Donald Trump went deep into one of the bluest counties in the country on Thursday for a rally in the Bronx that had large crowds of his excited MAGA supporters lining up in the New York City borough while bystanders looked on incredulously.
The ex-president is the first Republican presidential nominee to campaign in the Bronx since Ronald Reagan showed up more than 40 years ago.
He delivered a New York-centric speech for more than an hour and a half where he reminisced fondly about his time as a real estate mogul before getting into politics, recalling numerous New York projects he worked on in great detail from the ice rink in Central Park and Trump golf course to Trump Tower.
‘Together we are going to make New York City great again,’ Trump vowed.
‘If a New Yorker can’t save this country, no one can,’ he said.
Donald Trump went deep into one of the bluest counties in the country on Thursday for a rally in the Bronx that had large crowds of his excited MAGA supporters lining up in the New York City borough while bystanders looked on incredulously
The former New Yorker said: ‘who said we’re not going to win New York? We’re going to win New York!’
As Trump spoke, often in a more quiet tone than he has at some of his other rancorous rallies, it appeared a larger crowd was stuck outside the barriers than inside as the ex-president spoke to supporters at Crotona Park in red MAGA hats and other Trump gear.
At times, faint chants of USA, USA could be heard coming up the hill.
‘We wanted to keep it small because who knew,’ Trump claimed.
‘This is like a love fest, a love fest,’ Trump declared.
At times rather than declaring ‘our country’ he referred to ‘our city’ suggesting he very much still considers himself a New Yorker despite having largely relocated to Florida since leaving the White House in January 2021.
Trump also thanked New York’s finest stating ‘I know them, I grew up with them.’
Trump tosses a MAGA hat into the crowd at his campaign rally in the Bronx
Trump looks on as rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow join him on stage at his rally
Trump supporters decked out in MAGA gear and red white and blue watching the ex-president give his remarks
The former president spoke for about an hour and a half as the sun slowly set. Much of the speech was more New York-centric as he fondly reminisced about his former hometown and projects in the city before entering politics
An overflow crowd of Trump supporters standing outside the event barriers as he spoke
The vibe for those in the crowd inside and waiting in line was celebratory despite the humidity and threat of rain with music blasting, flags waving and plenty of signage.
The ex-president paid a visit as he looks to woo black and Hispanic voters away from President Joe Biden come November.
But as Trump’s speech trailed on and the sun started to set, the crowd’s energy dwindled as some supporters wandered and the applause slowed.
Trump said he would work with the city’s Democratic mayor, local officials and governor if reelected in his appeal to the blue city.
It was the ex-president’s first rally since former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley said on Friday she would vote for Trump months after dropping out of the primary where she attacked him mercilessly. But Trump made no mention of his former rival.
The ex-president was the first Republican presidential nominee to campaign in the Bronx since Ronald Reagan showed up more than 40 years ago
‘We’ve got to support him. He’s the only one who can save this country,’ said Rosa Cerrato who came to the rally from Brooklyn and voted for Trump in 2016 and 2020.
‘I love it. He was asked to come here. They kept saying “come to the Bronx, come to the Bronx.” And there he is. It’s a great opportunity for us in New York to come and see him,’ she said. ‘We got to show New York is red.’
Trump supporter and Manhattan resident Jessica Stinnett, decked out in a t-shirt with Trump’s mug shot on it that read ‘never surrender’ said she thinks it is awesome that Trump held a rally in the Bronx.
‘I think that New York is diverse and a lot of people think that we only think one way. As a born and raised New Yorker I disagree with that, so I think that him coming here, showing that he’s willing to see the other side is pretty cool,’ added Jamina Silen who lives in the Bronx.
Trump spoke to crowds of supporters at Crotona Park while a large overflow crowd decked out in red MAGA hats and other Trump gear waited outside
Forgiato Blow shows off his leg tattoo as he joins the crowd before the event on Thursday
A woman wearing a Trump cowboy hat a patriotic top in the South Bronx
Rappers Trump Latinos and Forgiato Blow perform ahead of the Trump rally
The ex-president and former New Yorker insists he could win the state in November and his supporters were all in on the idea of Trump putting New York in play.
But Trump faces massive hurdles making gains in the Empire State.
The DailyMail.com found some Bronx residents who were undecided on who they would vote for come November.
