“I took a bullet for democracy”

GRAND RAPIDS: Republican presidential candidate and former US president Donald Trump proclaimed he “took a bullet for democracy” during his first campaign rally following an assassination attempt.

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Addressing supporters in Grand Rapids, Michigan, recovering Trump said, “Last week I took a bullet for democracy,” to enthusiastic cheers from the crowd. Trump was shot in the ear on July 13 in Pennsylvania.

At the rally, he wore a small, flesh-tone bandage on his right ear and reflected on the attack, which killed one of his supporters and injured two others. “It was exactly one week ago, even to the hour, even to the minute,” Trump said. “I stand before you only by the grace of almighty God. I shouldn’t be here right now.” He expressed his relief at surviving the ordeal, stating, “I hope I don’t have to go through that again. It was so horrible.”

At the event, Trump, accompanied by his new running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance, launched a fierce critique of Democratic opponents and mocked President Joe Biden as a “feeble old guy.” He criticised the leadership confusion within the Democratic party, saying, “They have no idea who their candidate is, and neither do we.”

Trump also attacked senior Democrats, including former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, for attempting to convince Biden to drop his re-election bid. “She’s turned on him like a dog. She’s as crazy as a bed bug,” he said.

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Trump distanced himself from the Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a policy plan for a potential second term, describing it as “severe right” and “seriously extreme,” likening it to the “radical left.”

During his speech, Trump praised Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin as “smart, tough” leaders, claiming to have a good relationship with Xi, whom he called a “brilliant” man who “controls 1.4 billion people with an iron fist.” He joked, “Xi makes guys like Biden look like babies.”

Trump vowed to prevent “world war three” and to resolve the Russia-Ukraine conflict if re-elected, warning, “You’re very close to world war,” and asserting that various international crises would not have happened under his leadership.

He also promised to reform Washington DC, rebuild American cities, and work with Democratic governors and mayors. On education, Trump pledged to cut federal funding for schools promoting critical race theory or “inappropriate racial, sexual, or political content.”

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The rally at Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids was heavily secured, with a strong police presence for several blocks and US Secret Service officers positioned on the top balconies, overseeing the crowd.