By james art Trump’s speech at the Madison Square Garden rally is scheduled to start at 5 p.m., but who knows if that’s accurate.
Maggie Haberman looks at the various rationales for Trump to bring MAGA to MSG just over a week before Election Day, including the media blitz it will bring, the opportunity to troll liberals and the city itself — and how it might be the arena he most wanted to play:
For years, Mr. Trump has measured the importance of his rally venues in part by who has appeared there before. And his yardstick was usually not other politicians, but singers and other celebrities.
“Do you know how many arenas I’ve broken Elton John’s record?” Mr. Trump once asked Senator Kevin Cramer, R-North Dakota, as he prepared to hold an event during his presidency at North Dakota State University’s Fargodome.
And when he appeared at a rally last month at Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, Mr. Trump proudly noted that Elvis Presley had performed there.
Mr. Trump has wanted to hold a rally in the Garden for a very long time. It bills itself as “The Most Famous Arena in the World” and has featured some of his favorite artists, including Elton John, Frank Sinatra and the Village People, whose song “YMCA” is a staple of his events. (As president, he participated in an Ultimate Fighting Championship match there, entering the arena to a mix of boos and cheers, and in 2013, before becoming a candidate, he was inducted into the World Wrestling Entertainment Hall of Fame.)
CNN reports that the Trump campaign also expects to make a lot of money:
Sunday’s rally will also serve as one of Trump’s biggest fundraisers to date, according to multiple sources familiar with the logistics. Donors were offered a series of packages, including VIP suites, tickets to an exclusive “pre-event” at the venue, backstage passes and photo opportunities.
“The Trump campaign is going to make an insane amount of money from this event,” a source familiar with the guest list told CNN.
In addition to Trump, 29 other people have been named as speakers and performers. It’s not at all clear how long the rally will have to last to accommodate them all, especially if Trump himself goes long at the end. Here’s who will appear from the Trump campaign:
• JD Vance
• Speaker of the House Mike Johnson
• Congresswoman Elise Stefanik
• Congressman Byron Donalds
• Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard
• Former Mayor Rudy Giuliani
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr
• Lara Trump, Eric Trump and Donald Trump Jr.,
• Elon Musk
• Trump adviser Dan Scavino
• Trump adviser Stephen Miller
• UFC CEO Dana White
• Tucker Carlson
• American First Policy Institute President Brooke Rollins
• Businessman Steve Witkoff
• Businessman Howard Lutnick
• Businessman Grant Cardone
• Right for America PAC founder Sergio Gor
• Death Row Records founder Michael Harris Jr.
• Moms for Liberty founder Tiffany Justice
• Singer Lee Greenwood
• Opera singer Christopher Macchio
• Singer Mary Milben
• Radio athlete Sid Rosenberg
• Comedian Tony Hinchcliffe
• “Live Artist” Scott LoBaido
• Trump’s childhood friend David Rehm