By james art Former President Donald Trump rallied Sunday at Madison Square Garden — just over a week before the general election.
Those who planned to attend told News 12 they waited a very long time to get a seat inside.
“He will not run again and this is the last one before the election,” said Trump supporter Eamonn Ball. “It’s kind of the end of an era with all the rallies he’s done.”
Mayor Eric Adams reminded New Yorkers that there will be an increased police presence, both visible and undercover, to ensure safety in and around The Garden.
New York hasn’t voted for a Republican for president in 40 years. But that hasn’t stopped Trump from continuing to insist he believes he can win.
“We think there’s a chance,” he said on “The Brian Kilmead Show” earlier this week, citing frustration with the influx of migrants into the city and concerns about crime.
Trump routinely uses his hometown as a foil to audiences in other states, painting a bleak vision of the city that bears little resemblance to reality. He presents it as riddled with crime and overrun by violent immigrant gangs that have taken over Fifth and Madison avenues and occupied Times Square.
Trump has a complicated history with the place where he built his business empire and which has made him a tabloid and reality TV star. Its residents charged him last year with 34 felony counts of falsifying business records. He was found guilty in that case and was also found liable in civil court for business fraud and sexual assault.
AP Wire Services contributed to this report.