Diehard MAGA fans gathered outside just before sunrise ahead of Donald Trump’s big rally at Madison Square Garden.
The sold-out event will bring out about 20,000 MAGA fans just nine days before what could be the closest presidential election in history as Trump and Kamala Harris are virtually tied in every poll.
Committed Republicans were seen wearing red “Make America Great Again” baseball hats early Sunday morning in mostly liberal New York City as they stood in line at the corner of 33rd and 6th Avenue of America.
An array of Trump merchandise, including shirts, jackets, large billboards and a trailer full of flags bearing the faces and names of the Republican nominees, surrounded the venue as the streets lit up in red, white and blue.
There was also a heavy police presence as groups of NYPD officers were seen outside MSG, accompanied by large police vehicles and multiple patrol cars.
One image showed a huge line of supporters outside the arena twelve hours before the event.
Dozens of Trump supporters lined the streets of Midtown Manhattan ahead of Trump’s rally
Devoted Republicans line up early Sunday morning for Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden
Trump supporters pose for a photo wearing their red MAGA baseball hats outside the arena
Although New York is a decidedly blue state, the Big Apple is still Trump’s original birthplace and where the billionaire started his business empire decades ago.
While many are excited to see the 45th president in the iconic arena, Democrats have rejected his venue selection as they seek to portray him as a “dictator” in the days before the election.
Just this week, Hillary Clinton made an extraordinary claim that Trump chose to host the massive rally at Madison Square Garden to reenact a Nazi event that took place there 85 years ago.
The former secretary of state said Trump wants to “reenact” the Nazi rally that took place in the Big Apple just over six months before the start of World War II.
“You know, another thing you’ll see next week is Trump actually reenacting the 1939 Madison Square Garden rally,” Clinton said in an interview with CNN on Thursday evening.
She continued, “Neo-Nazis, fascists, in America were lining up to essentially show their support for the kind of government they saw in Germany. So I don’t think we can ignore it.”
A man is seen wheeling around a cart filled to the brim with Trump merchandise outside MSG
Red, white and blue lights illuminated the streets outside MSG as NYPD officers and vehicles arrived
Although New York is a decidedly blue state, the Big Apple is still Trump’s original birthplace and where the billionaire started his business empire decades ago. (photo: a MAGA supporter waiting in line)
There was also a heavy police presence outside the event, with several NYPD officers lining the streets
People dressed in patriotic colors are seen outside the arena, along with an inflatable Trump figure
It comes after Harris called Trump a “fascist” after his former chief of staff John Kelly accused him of being a fan of Nazi leader Adolf Hitler.
House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, who will attend the MSG meeting, told DailyMail.com that Clinton’s comments are “disgusting” and “pathetic.”
“It just shows why people rejected Hillary Clinton [in 2016]’ he continued. “I mean that hateful, negative and divisive rhetoric is a thing of the past.
“People are fed up with it and it needs to end. And it should be rejected by everyone, you know, Republicans and Democrats alike.”
Typically, in the final run-up to the elections, the major candidates spend all their time in critical battleground states, of which New York is not one.
Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, North Carolina, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin are the seven swing states that are essential to achieve a win next month.
But Trump has courted New Yorkers’ votes this election cycle, despite the state having voted Democratic every presidential election cycle since 1988.
This is not the first time Trump has visited New York during his election. He hosted several events around the state, including last month at the Nassau Coliseum on Long Island, where he told his supporters, “We’re going to win New York.”
“New York is the media capital of the world,” Trump campaign adviser Tim Murtaugh told DailyMail.com as he described the former president’s choice for his latest rally location.
He added: “There will likely be more television cameras at this meeting than any to date, and it will be broadcast live to all battleground states.”
More Trump fans line up outside the arena wearing the iconic MAGA hats
NYPD officers prepare for the large gathering early Sunday morning
Diehard MAGA fans camped out just outside the stadium early Sunday
Madison Square Garden is a historic venue where major concerts and events still take place.
Since the 19th century, The Garden has hosted both Democratic and Republican National Conventions. MSG was the site of the 1976, 1980 and 1992 Democratic National Conventions and the 2004 Republican National Convention.
In addition to the arena’s history, it was also the site of the famous birthday party for John F. Kennedy in 1962, when Marilyn Monroe took the stage to sing Happy Birthday to the then-president.
A stacked lineup of guests and speakers are expected to grace the stage or appear around the MSG arena on Sunday.
This includes members of the Republican congressional leadership such as Scalise, House Speaker Mike Johnson and GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik.
The massive gathering comes just days after the presidential candidate joined comedian Joe Rogan on his podcast.
The 57-year-old comedian revealed he finally had Trump on his show after the Republican was shot earlier this year.
During the extensive interview, Rogan referenced Trump’s interview with fellow comedian Theo Von in August of this year.
Trump asked, “Is that why you called me to do this,” to which Rogan replied, “No. When they shot you, I thought, ‘He’s got to get in here.’
Showing off the wound he suffered when gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire on him in July this year, Trump said, “It was right there.”
Tons of merchandise was on display as people waited in line for the event 12 hours in advance
Just outside the arena, a trailer is seen covered in Trump flags
Rogan responds, “It healed pretty good man,” to which Trump said it wasn’t like UFC fighters that Rogan also does color commentary for.
Trump told Rogan that the attempt on his life and the scars had made him a “tough guy.”
During their three-hour conversation, which drew 300,000 people in the first thirty minutes, Trump told Rogan he is serious about eliminating the federal income tax if he wins the race for the White House.
Rogan asked the Republican candidate, “Did you just raise the idea of eliminating income taxes and replacing them with tariffs?” Did they mean that?’
He replied: ‘Why not, our country was the richest in the 1880s and 1890s, a president who was assassinated called [William] McKinley, he was the rate king. He spoke beautifully about rates, his language was really beautiful.
“We will not allow the enemy to come in and take our jobs, take our factories, take our workers and take our families unless they pay a high price. The big price is the rates.’