Musk to attend Trump rally in Butler, scene of July shooting
Add Axios as your preferred source to
see more of our stories on Google.
Then-President Trump and Spacex founder Elon Musk (right) in Cape Canaveral, Florida, in 2020. Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Elon Musk will attend former President Trump's rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday, the billionaire announced in a post on X late Thursday.
Why it matters: Trump's return to the scene of the first assassination attempt against his life had already raised concerns among local officials, per Axios Philadelphia's Isaac Avilucea.
- The Trump campaign also confirmed Musk Friday that Musk will attend, along with a number of political and law enforcement officials and the family of Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the July assassination attempt against Trump.
- The U.S. Secret Service bolstered Trump's security in the wake of the shooting that killed Comperatore, wounded two other rally-goers and saw a bullet strike the Republican presidential nominee's right ear.
- Trump was targeted in a second assassination attempt last month at his Florida golf course.
Driving the news: "I will be there to support!" Musk wrote just before midnight in a retweet of Trump's post promoting the rally that called Saturday's event "HISTORIC!"
- Musk, who's shifted politically to the right in recent years, endorsed Trump after news broke in July that shots were fired at the Republican presidential nominee's rally in Pennsylvania.
The big picture: The July shooting resulted in Kimberly Cheatle resigning as Secret Service director and the agency has faced months of scrutiny, with a preliminary bipartisan Senate report finding planning failures preceding the shooting were "foreseeable" and "preventable."
What they're saying: Butler County Commissioners Chair Leslie Osche told Pittsburgh's Action News 4 officials were "confident" about security at Saturday's event.
State of play: USSS spokesperson Anthony Guglielmi said the agency had "made comprehensive changes and enhancements to our communications capabilities, resourcing, and protective operations" since the assassination attempt, per WTAE-TV.
- Guglielmi said the USSS was working closely with Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement in and around the city ahead of Trump's return to the Butler Farm Show site.
- "We are also leveraging other federal security resources to expand personnel and technology," he added.
- Additional security precautions since the first assassination attempt include Trump appearing behind bulletproof glass while onstage during outdoor rallies.
Go deeper: Trump rally moved indoors following security concerns
Editor's note: This a breaking news story. Please check back for updates.
