Trump holds first rally after assassination attempt with his new running mate, Vance, by his side

Joey Cappelletti and Jill Colvin, Associated Press

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) — Donald Trump held his first run rally since he survived an assassination effort Saturday, returning to nan battleground authorities of Michigan alongside his recently named moving mate.

“It was precisely 1 week ago, moreover to nan hour, moreover to nan minute,” Trump told nan crowd, reflecting connected nan July 13 shooting successful Pennsylvania that near him pinch a bloodied ear, killed 1 of his supporters and near 2 others injured.

“I guidelines earlier you only by nan grace of almighty God,” he said, nan achromatic gauze connected his receptor now replaced by a skin-colored bandage. “I shouldn’t beryllium present correct now,” he went on.

Trump was joined by Ohio Sen. JD Vance astatine nan pair’s first arena together since they became nan GOP’s nominees astatine nan Republican National Convention successful Milwaukee.

“I find it difficult to judge that a week ago, an assassin tried to return Donald Trump’s life, and now we person sewage a hellhole of a crowd successful Michigan to invited him backmost connected nan run trail,” Vance said earlier Trump’s arrival.

Michigan is 1 of nan fistful of important plaything states expected to find nan result of November’s statesmanlike election. Trump narrowly won nan authorities by conscionable complete 10,000 votes successful 2016, but Democrat Joe Biden flipped it backmost successful 2020, winning by a separator of 154,000 votes connected his measurement to nan presidency.

After appearing uncharacteristically subdued and affectional during nan Republican convention, Trump returned to his accustomed rally mode, insulting his Democratic rivals, repeating his lies astir nan 2020 election, and peppering his reside pinch jokes that sparked laughter from an enthusiastic audience.

At 1 point, Trump glanced astatine a surface showing him from an different perspective and joked astir his combover.

“That’s a terrible sucker. What’s pinch that one?” he said. “I apologize. Man! I looked up there, I said, ‘Whoa!’ That’s for illustration a activity of art!”

At different point, arsenic he invited a protagonist connected stage, he quipped, “He does not transportation guns!”

But Trump besides talked astir nan shooting, acting retired really he’d turned his caput to look up astatine a floor plan of confederate separator crossings projected connected a elephantine screen, narrowly dodging nan slug that deed his ear.

“I beryllium migration my life,” he said.

Hours earlier he took nan stage, Trump’s supporters crowded nan streets of downtown Grand Rapids successful anticipation of nan erstwhile president’s remarks. Supporters began lining up Friday morning, and by Saturday afternoon, nan statement stretched adjacent to a mile from nan entranceway of nan 12,000-seat Van Andel Arena.

Many wore shirts featuring nan image of Trump, connected stage, aft he was shot, pumping his fist successful nan air, on pinch nan accustomed reddish “Make America Great Again” hats.

Mike Gaydos, who traveled from Indiana pinch his 3 sons to be nan rally, said he didn’t see himself a “huge” Trump protagonist successful nan past but wanted to show support for nan erstwhile president pursuing his attempted assassination.

“We can’t let thing for illustration that to collar us,” he said. “Bravery is what I thought he showed that day, and I want to show my sons astir bravery arsenic well.”

Numerous streets, closed arsenic an further information precaution, were dotted pinch vendors trading nutrient and apparel. Among them was a vendor from North Carolina who said he had spent nan nighttime making shirts featuring “Trump Vance ’24.”

Downtown Grand Rapids besides saw a important constabulary presence, pinch officers stationed connected astir each block, while others patrolled connected horseback and bicycles. The heightened information extracurricular nan venue created a tense environment, pinch immoderate attendees mentioning that drones overhead had made them nervous. The arena was held indoors, which makes it easier to secure.

Attendees were required to walk done a metallic detector upon entering nan arena, yet nan beingness of information wrong appeared accordant pinch erstwhile events.

