Triumphant Trump — sporting smaller ear bandage — holds first joint rally with Vance in Michigan after assassination attempt: ‘Took a bullet for democracy’
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Donald Trump got back to business on the campaign trail Saturday, with reportedly “unprecedented” security on hand for his first rally since the failed attempt on his life — and notably sporting a smaller ear bandage after he was grazed by a bullet.
Beefed-up security measures were taken both in and around the Van Andel Arena., where the Republican presidential nominee and his new running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, were welcomed by roughly 14,000 adoring supporters — including many who traveled from other states and camped outside overnight to get prime spots inside.
Trump, 78, took to the stage to enormous cheers and “USA” chants from the crowd — and notably with a smaller bandage covering his ear wound from the shooting.
By this time next year, he declared, the US’s borders will be secure, “inflation will be in full retreat, our economy will be roaring back [and] optimism will be surging.”
The former commander in chief remarked that it was “one week ago today almost to the hour, even to the minute” that he narrowly survived the assassination attempt.
“What a day it was,” he recalled. “I stand before you only by the grace of almighty God. I shouldn’t be here. I shouldn’t be here.
“I took a bullet for democracy,” he said moments later to raucous cheers.
Trump asked the crowd to keep the family of “hero” firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed in the heinous shooting while protecting them, in their thoughts.
“He was a big Trumper, and we will never forget him,” the ex-president said as the crowd erupted into chants of “Corey.”
Trump, who spoke for nearly two hours, tried to distance himself from the Heritage Foundation’s controversial far-right agenda, “Project 2025,” calling it “extreme.”
The Democrats, he said, are “going around trying to make me sound extreme — I’m not an extremist at all.
“Some on the severe right came up with this Project 2025 .. they’re very very conservative,” he said. “They’re kind of the opposite of the radical left, they’re the radical right.”
“They are extreme, it sure is extreme,” he added.
Trump quipped that immigration saved his life — as he had just turned to point to a massive chart showing his administration’s immigration policies last Saturday when he narrowly dodged a bullet from the would-be-assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks.
“I owe immigration my life. It’s true,” he said.
Later in his remarks, he said he said he plans a “mass deportation” of illegal migrants once he reclaims the White House.
The former president took a lighter tone at points, lauding his “darling” wife Melania for her support at the Republican National Convention.
He also interrupted his speech to joke about his iconic hair.
“See the screen up there with me? That’s looking very severe with me, this combover. It looks OK from the other side — but that is very severe, I apologize,” Trump said after asking to have “the cameras turned off.”
“I looked up there and said ‘Woah!’ That’s like a work of art!”
Vance in the spotlight
Trump spoke after Vance took the podium and immediately attacked Vice President Kamala Harris.
“What has she done other than collect a check from her political offices?”
“She did serve as Border Czar during the biggest disaster open borders we ever had in this country,” he said. “Let’s get President Trump back there, close back that border, and bring some common sense and security to this country.”
He also called on voters to back GOP tickets nationwide.
“We got an opportunity to win a lot of races up and down the ballot, to reestablish American dominance in energy – to drill, baby, drill – and kick out the drug cartels of our country,” he said.
During his remarks, Trump said that he “made the right pick” with Vance.
“He’s so great. He’s really stepped up,” he added.
Toward the middle of his speech, he brought up Michigan GOP Senate candidates Sandy Pensler and former House Rep. Mike Rogers. Pensler announced he was ending his campaign to back Rogers, who was endorsed by Trump.
“Mike’s going to make a heck of a senator,” Pensler said.
Trump and Vance are riding a wave of momentum growing for their ticket following the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee days earlier, where Trump urged unity following the July 13 shooting in Butler, Pa., that left him with a bloodied right ear and killed one man in the crowd and seriously injuring two others.
Polls continue to show Trump taking back the White House in November by beating President Biden, whose re-election campaign is reeling following his disastrous debate performance last month and cries from fellow Democratic lawmakers not to seek a second term.
As rumors swirl about Vice President Kamala Harris potentially replacing Biden, 81, on the Democratic ticket, Trump joked Saturday: “When you vote for Biden you’re indirectly voting for Harris whether you like it or not.”
Police presence was strong throughout the downtown Grand Rapids area on Saturday, including teams of cops who patrolled on bicycles.
Former Secret Service agent Jason Russell told MLive.com to expect a “pretty unprecedented level of police officers” for the event considering the assassination bid raised serious questions about the Secret Service and local law enforcement’s ability to protect candidates and attendees from attacks.
”I think you can already see they’ve doubled down in a big way,” former Michigan congressman and retired FBI agent Mike Rogers told The Post.
“It is a little easier to secure an enclosed building than an open-air building. You’ll see a heightened sense of security at all levels. But even with that said, I have not seen this many police and Secret Service in a very long time.”
By 11:30 a.m., thousands of Trump backers squeezed into metal gates outside the 12,000-seat arena awaiting entry, according to MLive.com. Others waited on a line stretching about six blocks. Many had arrived Friday afternoon and camped overnight in vehicles.
As Trump was campaigning in Wolverine State, Biden was holed up this weekend at his vacation house in Rehoboth Beach, Del., where he was battling COVID.
The president has said he plans to return to the campaign trail next week despite a groundswell of Democratic lawmakers urging him to step aside so another candidate can run against the surging Trump.
Michigan – a historically Republican stronghold that has trended increasingly blue in recent elections – is one of the crucial swing states expected to determine the outcome of the presidential election.
In 2016, Trump narrowly won the state by just over 10,000 votes. But Democrat Joe Biden flipped it back in 2020, winning by 154,000 votes en route to the presidency.
Earlier Saturday, former White House physician and current Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Tx.) said Trump is “doing well” and recovering after a bullet fired by failed assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks came “less than a quarter of an inch from entering his head.
