Now that Trump has been formally nominated by the Republican National Convention, he is in perhaps his strongest political position in the race, and while some Democrats are making last-minute moves to remove President Biden from the running, Republicans are optimistic.
The Grand Rapids rally will be Trump and Vance's first as vice presidential candidates, and the Trump campaign hopes Vance's Ohio upbringing and populist message will help him win in the neighboring battleground states of Michigan and Pennsylvania. Speaking for just over 10 minutes before Trump's remarks on Saturday afternoon, Vance highlighted his roots in a “working-class family” that struggled with addiction and said he believes both political parties have long been “broken.”
Trump laid out the “America First” and isolationist ideas he has championed in the changing Republican Party. He scolded leaders across the political spectrum for allowing American jobs to be shipped overseas and suggested the U.S. be more selective in its engagements abroad.
“There's nothing radical about having strong national security and hitting hard when we go to war, but there's certainly something cautious about not trying to get America involved in every far-flung place and conflict in the world,” Vance said. “Sometimes, my friends, it's none of our business and we're better off staying out of it.” The crowd cheered.
Despite last week's violence, Trump supporters formed long lines early Saturday to hear their official candidate speak. Many rally-goers wore shirts bearing Trump's words after the assassination attempt, “Fight, fight, fight,” or a picture of Trump raising his fist. Some wore bandages over their ears, mimicking what Trump did at the Republican National Convention.
Saturday's rally is being held with extra security measures in place. As The Washington Post previously reported, it was held indoors because an arena would be easier to secure following the shooting at the outdoor event. The Trump campaign has no plans to hold any outdoor rallies for the time being. The Secret Service has also asked local police for additional assistance.
“Obviously they're going to have a lot of security,” Kent County Commissioner Walter Bujak told The Post. “They're going to be meticulous with this.”
Supporters at the rally said they believed God spared Trump's life last week and had little concern for their own safety.
“I feel safe and I have no fears. Security is as tight as it can be,” said Angelique Johnson, 54. “I just pray that God protects us like he did the night Trump was shot.” She said she only knew a basic background on Vance but came here to learn more.
“The president has been trying to get Biden to step up and take the reins at the White House, and he has been trying to get Biden to step up and take the reins at the White House,” Biden said.
Biden's campaign held a press conference on Saturday ahead of the Grand Rapids rally to blast Trump's policies, arguing they hurt working people while benefiting the wealthy. Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (Democrat) shared a video of a “welcome” message to Trump and Vance, saying, “We protect reproductive freedom here,” and criticized Trump's policies.
But the Democratic Party's own turmoil is also adding to the confusion: On Friday alone, 12 more Democrats called on Biden to withdraw from the presidential race, indicating the party remains deeply shaken by Biden's struggle to gather his thoughts as of June 27 and other gaffes.
The coronavirus pandemic has kept Biden off the campaign trail, while Trump and Vance are planning a series of events after the Republican convention.
Vance will hold a rally in his hometown of Middletown, Ohio, on Monday afternoon, followed by one in Radford, Virginia, on Monday night, in a sign of the Trump campaign's continuing efforts to widen the battleground state map into states that typically go to Democrats in presidential elections. Biden won Virginia by 10 points in 2020.
President Trump is scheduled to speak at a rally in Charlotte on Wednesday night.
Trump, who appeared at the convention with a bandaged ear, spoke in a speech calling for unity following the shooting at a rally last week. “The divisions and discord in our society must be healed,” he said.
But after detailing the assassination attempt and attributing his survival to divine intervention, Trump largely returned to his usual topics. He blasted “crazy Nancy Pelosi” and referred to her false claims that the 2020 election was stolen from him. “We must never let that awful, awful outcome happen again.”
Knowles reported from Washington.
