Musk makes surprise appearance at Trump rally

Butler: In a spirited display of support, billionaire tech magnate Elon Musk rallied behind Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, the same venue where the former US President survived an assassination attempt in July.

Musk, donning a black 'Make America Great Again' (MAGA) hat, jumped up and down as he took the stage to a cheering crowd of Trump supporters on Saturday. The two warmly shook hands before Musk addressed the rally, telling them that "nothing is more important" than voting for Trump.

The wealthiest man in the world warned that "this will be the last election" if Trump doesn't win, peddling a false claim that Democrats aim to infringe upon Americans’ rights, including free speech and the right to bear arms.

"I think this election is the most important election of our lifetime. This is no ordinary election," Musk said. "President Trump must win to preserve the Constitution. He must win to preserve democracy in America. This is a must-win situation, must win."

In a jab at US President Joe Biden, Musk remarked that Biden is a man who "couldn’t climb a flight of stairs," contrasting him with Trump, whom he praised for his resilience after narrowly escaping a shooting on the same stage on July 13.

"The true test of someone's character is how they behave under fire, and we had one president who couldn’t climb a flight of stairs and another who was fist pumping after getting shot," he remarked. Invoking Trump's words from the moments after the shooting, Musk chanted, "Vote, vote, vote. Fight, fight, fight." This appearance marked the first time Musk attended one of Trump’s campaign rallies, highlighting the growing alliance between the two men as the presidential election approaches.

Musk, who heads Tesla, SpaceX, and X (formerly Twitter), endorsed Trump on the day of the assassination attempt, posting a video of the 78-year-old Republican’s raised fist on his official X handle with the caption, “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery.” Throughout the election cycle, Musk has consistently shown his support for Trump, establishing a super PAC to bolster the Republican nominee’s campaign through extensive get-out-the-vote efforts in the crucial final months. The admiration seems mutual; Trump has mentioned plans to appoint Musk to a task force aimed at implementing "drastic" cuts to government spending if he’s back in the White House.