Donald Trump, Hulk Hogan, Dr Phil speak at Madison Square Garden Republican rally in in New York

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump has declared he will bring back the American dream at a rally at Madison Square Garden in New York as he attempts to be the first Republican to win over the state since 1984.

Thousands lined the streets ahead of being let in the building, with images showing a sea of “Make America Great Again’ red caps.

Hulk Hogan, Elon Musk, JD Vance, Rudy Giuliani, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Lara Trump, Eric Trump, Dana White and Dr Phil were some of the biggest names talking at the rally.

Mr Giuliani told the stadium that voters would “make the world a better place” if they voted for Mr Trump.

Hulk Hogan has the ‘answer’

Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan was one of the many big names present to support Mr Trump.

Walking onto the stage holding an American flag and wearing a red and yellow feather bower, Hogan screamed: “Well let me tell you something Trump-o-maniacs.”

Hogan explained he usually attended Madison Square Garden for professional wrestling, describing the energy at those events as “off the richter scales”.

“The energy in here is something like I have never felt,” Hogan said.

Speaking about Mr Trump, Hogan said “he sounds like he has a heart of gold”.

“When I hear Kamala speak, it sounds like a script from Hollywood with a really bad actress,” he said as he pretended to spit on the ground.

“We all know Trump is the only man who can fix this country today.

“I have the answer, vote for Trump.”

JD Vance looks forward to firing Kamala

Mr Vance delivered a brutal sledge for Ms Harris.

“None of us know what the hell she says,” Mr Vance said.

“She may not be able to name any of her mistakes, but the American people sure can.

“In nine days from now, we are going to tell Kamala Harris you’re fired. Go back to San Francisco where you belong, and get the hell out of the White House.”

Elon Musk

US billionaire Elon Musk, who is supporting Mr Trump’s reelection bid with his X social media platform, enormous wealth and cash giveaways that have raised legal questions briefly spoke at the rally.

Mr Musk kept it relatively simple, reminding people that this is “a real battle”, telling everyone to get out and “vote early, vote now”.

“Make the margin of victory so big the ‘you know what’ can’t happen,” Mr Musk said.

“Massive crushing victory, let’s go.”

Melania Trump makes surprise speech

Former First Lady Melania Trump also took to the stage at Madison Square Garden to rapturous applause.

“America needs its magic back.,” Mrs Trump said.

“Let us charge together with a shared vision that builds on American greatness.

“Let’s build a country of tomorrow. A future we deserve.”

Mrs Trump then introduced the “next commander in chief” to the stage.

Donald Trump ready for the ‘four greatest years’

“I’m thrilled to be back in the city that I love,” Mr Trump said to the New York crowd.

“I’d like to begin by asking a very simple question.

“Are you better off now than you were four years ago?

“I’m here today with a message of hope for all Americans, with your vote in this election, I will end inflation.

“I will stop the invasion of criminals coming into our country, and I will bring back the American dream.

“We need the American dream.”

Mr Trump went on to talk about Ms Harris’s record, labelling it poor. He referenced the economy, crime and gangs made up of illegal immigrants that he says Ms Harris is responsible for.

“Kamala, you’re fired! Get out,” Mr Trump said.

Mr Trump then played news clips describing horrible crimes, allegedly committed by illegal immigrants in America.

“We’re not going to have a country anymore (if Ms Harris wins),” Mr Trump said.

“Nine days from now will be liberation day for America. It’s going to be (a) liberation.

“On day one I will launch the largest deportation program in American history and get the criminals out.

“We will put these vicious and bloodthirsty criminals in jail and kick them out of this country.”

Mr Trump got personal in his attacks on Ms Harris.

“Everyone knows she is a very low-IQ individual.”

“She means nothing.”

Mr Trump mocked Ms Harris imitating her telling her middle-class origin story.

“She can’t put two sentences together.

Mr Trump said Ms Harris is just a vessel run by the radical Democrat machine, labelling them “the enemy within”.

“We are going to have the biggest victory in the history of our country. We’re going to make America great again.”

Mr Trump spent considerable time talking about his wife’s new book, politicians from specific states and the people who helped organise his Madison Square Garden event before returning to his attack on Ms Harris.

“Kamala Harris is a radical left Marxist rated even worse than crazy Bernie Sanders or Pocahontas,” he said.

