Thousands are descending on The Bronx for Donald Trump's historic rally on Thursday night as he bids to do what most think is impossible: Flip New York Republican for the first time since 1984.
The former president's faithful fans braved heavy rain too at Crotona Park, hours before he was due to take the stage in the deep-blue district Joe Biden won with more than 80 percent of the vote in 2020.
Supporters lined up and listened to MAGA rappers, showed off tattoos paying tribute to the GOP leader and insisted he can emulate Ronald Reagan by taking victory in the Empire State.
Thousands are descending on The Bronx for Donald Trump's historic rally on Thursday night as he bids to do what most think is impossible: Flip New York Republican for the first time since 1984
Trump, 77, is the first Republican to visit the the area for a campaign event in 40 years and is looking to woo black and Hispanic voters away from Biden.
In the event's announcement, his campaign said the visit will highlight Biden's 'disastrous' record on the economy and surge in violent crime.
The ex-president's chances of winning New York are extremely slim for Trump and an even greater stretch in the Bronx.
But some locals are furious at Biden and his handling of the economy and are happy to see Trump visit.
A MAGA fan shows off his neck tattoo as he awaits the arrival of the former president Trump, 77, is the first Republican to visit the the area for a campaign event in 40 years and is looking to woo black and Hispanic voters away from Biden
A shirtless Trump supporter with jeans, a flag and a Trump license plate walks around outside the rally
MAGA fans cheer as they await the arrival of the former president A campaign sign at the site of Trump's rally declares New York is 'Trump Country' A banner in support of Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is set up before a campaign rally in the Bronx
New Yorkers line up in Crotona Park in the South Bronx ahead of Donald Trump's rally on Thursday night
Mel Easy of the Bronx, wearing his MAGA hat, told DailyMail.com Trump can 'absolutely' win the state.
Tatiana Ibrahim from Carmel, New York, said: 'Because Trump is honest, devoted, godly, honest and he cares about the American people.
'Everything he's doing is for we the people, not for himself.... Trump loves the people of America.'
Biden beat Trump in the Empire State by double-digits in 2020 with more than 60 percent of the vote to Trump's less than 38 percent.
Trump won less than 10 percent of the Bronx in 2016. In 2020, he won just 16 percent of the borough against Biden.
Tina Forte wearing a Trump cowboy hat a patriotic top in the South Bronx. The Republican is running against Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez in NY-14
Rappers Trump Latinos and Forgiato Blow perform ahead of the Trump rally Forgiato Blow shows off his leg tattoo as he joins the crowd before the event on Thursday A member of the MAGA fan army shows off a pair of gold sneakers outside of the rally No Republican presidential candidate has won New York state in the presidential election since Reagan in 1984.
Trump has been in New York for his criminal trial as he faces 34 felony counts of falsifying business records over the hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels.
Outside the courthouse, he has made several stops throughout the city including visiting a firehouse,
bara construction site and a bodega.
Lines form to get into the rally. Trump believes he can do what only Ronald Reagan has done in recent history
Supporters of the Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gather for a campaign rally in the Bronx borough of New York
People with Dominican Republic and US flags chant while waiting in line to attend a rally for former US President Donald Trump at Crotona Park in the Bronx borough of New York
Ahead of the rally in the Bronx, Democratic Congressman Ritchie Torres who represents the districts slammed the ex-president visiting his neighborhood.
'It's obvious to all of us that his priority is not the people of the Bronx,' Torres said on MSNBC. 'His priority is a self-pardon and self-preservation.'
'His presidency was a catastrophe for the Bronx, his mismanagement of COVID left a death toll of more than 7,000 in the Bronx which is greater than the combined death count of Pearl Harbor and 9/11.'
MAGA fans take selfie with George Santos, the former Republican congressman expelled from Congress for lying over swathes of his resume
Santos smiles with one of Trump's fans. He is still a favorite of the MAGA army despite a short career in Congress mired in Scandal
Torres said instead of holding a rally he should be 'apologizing for the damage he's done.' The congressman said he's confident the people of the Bronx are not going to 'buy the snake oil he's selling.'
On Thursday morning, the region was pummeled by thunderstorms. Progressive Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez reposted a video of the torrential downpour soaking the location of the Trump rally with the caption 'God is good.'
While conditions are expected to improve later, the park could be damp and muddy for those attending.
A New York member of the MAGA faithful wears a shirt with a version of Trump's mugshot Another man using Donald Trump's mugshot as part of his attire prepares for the Bronx rally NYPD sets up on the outskirts of the rally in the deep-blue Bronx which kicks off Thursday nightMeanwhile, the Biden campaign on Thursday released a 30 second ad warning Trump poses a 'dire threat to black America.'
The ad highlights Trump calling for the execution of the Central Park Five. The five black and Latino teenagers from Harlem were wrongfully convicted for the brutal assault of a white woman in New York's Central Park in 1989. Their convictions were vacated in 2002.
A Trump supporter sits outside a merchandise stand in an RV ahead of the campaign rally 2024 vision is clear: A Trump fan shows off her MAGA sunglasses in Crotona Park in the Bronx Donald Trump is set to hold a campaign event in the Bronx on Thursday. He is the first Republican presidential candidate to campaign in the borough since Reagan
God is Good website— Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (@AOC) May 23, 2024It began airing digitally ahead of Trump's visit targeting Bronx and New York zip codes. The campaign also is airing the ad in battleground states.
One of the Central Park five is now a New York City Councilman. He blasted Trump on Thursday. 'During that dark period, Donald Trump took out full-page ads in New York City newspapers calling for the reinstatement of the death penalty. He pointed his finger at us, calling for our execution without a shred of evidence,' Yusef Salaam said in a statement.
"It's obvious to all of us that [Trump's] priority is not the people of the Bronx... His presidency was a catastrophe for the Bronx... Instead of holding a rally in Crotona Park, he should be apologizing for the damage he's done."
— @RepRitchie on Trump's rally in the Bronx pic.twitter.com/N3Knh0MB3j— Morning Joe (@Morning_Joe) May 23, 2024The Biden campaign released a 30 second political ad on Thursday calling Trump a dire threat to Black America.