After the attempted assassination at the Trump Golf Course on Sunday, attendees at the Long Island rally shared their reactions.
UNIONDALE, N.Y.—Former President Donald Trump held his first full rally since surviving a second apparent assassination attempt over the weekend.
The rally took place in Uniondale, a city on Republican-leaning Long Island in New York. Long Island is home to several highly competitive congressional districts that could determine control of the House in the next Congress.
The rally came just three days after the thwarted assassination attempt at Trump International Golf Course in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The incident was fresh in the minds of attendees in Uniondale.
William Diver, a 70-year-old from Farmingville, New York, described the attempted assassination as “disgusting” and expressed hope for answers from the federal government about the events of that day.
Ryan Wesley Routh, 58, of Hawaii, has been charged with two federal gun crimes in connection with the incident, with more charges expected as authorities investigate.
Some attendees questioned the effectiveness of the Secret Service’s protective measures, especially since the agency has been under scrutiny since the previous assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania, two months ago.
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“It was terrible. It was horrible,” attendee Ariel Kohan said when asked about the recent attempt on Trump’s life.
At the beginning of his speech, Trump praised the agent who first noticed the suspected would-be assassin, as well as the woman whose photos of the fleeing suspect’s vehicle helped police quickly apprehend him.
“These encounters with death … have only hardened my resolve to use my time on earth to make America great again,” Trump said.
“God has now spared my life … not once, but twice,” he said.
Ariel Kohan shows his support for former President Donald Trump during the former president’s rally in Uniondale, N.Y., on Sept. 18, 2024. Michael Washburn/The Epoch Times
New York last voted for a Republican presidential candidate in 1984.
“What do you have to lose?” Trump said at the rally.
But Republicans have seen a much stronger performance on Republican-leaning Long Island, where the party controls three of the island’s four House seats—seats that could be crucial in ensuring a Republican-led House for Trump should he regain the White House.
Also earlier that day, the 1.3 million member Teamsters Union announced that it wouldn’t make an endorsement for president, for the first time since 1966.
Make 9/11 Memorial a National Monument
Trump said that he would designate Ground Zero, the site of the 9/11 attack in Manhattan, as a national monument if reelected.
“As president, I will officially make the Ground Zero site at the World Trade Center a national monument … so that hallowed ground and the memory of all who perished there will be preserved for all time,” he said at the rally.
Roses are left next to the names of victims on the North Tower Memorial Pool during during the 23rd anniversary of the September 11 terror attack on the World Trade Center at Ground Zero, in New York City on Sept. 11, 2024. Adam Gray/AFP via Getty Images
Last week, Trump attended a memorial service at the site, marking the 23rd anniversary of the attack. President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris were present at the event. It is uncertain whether the current federal law permits the president to unilaterally designate Ground Zero as a national monument without Congress’ approval, given that it is not federal property.
Former President Trump made several promises during the rally, focusing on issues such as crime, drugs, immigration, and taxes. He particularly highlighted the state and local tax (SALT) deduction, a popular federal deduction in high-tax states like New York and New Jersey. Trump pledged to restore the full SALT deduction if he is reelected.
Under Trump’s tax legislation in 2017, SALT deductions were limited to $10,000 per filer, with some Republicans advocating for its elimination. New York Republicans generally support removing the cap.
At the rally, Trump also introduced the “Trump Reciprocal Trade Act,” a proposed legislation that would align U.S. tariffs with those imposed by foreign countries on American imports. The bill aims to address Trump’s criticisms of current U.S. trade policies, particularly targeting Chinese imports. The legislation would also apply to U.S. allies, as Trump emphasized that some allies take advantage of the U.S. in trade agreements. Please rewrite this sentence.
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