Former President Donald Trump declared that he “took a bullet for democracy” while addressing a crowd of more than 12,000 supporters in Grand Rapids, Michigan, at his first rally since surviving an assassination attempt. The rally, held at the Van Andel Arena, featured Trump and his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, who recently accepted their nominations at the Republican National Convention.
During the rally, Trump criticized Democrats for calling him a threat to democracy, stating, “Last week I took a bullet for democracy. What did I do against democracy? Crazy.” Vance also took the stage, slamming Vice President Kamala Harris and highlighting his own service as a U.S. Marine.
The event took an emotional turn as Trump recognized supporters injured or killed in the recent attack, including David Dutch and James Copenhaver. He also paid tribute to Corey Comparatore, a firefighter who died protecting his family from the bullets.
Trump conducted a “poll” with the audience about potential Democratic nominees if President Biden were to step down from the race, with the crowd showing a preference for running against Harris over Biden. The former president also criticized Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer, calling her a “terrible” leader.
As Michigan is expected to be a key battleground state in the upcoming election, the rally highlighted the intense political climate and the growing calls for Biden to step aside in favor of Harris or another candidate. Polls have shown Trump leading in battleground states, setting the stage for a contentious campaign ahead.
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