Call him crazy or call him courageous: Former President Trump is back in Butler, PA, to finish the July 13 rally – the one interrupted by the first assassination attempt at the Farm Show property. Just minutes into his speech, a gunman perched on an adjacent building fired eight shots at the stage, wounding the former president and two rally attendees and killing firefighter Corey Comperatore – a 50-year-old father shot in front of his family.
Trump has said the return to Butler County will pay tribute to Comperatore in a “big, beautiful” way and pay homage to the two survivors and local first responders.
“President Donald J. Trump will return to Butler, Pennsylvania,” the campaign announced earlier this week, “to hold a rally on the very same ground where he came within a quarter of an inch of losing his life less than three months ago.”
Same place, same people – and then some – who are daring enough to show up to tell Trump detractors they will “Fight, fight, fight.” It’s become a pilgrimage to the man who many believe was touched by the hand of God.
The Pilgrimage
Depending on the news outlet one pays attention to, Butler expects anywhere from 15,000 to 100,000 people to attend. The Secret Service estimates around 60,000. Trump supporters say it will be the biggest rally attendance to date, perhaps dwarfing the 100,000 estimated attendees in New Jersey last May. Will this rally be the big one? Jen Golbeck, a University of Maryland professor who attends Trump rallies and monitors pro-Trump social media pages, seems to think so:
“There is a pilgrimage sense at all the rallies, but this is going to be THE ONE. There are definitely people who feel like — and say to me — the hand of God has touched Trump.”
For the evangelical crowd, that’s a message of good triumphing over evil. But the religious folks aren’t the only Americans who sat up and took notice. You do not hear the news on the ground at the rallies from the corporate-ruled media, though. After the first attack, there was a palpable groundswell in attendance. No one seemed afraid to attend and speak out. Matt Luna, a North Carolinian, follows the trump rallies and sells merchandise, taking in the experience. Luna is also in Butler and explains that post-Butler rallies draw “a lot more people — more than any venue can hold.”
One attendee, Kira DiDomenico, told the Pittsburgh Post Gazette, “They can’t stop him, basically.” Ms. DiDomenico was at the rally with her best friend, Stacy Rupczyk. It was their first Trump rally and probably not the last.
“He got up with that fist, fighting,” said Ms. DiDomenico. “He’s not backing down,” added Ms. Rupczyk. “He’s going to do what it takes. I got goosebumps right now.”
Butler Democrats Boo Hoo
Some people in the county are afraid of the repeat rally. That is to be expected – but not from the Democratic voter who wasn’t in earshot of the commotion. Retired librarian Kathy Kline is unhappy that the former president is allowed to come back and feels her messages to county officials have gone into a black hole. Kline is a Harris supporter, and in a county of 200,000, she has attracted 1,500 to join her Women for Harris group. She fears a lack of manners and possible chaos: “I personally am never opposed to any political figure coming into our community and sharing their policies,” Kline said. “That’s the American way. But you know, you need to come in with some respect and integrity and leave all of that chaos and ugliness out of it.”
County Commissioner Kevin Boozel, the only Democrat holding countywide elected office in Butler, said what happened two months ago has some people concerned about Saturday’s rally. “Because emotionally, we’re not ready for that.”
Unlike Mr. Boozel, his colleague Kim Geyer, a Republican Butler County commissioner, will be there as she was in July, sitting right behind the former president. “I think that the people that may be affected more negatively are going to just stay home. And the people that want to feel the inspiration and the energy from the Trump movement are going to attend to support President Trump and let him finish what he began.”
Trump Soldiers On
Whether 15,000 or 115,000, Donald Trump will take the stage at the Farm Show property along with Elon Musk, who posted on X: “I will be there to support–HISTORIC!” Musician Lee Greenwood, the Trump family, the Compertore family, and a gaggle of members of Congress from Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania will be there. And let’s not forget running mate JD Vance.
With swing states hanging in the balance, a pilgrimage to Butler could move the needle with only a month left to win hearts and minds. But whoever does show up, Butler County will be the hottest ticket in the country today.
