In a bustling and often politically divided New York City, the Rebel News team and I set out to gauge the public’s thoughts on the upcoming 2024 U.S. presidential election.

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With a Trump rally drawing an enormous crowd at Madison Square Garden, I spent hours among supporters eagerly awaiting the former president’s appearance. Opposing them, a small group of anti-Trump protesters gathered.

The dedication of Trump supporters who lined up hours before the rally’s start, many expressing strong loyalty to the former president.

"I’m here to support Donald Trump, baby," one supporter proudly declared, summing up the sentiment of many in line. Another added, "He’s a true patriot, willing to fight for what’s right."

Emotions ran high as attendees voiced their dissatisfaction with the current administration, citing inflation and an increasingly unaffordable quality of life as primary concerns.

"I’m an engineer, make a lot of money, but I can’t afford to live. We need change," said one young supporter, summarising the economic struggles that many attendees felt had worsened under the Biden-Harris administration.

The desire for a return to Trump's policies was a recurring theme among supporters. They expressed hopes that his leadership would bring back "law and order" and "support the Second Amendment," while several voiced concerns over current immigration policies, claiming they felt unsafe due to unchecked immigration. "We want America to be great again," one attendee said, throwing back to Trump’s iconic campaign slogan.

Amidst a backdrop of MAGA hats and chants of "U.S.A.," the diversity of the crowd was evident, with many Trump supporters from a wide array of backgrounds and ethnicities. Some in attendance countered claims from critics who have labelled Trump’s movement as 'white supremacist.'

Not far from the rally, a smaller counter-protest gathered, made up of staunch anti-Trump voices. Many of them repeating media-led soundbites such as "threats to democracy" under a potential Trump administration.

"If he wins, I’m leaving America," one demonstrator insisted, while another echoed concerns, saying, "He wants to tear up the Constitution." What struck me was the contrast between the rally’s electric atmosphere and the smaller, more subdued anti-Trump protest.

While Trump supporters conveyed an unyielding optimism, determined to “take back the White House,” the opposition relied on broader objections rather than detailed discussions on policy. "We’re taking back America," one supporter concluded.

Follow Avi's journey across America:

I'm travelling across America covering the election!

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