GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Former President Donald Trump and vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance are rallying voters Saturday for their first joint campaign event as running mates, but also their first rally since a would-be assassin unsuccessfully tried to take Trump's life last week.
Thousands of people packed Van Andel Arena, home of the Grand Rapids Griffins hockey team, to see the couple, who are coming off a packed week of activities at the Republican National Convention (RNC), where each accepted their respective nominations to appear together on the GOP ticket.
“I find it hard to believe that a week ago an assassin tried to take Donald Trump's life, and now we have this crowd in Michigan to welcome him back,” Vance said after taking the stage.
WATCH: THOUSANDS OF PEOPLE HAVE TURNED OUT IN A MICHIGAN CITY FOR THE FIRST TRUMP RALLY SINCE FAILED ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT
Donald Trump on Monday named JD Vance as his running mate for 2024. (Fake Images)
He quickly began attacking Vice President Kamala Harris: “I served in the United States Marine Corps… What the hell have you done?”
“What has she done other than collect a paycheck from her political appointees?” he asked, before going on to talk about his grandmother, whom he calls “Mamaw,” and his upbringing.
Harris criticized Vance after his speech Wednesday at the Republican National Convention in which he accepted his role on the 2024 ticket.
“It was a moving story, but it's not the whole story,” Harris said. “Frankly, what's very telling is what he didn't mention on that stage. He didn't talk about Project 2025, the 900-page plan for a second term. He didn't talk about it because his plans are extreme and divisive.”
He later discussed the various challenges facing the nation under President Biden's administration, including the fentanyl crisis, the border crisis, and the economy.
RNC DELEGATES AND GUESTS MAKE PREDICTIONS ABOUT BIDEN'S POLITICAL FUTURE AMID REPORTS THAT HE MIGHT DROP OUT OF 2024 RACE
Michigan is expected to be one of the most closely watched battleground states in November, and could narrowly determine who will serve the American people in the White House for the next four years.
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