“She destroyed our economy.

“She was an original creator of defund the police.

“That’s where her thinking is.

“There is no way she is becoming president.

“She is not going to get a chance to destroy our country any further.”

Delivering his final remarks, Mr Trump delivered his pitch for his America.

“With your vote this November we are going to fire Kamala and save America,” he said.

“We will build America, we will buy American and we will hire American.

“I will prevent World War 3 from happening.

“We will teach our children to love our country and always respect our American flag.

“If you burn the American flag, one year in jail.

“We will get critical race theory and transgender insanity the hell out of our schools.

“We will keep men out of women’s sports.

“With your help, from now until election day we will restore America’s promise.

“Together we will fight, fight, fight and we will win, win. win.

“We will make America great again!”

Mr Trump then stood on stage smiling next to a vocalist who sang the song New York, New York.

To the delight of the crowd, Mr Trump then briefly danced along to the song YMCA which played as he left.

Trump ramps up scale of rally

Mr Trump’s rally in Manhattan, like Ms Harris’ event in Houston on Friday with Beyonce, hopes to lean on star power to support local congressional candidates ahead of the November 5 election.

Mr Trump, a New York celebrity for decades, will use the event at the iconic venue known for Knicks games and Billy Joel concerts to deliver his closing argument against Ms Harris.

“We want to close it out with a beautiful bang,” he said last week.

Polls show the rival candidates are neck and neck in the battleground states that will decide the election with just over a week until Election Day. More than 38 million votes have already been cast.

Mr Trump has been seeking to tie Ms Harris to the Biden administration’s handling of immigration and the economy. Last week, Mr Trump debuted a new attack line: “She broke it, and I promise you I will fix it.”

The US economy has outperformed the rest of the developed world since the COVID crisis, and stock markets hit record highs this year. But high prices of food, utilities and housing have roiled voters, who believe the economy is headed in the wrong direction.

Opponent Vice President Kamala Harris is traversing Philadelphia, the largest city and a Democratic stronghold in must-win Pennsylvania, and plans stops in a black barbershop and a Puerto Rican restaurant to encourage people to vote.

Speaking at the Church of Christian Compassion Sunday morning, Ms Harris didn’t mention Mr Trump by name.

“In this moment we do face a real question: what kind of country do we want to live in?” she said.

Ms Harris, who held a rally with Bruce Springsteen on Thursday, will hold another high-profile event with a speech on Tuesday at the National Mall in Washington, where she will highlight contrasts between herself and Mr Trump.

Mr Trump, who held a rally in Long Island, New York, in September, has said he is making a play for the state. Ronald Reagan’s reelection was the last time New York backed a Republican for president; Democrat Joe Biden won the state in 2020 by 23 percentage points.

By staging the attention-grabbing event in the world’s biggest media market, Mr Trump could help boost Republican candidates in New York congressional races. The state has seven competitive seats that could help determine whether the party holds onto the US House of Representatives next year.

It could also give Mr Trump a boost in nearby northeastern Pennsylvania, a battleground state that has increasingly become home for New York commuters.

Mr Trump’s campaign said the event at the 19,500-seat arena, which can cost upwards of $US1 million ($A1.5 million) to rent, was sold out. Tickets are free and on a first-come-first-served basis, as was the case with Harris’ Houston rally.

A crowd of some 30,000 people attended Ms Harris’ rally with superstar singer Beyonce on Friday night in Houston, and about 20,000 attended the Atlanta rally.

After Sunday’s neighbourhood Philadelphia stops, Ms Harris plans to visit every battleground state in the coming days, including a Madison, Wisconsin, rally and concert with folk rock band Mumford & Sons and a Las Vegas event with Mexican pop band Mana.

Mr Trump’s 2016 presidential opponent, Democrat Hillary Clinton, has accused him of “re-enacting” a pro-Nazi rally that was held at the Garden in 1939 on the eve of World War Two. Mr Trump’s critics have long accused him of empowering white supremacists through his dehumanising and racist rhetoric.

Her comments drew a rebuke from Mr Trump and Republican leaders.

“She said it’s just like the 1930s. No, it’s not,” Mr Trump said at a rally in Michigan on Friday.

“This is called Make America Great Again, that’s all this is.”

- With Reuters