In a bold attempt to reclaim the White House, former President Donald Trump focused his campaign’s final stretch on a rally in Madison Square Garden, New York, centring on fears of an “immigrant invasion” and a promise for large-scale deportations. The event on October 27, 2024, featured a range of high-profile guests, including Tesla CEO Elon Musk, UFC CEO Dana White, House Speaker Mike Johnson, and his running mate Senator J.D. Vance, alongside rhetoric aiming to drive voter turnout ahead of the November 5 election against Democratic candidate, Vice President Kamala Harris.

“The United States is an occupied country,” Trump declared, while protesters projected messages like “Trump is Unhinged” on the arena’s exterior. His speech was marked by strong anti-migrant sentiment and focused economic appeals aimed at frustrated voters facing financial challenges, including the rising cost of living. Trump asserted, “I will end inflation, stop the invasion, and restore the American Dream,” while proposing a new tax credit for family caregivers, positioning it against Harris’s Medicare home health care plan. Despite warnings from critics about his authoritarian rhetoric, he claimed that electing Harris would lead to “economic ruin.”

While Trump intensified his anti-migrant stance, the rally also stirred controversy with inflammatory remarks by his allies. CTrump’s campaign swiftly disavowed comedian Tony Hinchcliffe’s offhand insult about Puerto Rico though the damage continued with criticism from prominent figures like Bad Bunny and Puerto Rican voters, who voiced their disapproval.

The Trump campaign is betting that these hardline stances will attract large, impassioned voter turnout, even as Harris’s team argues that Trump’s rhetoric alienates moderate Republicans and independents. Harris’s campaign plans to respond with an event on October 29 at the Ellipse in Washington, DC, symbolically referencing the site of the January 6 Capitol attack and framing Trump as a threat to democratic values.

Polling remains close, with early voting already in full swing and millions of ballots cast. Both candidates are now doubling down on their base voters. Harris spent time connecting with Black and Latino voters in Philadelphia, while Trump appealed to his supporters in traditionally Democratic New York.