As Madison Square Garden overflowed beyond its 20,000 audience capacity into the side streets, nearly 75,000 Trump supporters cheered the new alliance that former President Trump has built. Of course, there were a few old faces, like Rudy Guliani, but the stage was rocked by numerous stars whom the nation knew little about just four years ago.
On stage was Sen. JD Vance and Speaker Mike Johnson. Rep. Byron Donalds, whom we thought would be an excellent House leader, spoke. Vivek Ramaswamy, a Trump opponent for the 2024 nomination but a convert to the MAGA movement since withdrawing from the race, was his usual confident self.
Former Congresswoman Tulsi Gabbard, herself a candidate for the 2020 Democratic race, and Robert F. Kennedy Jr., who ran this year for the Democratic nomination but abandoned it to convert to an Independent and then supported Trump, were there, entertaining the fawning crowd. Tucker Carlson and Elon Musk (the newest rockstar converts to the MAGA movement) electrified the Garden.
The surreal event happened in the heart of New York City, not far from Trump Tower, which the former President loves to call home, although he legally became a Florida resident in September 2019. Media outlets were shocked at how this pariah could command so much public support in a city whose political leaders hate him.
During the last three years, the ultra-liberal city has deployed numerous powers provided by State and local laws to inflict enormous damage to Trump and his image. A New York judge imposed a $354.9 million penalty against Trump and his companies for inflating his financial statements to obtain favorable loans and insurance rates. Additionally, he was barred from serving as an officer in any New York business for three years, which significantly impacted his real estate empire.
In April 2023, a partisan prosecutor charged Trump with 34 felony counts related to falsifying business records and forced him to return to the city to get fingerprinted. When a partisan jury found him guilty, Trump became the first former President to earn the infamy of a convicted felon.
As the huge rally in MSG unfolded, the media wanted to report something negative, so they caught on to a joke that comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made when he referred to Puerto Rico as “a floating island of garbage.” Guilt by association is a clever tool employed by Trump haters. Although Trump had nothing to do with the joke, which bombed, going by how it didn’t make anyone laugh, media outlets reported that the entire rally was racist and fascist. MSNBC said it reminded them of a 1939 Nazi event at the Garden. The Harris campaign tried to exploit the media hysteria by amplifying this message and reaching out to Puerto Rican leaders (the Commonwealth’s residents are U.S. Citizens, but they cannot vote).
All the drama aside, the impressive takeaway is that Trump has indeed taken over the GOP and has the potential to change governance as we know it should he win. The transformation comes with risks, as a new set of checks and balances driven by social media, especially X, will kick in. The old set—Congress and the Courts—is too slow and ineffective for the MAGA movement.
Consider Elon Musk. As the savior of free speech who bought Twitter and created X, his social media platform has broken records for user engagement. Millions of Americans turn to X and TikTok to get updates about local, state, national, and international news. A 2-3 minute video clip posted by citizen journalists and accompanying commentary by thousands of users can provide context that no legacy media outlet can match and quickly turn viral.
When X users consume legacy media, they are shocked that the clip is not even shown or, when shown, has pronounced bias. Two media heavyweights, the Washington Post editorial board and the Los Angeles Times editorial board, announced that they would not endorse any candidate for President this cycle. The Post stated that it will never endorse anyone for President.
The X platform that has propelled Trump’s rise is also a double-edged sword for the nascent MAGA movement. If Trump reneges on his commitments to place America First – for example, by striking a deal with Democrats on granting a pathway to citizenship for illegal immigrants – X would erupt in anger. If Musk or Tucker Carlson were to weigh in by turning against Trump, that would be a severe blow to the MAGA franchise. X, Musk, and Carlson can serve as a powerful check and balance to Trump’s governance.
Or consider Tulsi Gabbard and RFK Jr., who have embraced Trump to promote their political futures (Gabbard could become JD Vance’s running mate in 2028). If Trump reneges on his commitment to promote public health by not enacting significant reforms to U.S. health agencies, tackling chronic diseases, and limiting the pharmaceutical industry’s influence, he could lose RFK Jr.’s support. If Trump were to engage in a forever war – a no-no for Gabbard – he could lose her support.
