A Night of Conviction and Unity: Inside the First-Ever DJT Club Legacy Gala
On Saturday evening, January 31, 2026, the Dyker Beach Golf Course in Brooklyn was transformed into something far more than a banquet hall. Draped in patriotic symbolism, alive with conversation, and energized by a sense of purpose, the venue hosted the first annual DJT Club Legacy Gala, the premier signature event of the Donald J. Trump Kings County Republican Club.
From the opening cocktail hour through the final remarks of the evening, the gala stood as a declaration: a movement once considered fringe in New York City is now organized, expanding, and determined to shape the city’s political future.
A Big-Tent Gathering in Brooklyn
Attendees filled the room from every corner of the city and beyond—Brooklyn, Queens, the Bronx, Staten Island, and Nassau County—representing a cross-section of New York’s evolving Republican and conservative coalition. Elected officials, candidates, grassroots organizers, labor advocates, faith leaders, artists, and first-time attendees mingled freely, underscoring the club’s repeated message that this was a big-tent event, rooted not in labels, but in shared values.
The gala was emceed by Joe the Box of the America First Warehouse, who opened the program waving his signature Colonial American flag and leading the room in prayer, grounding the evening in faith and purpose before launching into a tightly run, emotionally charged program.
Leadership and Vision from the Podium
The night featured a series of speakers who framed the DJT Club’s mission as both urgent and long-term.
State Senator Steve Chan, the keynote speaker, delivered remarks that blended humor, history, and sharp critique of one-party rule in Albany. He reminded the audience that Republican gains in Southern Brooklyn have already proven that entrenched political machines can be challenged, stating plainly that “breaking the supermajority was only the beginning.” Chan later received the Sky’s the Limit Award, “Impossible is nothing in Brooklyn”.
A special video message from Nassau County Executive and Republican gubernatorial candidate Bruce Blakeman reinforced the theme of statewide momentum. Blakeman praised the Kings County club for its grassroots discipline and called the night “exactly the kind of organizing New York needs if it’s going to be reclaimed.”
Throughout the evening, speakers emphasized that the DJT Club—while proudly bearing its namesake—does not see itself as insular. As Club President Jimmy Wagner explained in his address, the goal is not simply to grow a Republican club, but to create a political home for public-sector workers, parents, small-business owners, and everyday New Yorkers who feel politically displaced.
“We cannot be a Republican-only club in New York City,” Wagner said. “We have to work with anyone who believes in common sense, due process, and dignity for working people”
Honoring Courage: The Awards Ceremony
At the heart of the evening was the awards presentation, honoring individuals whose activism, sacrifice, and leadership have shaped the club’s identity.
Among the most emotional moments was the presentation of the People’s Mayor Award to Curtis Sliwa, founder of the Guardian Angels and former New York City mayoral candidate. The award was presented by Staten Island artist and activist Scott LoBaido, who later donated an original patriotic painting—featuring the American flag and President Donald J. Trump—which was raffled off and won by Republican District Leader and Assembly candidate Norman ‘Sayf’ Ramsay.
Sliwa, never one to shy away from blunt language, delivered a fiery speech warning against political complacency. Referencing redistricting battles and recent elections, he cautioned the crowd that “if you give them an inch, they take a mile,” drawing loud applause from the packed room.
The Medical Freedom Warrior of the Year Award was presented to Michael Kane, whose remarks traced a direct line from early COVID-era protests at City Hall and Albany to national political shifts now reshaping federal health policy
The Tulsi Gabbard Courage Award went to Janine Aquafredda, who spoke candidly about the cost of running against the political grain and the meaning of receiving recognition rooted in principle rather than popularity.
Additional honorees were also recognized for their steadfast leadership and service, including William Egdorf, recipient of the MAGA Workhorse Award, honoring his tireless grassroots commitment and behind-the-scenes dedication to advancing America First principles in New York.
Queens Councilwoman Joann Ariola received the Donald J. Trump Patriot Leadership Award, recognizing her consistent willingness to stand firm for working families, public safety, and common-sense governance, even when doing so carried political risk.
