Donald Trump held his first campaign rally on Saturday since narrowly escaping an assassination attempt a week ago. In his speech, he mocked Democrats and compared former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to a "dog."
Trump, who had called for national unity during his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, omitted such messages in front of an enthusiastic crowd of supporters in Grand Rapids, Michigan. He frequently ridiculed Democratic President Joe Biden, describing him as feeble, and criticised senior Democrats, including Pelosi, for urging Biden to end his re-election bid.
Referring to Pelosi, Trump said, "She's turned on him like a dog. She's as crazy as a bed bug." The Trump campaign did not respond to a request for comment on this comparison.
Fresh from the Republican National Convention, where his control over the party was solidified, Trump appeared in Grand Rapids with his new vice-presidential pick, Senator J. D. Vance from Ohio. This was their first campaign event together, with the Republican Party unified behind them.
In contrast, there is uncertainty about President Joe Biden’s nomination for the Democratic Party in the upcoming November 5 election. Biden has faced calls from senior Democrats to end his re-election bid after a poor debate performance raised concerns about his ability to defeat Trump and complete another term.
Trump attacked Democrats, accusing them of wanting to replace Biden after he won their nominating contest. "They have a couple of problems. No. 1, they have no idea who their candidate is," Trump said to laughter and jeers. "This guy goes and he gets the votes and now they want to take it away."
He added, "The Democrat Party is not the party of democracy. They're really the enemies of democracy. And they keep saying, 'He's a threat to democracy.' I'm saying, 'What the hell did I do for democracy? Last week, I took a bullet for democracy.'"
Trump referenced the assassination attempt several times during his speech. "I hope I don't have to go through that again. It was so horrible," he said.
Opinion polls show a tight race between Trump and Biden nationally, but Biden is trailing in key battleground states. Many Democrats fear Biden may not have a realistic path to victory and believe the party needs a new candidate to challenge Trump.
There was a heavy police presence at Trump's rally in Grand Rapids, with officers on every street corner for several blocks. US Secret Service officers were stationed on the top balconies in the Van Andel Arena, overseeing the crowd. Bag searches for attendees were thorough, and the Secret Service sweep of the building took about an hour longer than usual.
The previous rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, was held outdoors, where the gunman managed to scale a building outside the Secret Service perimeter and open fire, injuring Trump and several others. The Secret Service has declined to comment on security for the Grand Rapids event, and an investigation is ongoing into the security breaches at the Butler rally.
In his convention speech on Thursday, Trump detailed his narrow escape, attributing his survival to "the grace of Almighty God." His former physician, Ronny Jackson, reported that Trump is recovering well but noted intermittent bleeding and the potential need for a hearing exam. The bullet fired at the July 13 rally in Pennsylvania came "less than a quarter of an inch from entering his head," Jackson said.
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