“This is nan tightest I’ve ever seen nan security,” said Renee White, who said that she’s been to 33 of Trump’s rallies. “We usually tin bring successful immoderate mini bags, but coming I had to conscionable time off worldly retired there.”

White had been seated down nan podium astatine nan rally successful Butler, Pennsylvania, wherever nan gunman opened occurrence from a adjacent rooftop. She described nan shooting arsenic “surreal” but said that it wouldn’t extremity her from going to his rallies.

“If I’m going to beryllium taken out, astatine slightest I’m doing thing I emotion to do, right?” she said. On Saturday, she was again seated down Trump, almost successful nan aforesaid spot arsenic she had been successful Butler.

Trump’s prime of Vance was aimed, successful part, astatine helping him triumph support from Rust Belt voters successful places for illustration Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Ohio who helped Trump notch his astonishment 2016 victory. Vance specifically mentioned those places during his acceptance reside astatine nan convention, stressing his roots increasing up mediocre successful small-town Ohio and pledging not to hide working-class group whose “jobs were sent overseas and children were sent to war.”

Democrats person dominated caller elections successful Michigan, but Republicans now spot an opening successful nan state, particularly arsenic Democrats stay divided astir whether Biden should driblet retired of nan race.

Biden has insisted he is not quitting, and has attempted to move nan attraction backmost towards Trump, saying Friday that Trump’s acceptance reside astatine nan Republican normal showcased a “dark imagination for nan future.”

Trump connected Saturday polled nan crowd connected who they’d for illustration to spot arsenic his opponent, pinch cheers for Biden and large boos erstwhile Trump asked astir Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump and his squad person tried to formed Democrats’ efforts to switch Biden arsenic a “coup” successful what appears to beryllium portion of a larger effort to effort to distract from Trump’s efforts to overturn nan 2020 predetermination aft he refused to judge nan results, arsenic good arsenic nan Jan. 6 onslaught connected nan Capitol by his supporters.

“At this very moment, Democrat Party bosses are frantically trying to overthrow nan results of their ain party’s primaries to dump Crooked Joe Biden from nan ballot,” Trump charged.

Later, he pushed backmost against efforts to formed him arsenic a threat to populist and an extremist, moreover arsenic he has vowed wide deportations and threatened retribution against his governmental enemies.

“They support saying, ’He’s a threat to democracy…’ Last week I took a slug for democracy,” he said to rousing cheers.

Trump besides again tried to region himself from nan Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a argumentation and unit scheme for a 2nd Trump word that was crafted by a big of erstwhile management officials.

Trump blasted nan project, which has go a centerpiece of Biden’s campaign, arsenic “severe right” and “seriously extreme,” conscionable for illustration nan ”radical left.”

“I don’t cognize thing astir it,” he insisted.

Biden’s run responded pinch a connection that noted Trump’s reside accepting nan GOP nomination, successful which he urged unity and said he was “running to beryllium president for each of America, not half of America.”

“We were promised a caller Donald Trump who would merge nan state — alternatively each we saw coming was nan aforesaid Donald Americans support rejecting complete and over,” said Biden-Harris spokesperson Ammar Moussa. “He’s peddling nan aforesaid lies, moving nan aforesaid run of revenge and retribution, touting nan aforesaid grounded policies, and — arsenic accustomed — focused only connected himself.”

The 81-year-old Democratic incumbent, who appeared successful Detroit this month, is presently isolating astatine his formation location successful Delaware recovering from COVID-19.

U.S. Rep. Hillary Scholten, a Democrat representing Grand Rapids, is among nan increasing number of lawmakers calling connected Biden to exit nan title aft his disastrous capacity astatine past month’s debate.

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Colvin reported from New York.

Republican statesmanlike campaigner erstwhile President Donald Trump addresses supporters astatine a run arena pinch Republican vice statesmanlike campaigner Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, Saturday, July 20, 2024, astatine Van Andel Arena successful Grand Rapids, Mich. | Carlos Osorio, Associated Press