CNN —
Billionaire Elon Musk appeared on the campaign trail for the first time with Donald Trump on Saturday, slamming Democrats as a threat to democracy and urging people to register to vote.
“Can I register to vote? And gather everyone, both people you know and people you don’t know. Drag them to register to vote. 2 more to register to vote in Georgia and Arizona 48 hours. Text people now. And make sure they actually vote,” Musk said at the former president’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. Ta. “If we don’t, this will be the last election. That’s my prediction.”
Mr. Musk’s claims were similar to warnings that Vice President Kamala Harris and allies of President Joe Biden have frequently made about Mr. Trump. But it was the former president, not the Democrat, who addressed the crowd ahead of the Jan. 6, 2021, riot at the U.S. Capitol, then remained silent for more than three hours as events unfolded.
The X Corporation billionaire and prominent Trump supporter used his appearance on stage Saturday to argue that the 2024 presidential election will not be a normal campaign and that Trump’s opponents will They are trying to take away freedom of speech.” They are trying to take away your right to bear arms. They are trying to take away your right to vote validly. ”
Musk, who supported Trump over the summer and helped form a super PAC that has already spent tens of millions of dollars on the presidential campaign, has argued that free speech and national integrity in the United States are important and that It painted a dark picture of danger. The Constitution will only become law if Trump defeats Harris.
Musk’s comments were a departure from the overall theme of Trump’s rally in Butler, the site of an assassination attempt on the former president this summer. In his first visit to the site since then, President Trump highlighted the location of the rally and began his speech by paying tribute to Corey Contempore, a firefighter who was shot and killed at the rally. President Trump also thanked the Secret Service for protecting him.
“Exactly 12 weeks ago tonight, in this very place, a cold-blooded assassin sought to silence me and silence the greatest movement,” Trump said.
The speaker list had higher visibility than a typical Trump rally. Speakers ahead of the former president include vice presidential candidate Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, his son Eric Trump, RNC co-chair and daughter-in-law Lara Trump, and conservative activist Scott Pressler. was included. During a moment of silence for the victims of the last Trump rally in Butler, opera singer Christopher Macchio sang “Ave Maria.”
During the rally, President Trump said his supporters deserve a government that doesn’t cater to special interests or lobbyists, and that his opponents are actively trying to thwart this goal.
“For the past eight years, those who seek to prevent us from achieving this future have slandered me, impeached me, prosecuted me, tried to remove me from the ballot, and perhaps removed me from the ballot. He might even have tried to kill him,” Trump baselessly suggested. “But I have never stopped fighting for you and I never will.”
Following last month’s deadly attack at a Florida golf club, President Trump blames Biden and Harris for second assassination attempt, claiming “I’m going to get shot because of their rhetoric.” did.
Law enforcement officials are investigating the motives of the suspects in both assassination attempts, but there is no evidence that Trump’s political opponents were involved in any way.
CNN’s Kate Sullivan and Shania Shelton contributed to this article.
