Residents and MAGA supporters in Montecito, California, organised a 'Trump Train' on November 17 to celebrate Donald Trump's win over Kamala Harris. The celeb-filled neighbourhood, home to Britain's Prince Harry and his wife, Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle and Oprah Winfrey, thus had an unexpected political rally outside their homes.
Posting scenes from the rally, an X (formerly known as Twitter) user shared images of the gathering of cars, people waving flags and wearing “Make America Great Again” (MAGA) gear, and poked fun at the “liberals”.
Many Hollywood heavyweights had expressed support for Harris in the run-up to the 2024 US presidential elections, and as President-elect Trump finalises picks for his return to the White House, his supporters have been "loud and unapologetic" in their celebrations, the Hindustan Times reported.
“Our daughter and her friend participated in the Trump Train in Monticito, Cal today. Naturally, the liberals were in rare form,” (sic) the user wrote.
A convoy of flag-bearing cars and people, horn-honking motorbikes and a MAGA sporting crowd on Sunday made their way through Montecito's Coast Village Road, home to affluent homeowners, many of who are known Democratic party donors.
Among celebrities with houses in the neighbourhood are Ariana Grande, Ellen DeGeneres, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Katy Perry, and Rob Lowe. While most of the town's celebrities were vocal about supporting Harris, Harry and Meghan had not explicitly endorsed any candidate. However, according to experts, a Democrat winning would have helped them stay in the United States without legal problems.
Notably, Trump has commented on the controversy surrounding Harry’s immigration application, suggesting he might “take action” regarding the Sussexes' right to remain in the US. Before that, Trump also stated that he would not “protect” Harry like Joe Biden’s administration allegedly did by keeping Harry’s visa application private.
“I wouldn’t protect him. He betrayed the Queen. That’s unforgivable. He would be on his own if it was down to me,” Trump told Daily Express US in February.
Trump previously criticised Biden for “shielding” the Duke, adding that he would hold him accountable if given the chance. Trump also expressed discontent with how the Royal Family handled the situation, saying they had been “too gracious” despite Harry’s criticism of the monarchy.
