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Trump returns to Butler, scene of failed assassination

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“As I was saying”

Eighty-four days later, former President Donald Trump returned on Saturday to the scene of an assassination attempt on his life in western Pennsylvania.

“As I was saying,” Trump said, the crowd responding in a roar as he turned toward a graph on a projector screen behind him. “I love that chart. I love that graph. Isn’t it a beautiful thing?”

The former president picked up right where he left off July 13, when bullets tore through the crowd killing one man and wounding two others.

The graph showed the amount of illegal border crossings recorded on Trump’s last day in office in 2021. It’s also the one he was looking at when a bullet from 20-year-old Thomas Crooks’s rifle grazed his right ear.

Moments later, U.S. Secret Service agents tackled Trump as a sniper shot and killed Crooks on the roof of the AGR building roughly 400 feet from the rally stage.

In his return, Trump thanked them as well as the local law enforcement and emergency responders who leaped into action in the aftermath of the shooting.

“They were on top of me so fast,” he said of the Secret Service agents. “They were on top of me and there was not even a moment of doubt in their minds.”

The comments contrast the intense scrutiny lobbed onto the agency in recent months as the cascading series of communication and security failures at the rally came to light. A second attempt on the former president’s life while he golfed in West Palm Beach, Fla., on Sept. 15 drew further ire.

On Saturday, however, those concerns weren’t on Trump’s mind. Instead, he took aim at Vice President Kamala Harris and “the very corrupt political establishment,” who he says villainize him, and the “everyday people” who “are the heart and soul of this country.”

“So, what our opponents have never understood is this movement has never been about me; it’s been about you,” he said to the crowd before referencing the “millions and millions” of supporters across the country. “Your hopes are my hopes. Your dreams are my dreams and your future is what I’m fighting for every single day.”

The long-anticipated event commenced exactly one month before Election Day and featured appearances by Ohio U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance, Donald Trump Jr. and his wife Lara, and Elon Musk. Vance is the vice president nominee on the ticket; Lara Trump is co-chairman of the Republican National Committee.

Moments throughout turned poignant as Trump ordered a moment of silence for 50-year-old Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief who died shielding his family from gunfire on July 13. The reflection was capped by an operatic performance of Ave Maria by Christopher Macchio.

“Some people don’t just die in vain, and what he’s left behind is incredible,” Trump said. “God bless you, Corey. God bless you.”

At times, the former president lambasted the Biden administration for its border policy, investments in foreign conflicts, and social politics. At others, he thanked the crowd for their support even after his critics carried out multiple impeachments, indictments and ballot challenges.

“And who knows, maybe even tried to kill me,” he said, referencing fringe conspiracies about Crooks’ motive. “And in turn, you have always stood with me, no matter what. We are a great team.”

TCS - Pa - Lara Trump Donald Trump Jr
Lara Trump, co-chairman of the Republican National Committee and daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump, said, ‘We need strength at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.’ She was speaking at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., on Saturday, Oct. 5, 2024.

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Automotive

Hyundai moves SUV production to U.S.

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Quick Hit:

Hyundai is responding swiftly to 47th President Donald Trump’s newly implemented auto tariffs by shifting key vehicle production from Mexico to the U.S. The automaker, heavily reliant on the American market, has formed a specialized task force and committed billions to American manufacturing, highlighting how Trump’s America First economic policies are already impacting global business decisions.

Key Details:

  • Hyundai has created a tariffs task force and is relocating Tucson SUV production from Mexico to Alabama.

  • Despite a 25% tariff on car imports that began April 3, Hyundai reported a 2% gain in Q1 operating profit and maintained earnings guidance.

  • Hyundai and Kia derive one-third of their global sales from the U.S., where two-thirds of their vehicles are imported.

Diving Deeper:

In a direct response to President Trump’s decisive new tariffs on imported automobiles, Hyundai announced Thursday it has mobilized a specialized task force to mitigate the financial impact of the new trade policy and confirmed production shifts of one of its top-selling models to the United States. The move underscores the gravity of the new 25% import tax and the economic leverage wielded by a White House that is now unambiguously prioritizing American industry.

Starting with its popular Tucson SUV, Hyundai is transitioning some manufacturing from Mexico to its Alabama facility. Additional consideration is being given to relocating production away from Seoul for other U.S.-bound vehicles, signaling that the company is bracing for the long-term implications of Trump’s tariffs.

This move comes as the 25% import tax on vehicles went into effect April 3, with a matching tariff on auto parts scheduled to hit May 3. Hyundai, which generates a full third of its global revenue from American consumers, knows it can’t afford to delay action. Notably, U.S. retail sales for Hyundai jumped 11% last quarter, as car buyers rushed to purchase vehicles before prices inevitably climb due to the tariff.

