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4 months ago
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Donald Trump managed to rally a crowd of about 25,000 people at Crotona Park in the Bronx on Thursday afternoon, for a rally his campaign did not expect to be the massive success that it was.
Even after the event began, thousands and thousands of people in the staunchly-Democrat area were seen lining up outside the fenced-in event just for a shot to get inside.
The packed rally drew many, many times the number of people who were estimated to attend, a figure initially thought to be around 3,500.
And worryingly for the Democrats, the rally was extremely-well attended by black and Hispanic people - two groups whose votes Joe Biden's party have been accused of taking for granted.
As the former president fights to win votes from the black and Hispanic communities away from Joe Biden, the famous New York real estate mogul delivered a speech about the decline of a city he loves.
He also brought on stage rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow so that they might offer him their endorsement before a cheering crowd. Ever the showman, Trump also admired the dazzling diamond 'grills' on their teeth, with the bling-loving Republican saying he wanted to get one for himself.
Former President Donald Trump drew an estimated crowd of 25,000 people to his rally in the Bronx on Thursday afternoon. This snap helps show the size of the crowd
An enthusiastic support of presidential candidate Donald Trump shows her patriotic support at his Bronx rally on Thursday afternoon
At his Thursday afternoon rally in the Bronx, Donald Trump brought on stage rappers Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow (pictured center and right) so that they might offer him their endorsement before a cheering crowd
As the two musicians mounted the stage to address Trump and the crowd, the former president couldn't help but compliment Sheff G's incredibly shiny grill.
'Oh I like that, I want to get that done,' Trump said as he shook hands with Sheff G, reacting immediately to the musician's glistening mouth.
Sheff G and Sleepy Hallow hopped on stage to a cheering crowd and briefly addressed the massive group.
Sheff G said into the microphone: 'One thing I want to say, they're always going to whisper your wins and shout your failures.
'Trump's gonna shout the wins for all of us,' he added.
Sleepy Hallow simply said: 'Make America Great Again,' which was met with uproarious applause.
As Trump thanked the gentlemen for their endorsements, he once again focused in on Sheff G's grill.
'Thank you very much,' he said to the rappers.
'I like those teeth. I want to find out where you did that.'
'I got to get my teeth like that. I want that to happen to me,' he added, as the pair made their way off the stage.
Sheff G was recently released from prison, where he spent fourteen months for charges related to gang activity - Sleepy Hallow was indicted along with 30 others for the same charges.
Sheff G previously spent two years in prison after pleading guilty to criminal possession of a weapon in 2021.
The Republican nominee delivered a speech about the Big Apple for more than ninety minutes, in which he reminisced fondly about his time as a real estate mogul before his foray into politics. ‘Together we are going to make New York City great again,’ he said
One Trump supporter brought his two young daughters out on the Thursday ahead of the long weekend, to show familial support for the former POTUS
Classic MAGA outfits were seen in the crowd, including the famous/infamous merch of Trump's mugshot orchestrated by the Fulton County Sheriff's Office
Some of the MAGA support came in totally original forms, like this aggressive MAGA neck tattoo spotted in the crowd
Trump became the first Republican presidential nominee to campaign in the Bronx since Ronald Reagan showed up more than 40 years ago.
The Republican nominee delivered a speech about the Big Apple for more than ninety minutes, in which he reminisced fondly about his time as a real estate mogul before his foray into politics.
‘Together we are going to make New York City great again,’ Trump said.
'If a New Yorker can’t save this country, no one can.'
The former New Yorker and current resident of Florida said: ‘who said we’re not going to win New York? We’re going to win New York!’
Trump, himself a former Democrat, faces an uphill battle to win New York, with recent polls showing the president about nine points ahead of his challenger in the Empire State. But supporters of Trump point to his surprise 2016 election victory as evidence that anything is possible.
In 1984, incumbent President Ronald Reagan became the last Republican to win New York in the last half-century. He had also achieved victory in the state in the 1980 presidential election, and prior to that, Richard Nixon won the state in 1972.
The former president attracted a crowd in the tens of thousands to the Bronx park on a slightly humid afternoon ahead of Memorial Day Weekend
The diverse crowd that showed up to support the Republican nominee suggest that perhaps he has made some inroads with the black and Hispanic voting blocks that Democrats have long relied upon
Police officers keep watch at a campaign rally by former U.S. President and Republican presidential candidate
Trump spoke to crowds of supporters at Crotona Park Thursday afternoon. The Republican nominee is looking to woo black and Hispanic voters away from President Joe Biden ahead of this November
Lines formed early to get into the rally. Even after the event began, thousands and thousands of people were seen lining up outside the fenced-in event just for a shot to get inside
A supporter of former U.S. President Donald Trump wears a pair of Trump sneakers outside of the campaign rally
The vibe for those in the crowd, and those waiting in line, was celebratory despite the humidity and threat of rain. Music blared, flags waved and plenty of pro-Trump signage could be seen.
The former-president stumped in the city's outer borough as he looks to woo black and Hispanic voters away from President Joe Biden ahead of this November.
Trump told the crowd he would work with the city's Democratic mayor, local officials and governor, if reelected.
The Bronx happens to be the bluest county in the US. Biden won it with more than 83 percent of the vote in 2020. Trump earned less than 16 percent. In 2016, Trump fared even worse, earning less than 10 percent of the borough's support.
But the ex-president is campaigning hard across the Big Apple, while he's stuck in town for his Manhattan hush money trial.
In recent weeks, he's made stops at a firehouse, a construction site, and a bodega.
A wide range of Trump supporters were visible from far and wide as enthusiasm bubbled over
Cheers periodically erupted throughout Trump's 90-minute speech, which began to bleed into sunset
Some of the outfits were exciting - others bordered on insane, but most were whimsical
Celebrity guests included a handful of entertainers, and, apparently, ex-congressman and ardent Trump supporter George Santos (right)
Trump is currently facing 34 felony counts of falsifying business records over the payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Closing arguments are slated to begin when court resumes on Tuesday.
Trump supporters at the rally told Dailymail.com that they don't especially care abut the criminal trial and haven't been paying attention to the testimony on either side of the case.
Thursday was also Trump's first rally since former GOP presidential candidate Nikki Haley said last Friday that she would vote for Trump. Her tacit endorsement came months after dropping out of the primary during which she attacked her former boss mercilessly. But Trump made no mention of his one-time rival.
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