Should Trump win, America is on the cusp of a new age of governance that will rely on new checks and balances. While the Washington Uniparty will fight Trump every step of the way, he is likely to be more successful in a second term. [Trump regularly concedes that the constant infighting of established RINO types during his first term arrested his progress at every turn]. He has assembled a top-notch cast of new, young, vibrant leaders who see the benefit of Trump’s vision of a MAGA America and, through it, a rise in their careers. Their unified support could neutralize Uniparty and media critics whose relevance is slowly eroding.
TIPP Takes
Geopolitics, Geoeconomics, And More
1. TIPP Tracking Poll Day 16: Harris Edges Trump In A Tight Race, 48%-47%
Finally, the stalemate breaks. Harris edges out a one-point lead over Trump, a sign of just how fierce and hard-fought this contest has become as Election Day nears. Expect this razor-thin margin to stay in the tight range of Harris +2 to Trump +2.
2. TIPP Simulation Models: Latest Win Probabilities – Oct 29
Three models predict the outcome and probabilities.
3. Israel Parliament Shuts Down Palestinian Refugee Agency UNRWA – AFP
Israel’s parliament banned the United Nations agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA) from operating in Israel and occupied east Jerusalem, despite objections from the international community.
The ban on the UN agency – which has provided essential aid and assistance across Palestinian territories and to Palestinian refugees elsewhere for more than seven decades – would be a blow to humanitarian work in Gaza if implemented, according to experts.
Washington warned Israel on October 15 that it had 30 days to increase the amount of aid reaching the Gaza Strip or it would consider withholding some military assistance to its key ally.
4. U.S. Urges Israel To Halt UN Palestinian Agency Ban Amid Fears Over Gaza Aid – BBC
U.S. State Department spokesman Matthew Miller said: “We continue to urge the government of Israel to pause the implementation of this legislation. We urge them not to pass it at all.”
Israel has alleged that some Unrwa employees were involved in the 7 October attacks. The UN held an investigation and fired nine staff members.
5. One Medic Left At Gaza Hospital As Israel Says It Arrested 100 ‘Terrorists’ – BBC
Only one doctor remains at Gaza’s Kamal Adwan Hospital following a days-long Israeli raid, a spokesman for the Hamas-run health ministry has said.
On Monday, Israel said its forces had detained about 100 “terrorists” at the hospital before withdrawing. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the hospital, inside the Jabalia refugee camp, had been used by Hamas – claims denied by local health officials.
6. Israel To Spend $530 Mln On ‘Iron Beam’ Laser Defense – AFP
The system is aimed at improving the interception of drones and other projectiles, which Hezbollah in Lebanon has fired at Israel since the start of the war in Gaza in support of its Palestinian ally Hamas.
After a test in 2021, the defense ministry published a video showing a laser system on a small aircraft firing an energy beam at a drone, apparently burning a hole and setting it ablaze.
7. Pentagon Says North Korea Sent 10,000 Troops To Join Russian War In Ukraine – Al Jazeera
The Pentagon has significantly increased – up from an initial U.S. estimate of 3,000 last week – the estimated number of soldiers deployed by North Korea and raising fears the war in Ukraine could widen as a result of Pyongyang’s military intervention.
Some of the 10,000 North Korean soldiers deployed to eastern Russia for training have moved closer to the Ukrainian border, Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh said Pentagon spokesperson Sabrina Singh told reporters.
8. U.S. Urges China To Use Influence Amid ‘Destabilizing’ Action By North Korea, Russia – RFA
The United States has voiced concern to China over “destabilizing” actions by North Korea and Russia, said the U.S. State Department’s spokesperson.
“We have been making clear to China for some time that they have an influential voice in the region, and they should be concerned about steps that Russia has taken to undermine stability,” said Matthew Miller during a press briefing.
