Elon Musk to Attend Trump’s Butler Rally at Site of July Assassination Attempt

Elon Musk revealed on Thursday night that he will be attending Donald Trump’s rally on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania, which was the site of an assassination attempt against the former president in July.

“I will be there to support!” Musk wrote in response to Trump’s post on X, just two minutes after it was posted. Trump hinted that the second rally in Butler will be "historic."

In July, a 20-year-old named Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to assassinate Trump, firing eight gunshots into the crowd, with one hitting Trump in the right ear. Musk showed his support for the former president following the incident.

Later that day, Musk referred to Trump as "tough" after seeing the Republican candidate raise his fist in the air while being escorted off the platform by Secret Service.

Musk’s endorsement of Trump was notable given his previous support for Democrats before turning toward Trump. In March, Musk hinted at a last-minute presidential endorsement by saying he was “leaning away from Biden.” Now, Musk is openly backing Trump for reelection.

Although Musk's visit to Butler was not publicly announced, the Secret Service has stated that it will be on high alert and working closely with local and state law enforcement to ensure security at the highly anticipated rally.

Secret Service chief of communications Anthony Guglielmi told a Pittsburgh ABC affiliate, "We are coordinating closely with the Pennsylvania State Police as well as local law enforcement in and around Butler Township. We are also leveraging other federal security resources to expand personnel and technology."

The rally will take place at the Butler Farm Show grounds, the same location as Trump's previous event in July. Leslie Osche, chairwoman of the Butler County Commissioners, expressed her "confidence" in the enhanced security measures.

Throughout his 2024 campaign, Trump has been closely aligned with Musk, and now a Musk-backed organization is leading the former president's ground operations in key battleground states.

According to The Guardian, Musk-backed America PAC is managing Trump’s ground game operations in the seven battleground states most likely to determine the outcome of the 2024 election. Initially, the Trump campaign anticipated having multiple PACs engaged in voter outreach efforts, but only America PAC now has a significant presence, with 300 to 400 workers engaged in door-knocking efforts in each of the key battleground states.

America PAC is currently the only organization affiliated with Trump's campaign conducting three "passes" of homes belonging to likely Trump voters before Election Day.

Turning Point Action, led by Charlie Kirk and supported by the Trump campaign, operates in Arizona, Wisconsin, and select districts in Michigan and Nevada but has scaled back its efforts, removing Georgia from its initial focus.

America PAC has taken on a significant portion of the often overlooked, yet essential, task of canvassing voters to encourage them to turn in their ballots, reported The Guardian. The effort, however, has faced challenges. Last week, America PAC terminated the company it had contracted in Arizona and Nevada for door-knocking, which led to a loss of several days of voter outreach while the PAC searched for a replacement.

The Trump campaign has denied any over-reliance on America PAC, emphasizing its own grassroots efforts. According to Karoline Leavitt, a Trump spokesperson, "Team Trump has hundreds of staff and offices mobilizing hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the country. That’s why everyone wants to take credit for our groundbreaking, data-enhanced, people-powered operation."

Despite a slow start, America PAC’s ground game has expanded, partnering with canvassing vendors in each battleground state. The PAC now has hundreds of paid and part-time employees actively engaged in a comprehensive get-out-the-vote effort, according to sources cited by The Guardian.