Despite the trade policy, Hyundai reported a 2% uptick in first-quarter operating profit and reaffirmed its earnings projections, indicating confidence in its ability to adapt. Yet the company isn’t taking chances. Ahead of the tariffs, Hyundai stockpiled over three months of inventory in U.S. markets, hoping to blunt the initial shock of the increased import costs.

In a significant show of good faith and commitment to U.S. manufacturing, Hyundai last month pledged a massive $21 billion investment into its new Georgia plant. That announcement was made during a visit to the White House, just days before President Trump unveiled the auto tariff policy — a strategic alignment with a pro-growth, pro-America agenda.

Still, the challenges are substantial. The global auto industry depends on complex, multi-country supply chains, and analysts warn that tariffs will force production costs higher. Hyundai is holding the line on pricing for now, promising to keep current model prices stable through June 2. After that, however, price adjustments are on the table, potentially passing the burden to consumers.

South Korea, which remains one of the largest exporters of automobiles to the U.S., is not standing idle. A South Korean delegation is scheduled to meet with U.S. trade officials in Washington Thursday, marking the start of negotiations that could redefine the two nations’ trade dynamics.

President Trump’s actions represent a sharp pivot from the era of global corporatism that defined trade under the Obama-Biden administration. Hyundai’s swift response proves that when the U.S. government puts its market power to work, foreign companies will move mountains — or at least entire assembly lines — to stay in the game.

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conflict

Trump tells Zelensky: Accept peace or risk ‘losing the whole country’

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Quick Hit:

President Donald Trump warned Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky that he risks losing Ukraine entirely if he continues resisting a peace settlement. Trump said Moscow is ready for peace, but Kyiv’s refusal to recognize Crimea as Russian territory could derail the effort.

Key Details:

  • Trump said Zelensky “can have Peace or… lose the whole Country” and claimed Russia is ready to make a deal.
  • Zelensky reiterated Ukraine’s refusal to recognize Russia’s occupation of Crimea, a key sticking point in current peace talks.
  • White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump is frustrated and warned peace efforts may end if no deal is reached this week.

Diving Deeper:

President Trump issued a blunt warning to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky on Wednesday, saying the Ukrainian leader must choose between accepting peace or facing the collapse of his nation.

“He can have Peace or… fight for another three years before losing the whole Country,” Trump posted on Truth Social. The statement followed Zelensky’s firm declaration that Ukraine “will not legally recognize the [Russian] occupation of Crimea,” a stance at odds with a proposed peace plan under discussion in London between U.S., British, and European officials.

Trump blasted Zelensky’s comment as damaging, declaring, “Crimea was lost years ago under the auspices of President Barack Hussein Obama, and is not even a point of discussion.” The president added that such rhetoric undermines delicate peace negotiations.

Speaking from the Oval Office, Trump said, “I think Russia is ready,” referring to a peace deal, but questioned whether Ukraine is. Kyiv reportedly signed on to a Trump-proposed ceasefire more than a month ago. Trump hinted that progress has been stymied by Zelensky’s reluctance to compromise.

Despite Russian officials signaling a desire to prolong negotiations—with Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov dismissing Trump’s efforts as “futile”—Trump maintained optimism, stating, “I think we have a deal with Russia… we have to get a deal with Zelensky.”

White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s patience is wearing thin. “President Zelensky has been trying to litigate this peace negotiation in the press, and that’s unacceptable,” she said, calling for closed-door diplomacy. “The American taxpayer has funded billions… enough is enough.”

Trump, 78, has consistently criticized Obama for allowing Russia’s 2014 annexation of Crimea to go unanswered. Now, under the Trump administration’s push for peace, a senior official revealed the U.S. is considering recognizing Crimea as Russian territory—a reversal of longstanding American policy based on the 1940 Welles Declaration.

Still, Trump refrained from criticizing Vladimir Putin directly, instead blaming Zelensky for inflammatory statements. “He has nothing to boast about!” Trump said, referencing a heated Feb. 28 Oval Office exchange with Zelensky and Vice President JD Vance.

“I have nothing to do with Russia,” Trump wrote, “but have much to do with wanting to save… five thousand Russian and Ukrainian soldiers a week.”

Trump warned that time is running out: “We are very close to a Deal, but the man with ‘no cards to play’ should now, finally, GET IT DONE.”

With London talks underway and pressure mounting, officials hinted that if no agreement is reached this week, the U.S. could walk away from its efforts in Eastern Europe. Asked whether Trump is ready to give up, Leavitt said, “Not by the end of the day today… but the President… needs to see this thing come to an end.”

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