitchener held a special fundraiser Saturday to help children and youth with physical disabilities, with former Maple Leafs captain Wendel Clark in attendance.
Groups representing post-secondary institutions say this may just be the tip of the iceberg, as dramatic drops in international student enrolment exacerbate some schools' existing budget shortfalls.
Doctors and emergency rooms across Canada have said they are seeing an unusual rise in walking pneumonia cases, particularly in children, but what about here in Ontario?
Saskatoon residents are digging out from another major snowfall that blanketed the city overnight.
Some local businesses say the federal government’s recent plan to pull back GST on several items is a positive initiative, but it should have been rolled out earlier in the holiday season.
This holiday season, Make-A-Wish kids and their families are experiencing the magic of Christmas a little early at Saskatoon’s historic Hotel Bessborough.
Taykwa Tagamou Nation, a Cree First Nation located within Treaty 9, has filed a statement of claim against the Province of Ontario and Newmont, a mining company that owns properties in Timmins.
An 81-year-old was killed in a dog attack this week in Bonfield, Ont. Police believe three dogs were involved.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has announced an expanded recall on carrots over risks of E. coli O121 contamination, according to a notice issued Friday.
The London Fire Department was on scene of a house fire in the city on Sunday.
The St. Thomas police have arrested someone after an incident at the Santa Claus parade on Saturday.
An overnight crash in Tiny Township is under investigation, where a car allegedly crashed into a tree and both occupants were taken to hospital.
Simcoe Muskoka saw its first signs of snow of the season Sunday morning, with a mix of flurries and rain leading to worsening road conditions and police reporting multiple collisions.
The Maple Ridge Ravens girls’ basketball team won a gold medal at the Girls AAA OFSAA Championships this weekend in Brampton, defeating the Mother Teresa Spartans 46-42 in comeback fashion.
A Windsor, Ont., man knitting hats for kids in need has inspired his neighbours to make sure more than just ears are staying warm.
The Essex OPP has confirmed two vehicle collisions in Essex County on County Road 42.
The Windsor Spitfires took home the win against the Ottawa 67s in Windsor on Saturday night.
British Columbia's electric utility says it has restored power to almost all customers who suffered outages during the bomb cyclone earlier this week, but strong wind from a new storm has made repairs difficult in some areas.
There won't be a sitting of the British Columbia legislature this fall as originally planned.
Canada Post says it has seen a shortage of more than eight million parcels amid an ongoing strike that has effectively shut down the postal system for nine days compared with the same period in 2023.
Police are appealing for information on a targeted shooting that resulted in the hospitalization of a man in Kamloops.
British Columbia's independent police watchdog has cleared officers of wrongdoing in a crash where three people were killed south of Kamloops in July of last year.
A B.C. woman who stole more than $14,000 in volunteer-raised funds that were supposed to be spent on school supplies and programs – including hot meals for vulnerable kids – won't spend any time in jail.
Snow routes were declared active in Lethbridge, the city posted on its website. Starting at 9 a.m. Monday, parking restrictions will be in effect for streets declared to be snow routes.
The Hurricanes dropped their third straight game on Friday night, losing 6-3 to the Winterhawks in Portland.
City crews are working to repair an emergency water main break on 5 Avenue North between 28 Street North and 29 Street North Saturday morning.
Practice this week for the Sault College Men’s Hockey Team was taken to another level, as the Cougars face off against cross-border rival Lake Superior State University this weekend.
Sault-based charity Save Our Young Adults, or SOYA, will soon move to a new home -- for good reason.
The City of Elliot Lake said Thursday it has received a $3-million donation from Edward and Suzanne Rogers for the Centennial Arena restoration.
A Newfoundland energy company's embrace of data centres is raising doubts about eastern Canadian hopes of harnessing the region's howling winds to supply Germany with power from green hydrogen.
An international group led by a Canadian is in Rome this week to push the Catholic Church to adopt a zero-tolerance policy on abuse by clergy.
A company hoping to build a multi-billion-dollar wind-to-hydrogen project in western Newfoundland is eyeing other options as Canada's plans to supply Europe with green energy have not yet materialized.
The Shopping Trends team is independent of the journalists at CTV News. We may earn a commission when you use our links to shop. Read about us.