9. Russia-Leaning Georgia Dream Party Wins Elections; Pro-EU Opposition Refuses To Concede – UPI
The ruling Russia-leaning Georgia Dream Party claimed victory in elections over the weekend in the former Soviet satellite, bringing cries of stolen results from pro-Western opposition groups on Sunday.
Georgia Dream, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, received 54% of the vote with 99% of the districts counted, according to the country’s central campaign commission. The opposition refused to concede, alleging a “constitutional coup” by Georgia Dream, as Georgia’s president, Salome Zourabichvili, said the vote was impacted by a “Russian special operation.”
10. U.S. Finalizes China Tech Investment Ban Targeting AI, Chips – Nikkei Asia
The U.S. has finalized rules restricting certain American investments in mainland China, Hong Kong, and Macao in high-tech sectors, including artificial intelligence, semiconductors, and quantum technology.
The final rules, published by the Department of the Treasury, prohibit U.S. individuals from making certain transactions related to semiconductors and microelectronics, quantum information technologies and AI, or requires them to notify the Treasury when making such transactions.
11. Founder Of TikTok Owner ByteDance Tops China’s Rich List – Nikkei Asia
A Hurun Research Institute report shows that new additions to China’s 2024 rich list of individuals worth more than 5 billion yuan ($700 million) grew the slowest in 20 years as fundraising activity decelerated amid an economic slowdown.
Only 54 new faces joined the list of 1,094 billionaires since 1999, based on the individuals’ shareholdings in their listed entities as of Aug. 30. The number of individuals on the list, meanwhile, declined 12% from a year ago, and the wealth of 88% of them decreased or remained the same.
12. Chinese Police Target Halloween Revellers In Shanghai – BBC
A heavy police response has stifled Halloween celebrations in Shanghai, which many have viewed as an attempt by authorities to crack down on large public gatherings and freedom of expression.
While no official notice prohibits Halloween celebrations, rumors of a possible crackdown began circulating online earlier this month. It comes a year after Halloween revelers in Shanghai went viral for donning costumes poking fun at the Chinese government and its policies.
13. VW Intends To Shut 3 German Factories, Works Council Says – D.W.
The reported factory closure plans are a measure VW recently said it could not rule out amid dwindling sales. Germany is experiencing a sluggish economy, and automakers are dealing with high production costs.
The move is expected to slash thousands of jobs in Volkswagen, according to workers’ representatives. European carmakers are facing increased competition from cheaper Chinese electric cars.
14. U.S. Warns Iran Of ‘Severe Consequences’ For Any New Attacks – RFE/RL
The United States warned Iran at the UN Security Council on October 28 of “severe consequences” if it undertakes any further aggressive acts against Israel or U.S. personnel in the Middle East.
“We will not hesitate to act in self-defense. Let there be no confusion. The United States does not want to see further escalation. We believe this should be the end of the direct exchange of fire between Israel and Iran,” U.S. Ambassador to the UN Linda Thomas-Greenfield said.
15. Japan’s 2011 Disaster-Hit Area To See Reactor Restart For 1st Time – Kyodo News
The planned restart of the Onagawa nuclear power plant’s No. 2 unit in Miyagi Prefecture also marks the first time that a boiling water reactor – the same type as the Fukushima Daiichi reactors that suffered fuel meltdowns during the nuclear crisis – was brought online since the 2011 disaster.
Tohoku Electric Power Co., the company operating the Onagawa reactor, spent over a decade completing construction work to enhance the plant’s safety, including building a 29-meter-high tide wall and upgrading the reactor building’s earthquake resistance.
16. Marijuana Use During Pregnancy Could Impact Children’s Behavior, Thinking Skills – HealthDay News
Kids exposed to Cannabis in the womb also have behavioral problems like impulse control, poor attention, and aggressive behavior, researchers reported in the journal JAMA Pediatrics.
“Some women may turn to cannabis to help deal with some common issues of pregnancy, including nausea, sleep problems, and stress,” Keim said. “This is not recommended. Consulting with a health care provider to find safer options to help with these issues during pregnancy is important.”
Republished with permission from TIPP Insights