In one of the evening’s notable moments, Ariola recounted receiving a late-night phone call from a phone number displaying the name of a film company – it was Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who asked her directly what she needed from City Hall—prompting her blunt response that she needed municipal workers reinstated immediately and promises previously made to them finally honored. She then deadpanned, apparently his mom, an industry filmmaker, still pays his phone bill. The anecdote drew laughter and applause from the audience, underscoring one of the main issues and mission that launched the DJT Club from the start.
Other honorees included:
- Rachel Maniscalco, recipient of the MAHA Workhorse Award, who urged parents to “read the ingredients, ask the hard questions, and reject gaslighting.”
- Athena Clarke, honored with the Naomi Wolf American Truth Award, who spoke powerfully about being fired over vaccine mandates and later finding the courage to run for office.
- John Gilmore, recipient of the Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Courage Award, who shared his decades-long advocacy following his son’s vaccine injury.
- Tramell Thompson, honored with the Dorothy Day Fearless Advocate Award, who noted that it was the first labor recognition he had ever received from a Republican organization.
Each speech reinforced a central theme of the night: resistance carried personal cost, but also collective meaning.
A Coalition Under One Roof
Beyond the podium, the gala served as a rare unifying space for New York’s fractured Republican party and conservative ecosystem. Represented in the room were leaders and members from New Yorkers First, the America First Warehouse, Queens Village Republican Club, Community First Republican Club, Bronx Conservative Club, and the Dominican American Republican Club, alongside state and county GOP leadership.
State GOP Chair Ed Cox and Kings County GOP Chair Emeritus Richie Barsamian were both acknowledged for helping facilitate Republican gains in Brooklyn in recent election cycles.
Other notables in attendance was the Kings County GOP Vice Chair Svetlana Zelinskaya, Brooklyn Conservative Chair Fran Vella-Marrone, Assemblyman Alec Brook-Krasny (AD-46), Phil Orenstein of Queens Village Republican Club, Ron Canterino New Yorkers First,
Dion Powell The Bronx County Conservative Party, Ari Kagan Community First Republican Club, Shery Olivo of the Dominican American Republican Club and more.
As multiple speakers noted, the DJT Club’s recent merger with New Yorkers First marked a shift from protest-only activism to structured political engagement—candidate recruitment, voter registration, and even a long-term push to amend the New York City Charter to introduce greater accountability mechanisms
More Than a Gala
As dinner concluded and music filled the room, the tone remained celebratory—but purposeful. Guests spoke openly about faith, family, free speech, and the freedom to disagree without dehumanization. For many attendees, the night represented the first time they felt politically “at home” since the upheavals of the past several years.
In closing remarks, Wagner reminded the crowd that the gala was not an endpoint, but a beginning. Petition drives, leadership recruitment, and borough-wide organizing efforts are already underway, with the club positioning itself as a permanent fixture in Brooklyn’s political landscape.
“This club wasn’t built by copies,” he said. “It was built by originals—people willing to stand up when it’s uncomfortable”
Judging by the packed room, sustained applause, and the diversity of voices represented, the DJT Club Legacy Gala succeeded in doing exactly what its name promised: honoring the past, activating the present, and laying claim to a future that its members clearly intend to fight for.
If all politics is local, the DJT Club Legacy Gala made clear that the engine of change is not government buildings, but people-powered rooms filled with ordinary citizens prepared to stand up and act.
SIDEBAR: Awards & Honorees
- People’s Mayor Award – Curtis Sliwa
• Medical Freedom Warrior of the Year – Michael Kane
• Tulsi Gabbard Courage Award – Janine Aquafredda
• MAHA Workhorse Award – Rachel Maniscalco
• Naomi Wolf American Truth Award – Athena Clarke
• Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Courage Award – John Gilmore
• Dorothy Day Fearless Advocate Award – Tramell Thompson
SIDEBAR: Speakers & Dignitaries
- Senator Steve Chan – New York State Senate
• Bruce Blakeman – Nassau County Executive (video message)
• Ed Cox – NYS Republican Party Chair
• Jimmy Wagner – President, DJT Kings County Republican Club
• Scott LoBaido – Artist & Activist
SIDEBAR: Quotes of the Night
“If you give them an inch, they take a mile.” – Curtis Sliwa
“This isn’t about labels. It’s about dignity and common sense.” – Jimmy Wagner
“We are written into history as the ones who did not back down.” – Naomi Wolf