Trump expected at Madison Square Garden, Harris tours Philadelphia

Photo: Angela Weiss Agence France-Presse Supporters of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump rally at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Sunday.

Gregory Walton – Agence France-Presse, Ana Fernandez – Agence France-Presse, Michael Mathes – Agence France-Presse in New York and Philadelphia

Published at 17:34

• United States

With less than ten days to go before a still uncertain American presidential election, Donald Trump plans to fill New York's legendary Madison Square Garden with red caps on Sunday, while Kamala Harris scours the field in Philadelphia, in the crucial state of Pennsylvania.

While the Democratic candidate has shown the support of several icons of popular culture in recent days, such as Bruce Springsteen and Beyoncé, Donald Trump is hoping for a show of force with his supporters in “the most famous arena in the world”, where the Rolling Stones, Madonna, U2 have performed and where the popular NBA and ice hockey teams the Knicks and Rangers play.

For her part, Kamala Harris had opted for small events, almost door-to-door, in Philadelphia, focusing on the black and Latino communities to stock up on votes in one of the seven contested states that will be decisive in the election on November 5, one of the closest in the history of the United States according to the polls.

But Myrda Scott, an African-American resident of this large northeastern city, is confident. “This is a new step in history,” she says, speaking of the excitement of seeing “a black woman at the head of state.” “Her efforts will pay off and she will get the votes she is looking for,” she adds.

200% Deposit Bonus up to €3,000 180% First Deposit Bonus up to $20,000

In New York, a Democratic stronghold where Donald Trump was born and made his fortune in real estate—several skyscrapers bear his name—before being convicted several times by civil and criminal courts, the Republican intends to present himself as the “best choice to fix everything that Kamala Harris broke,” according to his campaign team.

A way of referring once again to the record of the vice-president's Biden administration, which he has constantly attacked, amid personal insults (“drug addict,” “idiot”) on inflation, immigration and insecurity.

Read also

• Michelle Obama and her “real fear” in the face of the Trump danger
• How “Make America Great Again” became MAGA

“Hope”

At 5 p.m. Sunday, Donald Trump will take the stage, along with his omnipresent campaign ally, the multibillionaire owner of Tesla and X, Elon Musk, and the bigwig of mixed martial arts, Dana White.

He may also respond to those who draw a parallel between his speeches with increasingly authoritarian, populist and nationalist leanings, and the choice of Madison Square Garden, the scene of an impressive Nazi rally in 1939.

Several hours before, the crowd is already pressing in front of the enclosure.

“He's done a lot for us, people have hope,” said Gail Lopez, 55. She added: “I think he will end the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East,” as the billionaire has promised.

The 78-year-old Republican, who would be the oldest president in US history to take office if elected, has vowed not to be a dictator “except on day one,” to close the US borders. He has also promised to expel millions of migrants whom he accuses of “poisoning the blood of the country.”

“Taking our lives seriously”

The vice president will respond to her on Tuesday. She will deliver her own indictment of Trump just outside the White House, where he spoke to his supporters on January 6, 2021, just before they stormed the Capitol.

“I’m doing it here because I think it’s very important for the American people to think about who’s going to be in the Oval Office on January 20th,” she said in an interview on CBS Sunday, referring to the “danger” of Donald Trump and his policies.

“His top priority is going to be people like him,” not “people who work hard, older people.”

Kamala Harris took the stage Saturday with Michelle Obama, one of America’s favorite celebrities. The former first lady of the United States expressed her “real fear” of seeing Donald Trump, who never acknowledged his defeat in 2020 and has been indicted by the federal justice system for trying to illegally reverse the results of the election, return to the White House.

“How can this race be so close?,” she hammered home, implying that misogyny is part of the answer. Then, addressing the men: “From the depths of my being, I ask you to take our lives seriously.”