Dennis Matute who was headed to work said he voted for Biden in 2020, but he’s skeptical of who he will vote for this fall. He said he would be watching to see how the debates go, but he was open to voting for Trump.
However, everyone the DailyMail spoke to who was waiting in line for Trump’s rally were longtime supporters of the ex-president who had previously cast ballots for him in 2020 and 2016.
The last Republican to win New York in a presidential election was Ronald Reagan with his reelection in 1984.
In 2020, Biden beat Trump by double digits with more than 60 percent of the vote.
Trump, 77, is the first Republican to visit the the area for a campaign event in 40 years and is looking to woo black and Hispanic voters away from Biden
A shirtless Trump supporter with jeans, a flag and a Trump license plate walks around outside the rally
A MAGA fan shows off his neck tattoo as he awaits the arrival of the former president
The Bronx happens to be the bluest county in the entire country. Biden won it with more than 83 percent of the vote in 2020 to Trump’s less than 16 percent. Trump received less than 10 percent of support in the Bronx in 2016.
But the ex-president has been making multiple stops throughout New York City in recent weeks as he has been is stuck in the Manhattan criminal court the majority of his time for the hush money trial.
Trump faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records over the payment to porn star Stormy Daniels. Closing arguments are set to take place when court resumes on Tuesday.
Outside of court, Trump has made several stops throughout the city including visiting a firehouse, construction site and a bodega.
Speaking to Trump supporters outside his rally on Thursday, many told DailyMail.com they do not care about the New York trial and have not been paying attention to what’s been said in the testimony.
MAGA fans cheer as they await the arrival of the former president
A member of the MAGA fan army shows off a pair of gold sneakers outside of the rally
Lines form to get into the rally. Trump believes he can do what only Ronald Reagan has done in recent history
Supporters of the Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gather for a campaign rally in the Bronx borough of New York
But others suggested the only reason Trump was showing up in the Bronx was because he has been stuck in the city because of court.
‘I think it was a last minute resort thing,’ said Bronx resident Peter Blade who was out trolling MAGA supporters waiting in line. ‘We all know the legal problems he’s having in New York.’
Another woman carried a sign that read ‘Trump criminal trial’ and ‘convict Trump already.’
Meanwhile, the Biden campaign on Thursday released a 30 second ad warning Trump poses a ‘dire threat to black America.’
The ad highlights Trump calling for the execution of the Central Park Five. The five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem were wrongfully convicted for the brutal assault of a white woman in New York’s Central Park in 1989. Their convictions were vacated in 2002.
It began airing digitally ahead of Trump’s visit targeting Bronx and New York zip codes. The campaign also is airing the ad in battleground states.
A New York member of the MAGA faithful wears a shirt with a version of Trump’s mugshot
Another man using Donald Trump’s mugshot as part of his attire prepares for the Bronx rally
Santos smiles with one of Trump’s fans. He is still a favorite of the MAGA army despite a short career in Congress mired in Scandal
MAGA fans take selfie with George Santos, the former Republican congressman expelled from Congress for lying over swathes of his resume
The Biden campaign released a 30 second political ad on Thursday calling Trump a dire threat to Black America. The ad highlighted Trump calling for the death penalty for the Central Park Five. It began airing in New York ahead of Trump’s visit as well as battleground states
Some counter protesters did make their way to the park, but despite a few screaming matches that broke out throughout the afternoon and evening, the overall event remained peaceful with a large police presence on the scene.
Prostesters and MAGA supporters alike were quick to clear the park after Trump wrapped up and police were quickly removing barricades.
Some anti-Trump protesters gathered outside the rally in Crotona Park as the ex-president held his event
The Bronx where Trump ventured for his rally on May 23 is one of the bluest counties in the country
Anti-Trump protesters carrying signs that back President Biden. The Democratic president won the Bronx with 83.5 percent of the vote in 2020
Some protesters carried the Palestinian flag as pro-Palestine protests have taken place across the country. Others brought Puerto Rican flags
In the Bronx, more than 28 percent of the population identified as black and more than 56 identified as Hispanic in 2022.
A series of recent polls have shown Trump making some gains among Hispanic voters as well as black voters has he runs for reelection, cutting into Biden’s support.
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Read more at DailyMail.co.uk