Trump Vows To Win State Of New York At Long Island Rally

UNIONDALE, NY — A confident Donald Trump took to the stage at Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum Wednesday night before a sea of red — supporters that met him with cheers, including chants of "USA, USA."

It was his first presidential campaign rally since an assassination attempt was foiled by the Secret Service at a golf course in West Palm Beach in Florida on Sunday.

Trump had been playing a round of golf at Trump International Golf Club, when a man poked a rifle through the bushes. He was not injured in the attempt.

"We have got to get our media back here," he told cheering supporters before attacking his team's Democratic opponents, Vice President Kamala Harris and Tim Walz, saying that the lies have to stop and that the pair are claiming he would turn America into a dictatorship, but that they are the "threat to Democracy."

"They're doing things in politics that have never been done before the history of our country, and worst of all, with their open borders and bad elections, they have made us into a Third World nation, something which nobody thought was even possible," he said. "Americans deserve a campaign based on the issues."

Trump quickly moved into addressing the apparent attempt on his life over the weekend, saying that "God has spared his life," not once but twice.

The first attempt on Trump's life was over the summer.

"And there are those that say he did it because Trump is going to turn this state around," he said of his alleged assailant. "He's going to turn this country around. He's going to make America great again, and we are going to bring religion back to our country."

"These encounters with death have not broken my will," he said. "They have really given me a much bigger and stronger mission. They've only hardened by resolve to use my time on earth to make America great again for all Americans to put America first and to put America first."

The Teamsters Endorsement

Less than a few minutes into his speech, he claimed the International Brotherhood of the Teamsters' "rank and file membership" gave him their endorsement.

Hours before, the union's leadership said it would not issue any endorsements, according to a statement on its website. In a statement, the union said it was due to strong political divides and few comments from candidates.

"After reviewing six months of nationwide member polling and wrapping up nearly a year of rank-and-file roundtable interviews with all major candidates for the presidency, the union was left with few commitments on top Teamsters issues from either former President Donald Trump or Vice President Kamala Harris — and found no definitive support among members for either party’s nominee," the union's leadership says.

The leadership went on to say that in independent electronic and phone polling from July-September, a majority of voting members twice selected Trump for a possible Teamsters endorsement over Harris.

"The union’s extensive member polling showed no majority support for Vice President Harris and no universal support among the membership for President Trump," their statement read.

"They endorse the Democrats — automatic for many, many decades," Trump said of the union, which he credited for building out the venue's stage. "But you know what they said? They looked at her, they said, 'We're not going there.'"

A Vow To Win New York

He asked voters to elect GOP candidates "up and down the ballot."

"We have to clean out and straighten out our country with your vote," he said. "We are going to rescue our country. We are going to rescue our Democrat-run states. We are going to start by saving the great state of New York."

Explaining Washington, DC, politicos claimed he could not win the typically blue state after he said he was traveling to Long Island, he said he would do just that.

"If you vote for me, I'm going to reduce your taxes, reduce your crime and reduce your levels of stress," he said. "The only thing that I will increase are your incomes and your love for your state will come roaring back again."

The state has been primarily a blue since the Great Depression, and only siding with a losing Republican with Governor Thomas E. Dewey over Harry S. Truman in 1948, according to 270towin.com.

Residents have voted Democratic in the last nine elections, six of those by a 20 percent margin, and that includes 2020 as President Joe Biden defeated Donald Trump by 23 percent, the website states.

For generations, New York has set a high standard for business, art, and culture, and its streets, ports, and waterways were "arteries" for commerce, Trump said, adding that Long Island hamlets like Uniondale, Levittown, Hicksville, and Huntington were places people grew up in and stayed.

But under Democratic control, New York's middle class has been "eviscerated" by heavy industry exporting overseas, and that housing costs are out of control, Trump said.

He decried housing encampments, and the migrant housing policy, saying migrants are placed in "hotel suites" while veterans are living on the street.

"So I say to the people of New York, with crime at record levels, with terrorists and criminals pouring in, and with inflation eating your hearts out, vote for Donald Trump," he said. "What the hell do you have to lose?"

He pledged to rebuild subways and the state's roadways, as well as make allotments for more police funding, and work to decrease inflation.

Trump also took the time to use the stage for some New York shout-outs, naming U.S. Reps Nick LaLota and Anthony D'Esposito, former U.S. Rep. Lee Zeldin, and former senator Al D'Amato, as well as former New York City mayor Rudy Giuliani, and Nassau GOP Chairman Joseph Cairo.

A SEGUE

Around 60,000 tickets were issued for the event, but only about one-third filled the Coliseum, while others watched Trump outside the venue on large screens.

In describing a conversation with his wife after imitating Biden getting off stage, Trump claimed he could have filled the venue "up three or four times," noting how Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman told him that if the venue had been a stadium or a park, another 100,000 people or more could have attended the rally.

"So I'd call up my wife, and I'd say, 'Baby, who could draw crowds? Nobody could draw crowds like me?'," he said. "Nobody — not even close. I'm the greatest of all time, maybe greater even than Elvis, because Elvis had a guitar. I don't have a guitar. Elvis had a guitar. I don't have the privilege of a guitar, but I'd say, 'Baby, who could do it like me? Nobody could do it like me. How great am I?"

His wife, Melania, then reminded him that he looked like he couldn't get off the stage.

"I was imitating Biden, and they said I did it," he said, adding, "I couldn't find my way off the stage. No, so you can't be sarcastic. Sarcasm with the media doesn't work."

Next Stops On The Campaign Trail

His next stops on the campaign trail include Aurora, CO, and Springfield, OH, he said.

The town became the source of some controversy last week after Trump indicated that Haitian immigrants were eating residents' cats and dogs during a debate with Harris.

The claim was later debunked by Ohio officials and the woman who was reportedly the source of the rumor said it was hearsay and she had no direct knowledge of any such event.

"You may never see me again," Trump added.

Immigration Policy

He attacked the U.S. current immigration policy, saying that it is contributing to higher crime rates and highlighted the challenges faced by law enforcement from MS-13.

"You will have a safer state in three months," he said of New York.

His speech included an attack on Harris, saying that he and his supporters will show her in two months that they have had enough by rehashing the phrase he was once famous for long before entering the political arena.

"Kamala, you are fired, get out," he said referencing his reality TV show, "The Apprentice." "We are not going to take it anymore, Kamala."

He said he will be known as the "Border President," while Harris will be known as "Invasion President," describing the immigration crisis as "an invasion like no country has ever seen," and pledging to undertake the "largest deportation" of criminals seen in history.

In his speech, he also reiterated other pledges, like no tax on tips, overtime, or Social Security.

He ended with a promise to make the U.S. powerful, strong, healthy, wealthy, proud, and safe.

"We will make America great again," he said. "We love New York. We love you all."

He concluded by telling supporters, "Nice seeing you."