Honestly, the energy outside the World's Most Famous Arena on October 27, 2024, was a lot to take in. Thousands of people in red hats had been lining up for days, basically turning Midtown Manhattan into a high-octane political carnival. But while the spectacle outside was massive, it was the lineup of Trump Madison Square Garden speakers inside that ended up dominating the news cycle for weeks. It wasn't just a rally. It was a nearly six-hour marathon of rhetoric, celebrity cameos, and a few jokes that—well, let's just say they backfired in a big way.
The Full Lineup of Trump Madison Square Garden Speakers
If you're looking for the actual list of who took the stage, it was a mix of the usual MAGA heavyweights and some pretty surprising guests. You had the family members, of course. Donald Trump Jr. and Eric Trump were there to fire up the crowd, and Lara Trump did her thing as the RNC co-chair. But then things got a little more "entertainment industry."
Hulk Hogan showed up in a giant red boa, trying (and struggling) to rip his shirt over his head, which is basically a prerequisite for him at this point. Dana White, the UFC CEO, was there too. He’s become a staple at these things. Even Dr. Phil McGraw made an appearance, which definitely threw some people for a loop.
Here are the heavy hitters who spoke before the former President took the stage:
- Elon Musk: Wearing a "Dark MAGA" hat and basically acting like the campaign's biggest cheerleader.
- Melania Trump: This was actually a big deal because she rarely shows up at these rallies. She introduced her husband.
- JD Vance: The VP pick did his usual stump speech.
- Tucker Carlson: The former Fox News host brought his signature brand of commentary.
- Robert F. Kennedy Jr.: Since dropping his independent bid, he’s been a regular on this circuit.
- Rudy Giuliani: The former NYC mayor returning to his home turf.
- Mike Johnson: The Speaker of the House gave the event a bit more of an "official" GOP feel.
- Tulsi Gabbard: Another former Democrat turned Trump supporter.
The Comedian and the "Garbage" Remark
You can't talk about the Trump Madison Square Garden speakers without talking about Tony Hinchcliffe. He’s the host of the Kill Tony podcast and a professional roaster. He was the first speaker of the day, and man, it went sideways fast.
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Hinchcliffe made a joke calling Puerto Rico a "floating island of garbage."
The backlash was instant. Even though it was intended as a "roast," the timing couldn't have been worse. Within hours, Puerto Rican celebrities like Bad Bunny and Jennifer Lopez were posting their support for Kamala Harris. The campaign actually had to put out a statement saying the joke didn't reflect Trump’s views.
It wasn't just the Puerto Rico comment, though. He made jokes about carving watermelons with a Black audience member and leaned into some pretty heavy tropes about various groups. It set a tone for the rest of the night that many pundits—and even some Republicans—found way too aggressive for a closing argument.
Why This Specific Lineup Mattered
Usually, a rally in New York City is a vanity project. New York isn't exactly a "swing state." But this was different. The Trump Madison Square Garden speakers weren't just there to win over New Yorkers; they were there to create content for the national stage.
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Take Sid Rosenberg, for example. He's a local radio host, but his comments calling Hillary Clinton a "sick son of a b***" and describing the Democratic party as "degenerates" were designed to go viral. And they did. The same goes for David Rem, a childhood friend of Trump's, who stood on stage with a crucifix and called Kamala Harris "the Antichrist."
It was a high-risk, high-reward strategy. The goal was to project strength and "New York toughness." But when you have Grant Cardone telling the crowd that Harris and "her pimp handlers" will destroy the country, you're definitely moving away from the "undecided suburban voter" and deep into the "base mobilization" territory.
The Policy Hidden in the Noise
Between the insults and the shirt-ripping, there was actually some news. Trump used the MSG stage to announce a new tax credit for family caregivers. This was a direct response to Harris’s focus on the "sandwich generation."
He also doubled down on his "Trump Will Fix It" slogan.
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But honestly? Most of that got buried. When you have Elon Musk talking about cutting $2 trillion from the federal budget and Hulk Hogan spitting on the floor, the policy details tend to take a backseat. The rally was less about "here is my 10-point plan" and more about "here is a massive show of force in the heart of liberal America."
Final Takeaways from the MSG Event
The Trump Madison Square Garden speakers list was essentially a microcosm of the 2024 campaign. It was loud, it was controversial, and it was unapologetic.
If you're trying to understand the impact, look at how the rhetoric moved the needle in places like Pennsylvania and Florida. The Puerto Rico comment specifically became a huge talking point in the final week of the election.
If you want to look deeper into this, I'd suggest checking out the full C-SPAN transcripts. It's one thing to see the clips on X, but seeing the order of the speakers gives you a much better idea of how the campaign was trying to build momentum throughout the night. Pay close attention to the shift in tone between the early "warm-up" acts and the "statesmen" like Mike Johnson who came later.
For anyone tracking political optics, the MSG rally is basically a case study in how "playing to the room" can sometimes backfire when the whole world is watching on a livestream.
- Review the full speaker list to see how many "outsider" voices were prioritized over traditional GOP leaders.
- Compare the rhetoric used at MSG to the more scripted speeches at the RNC to see the shift in campaign strategy.
- Watch the footage of Melania Trump’s introduction—it’s a rare look at her public persona during the 2024 cycle.