Republican nominee Donald Trump returned to his campaign rally tour Saturday, nearly "one week ago today, almost to the hour, even to the minute" of dodging the bullet of a would-be assassin.
"Last week, I took a bullet for democracy," Trump told his Grand Rapids, Michigan, rally in a speech that aired live and in its entirety on Newsmax and the free online Newsmax2 streaming platform.
The remark mocked Democrats for potentially throwing out the results of the Democrat primary to potentially wage a coup over President Joe Biden, who has called Trump a "threat to democracy."
But Trump remained undaunted amid attacks and even an assassination attempt late Saturday before an equally bold and defiant crowd in a 12,000-seat indoor arena.
"Now we go forward as one movement," Trump said. "And we're more united and determined than ever before.
"We will never stop working to deliver a magnificent future for our people — and together, we will fight, fight, fight, right? And we will win, win, win."
The crowd responded with a "fight, fight, fight" chant.
Trump's words repeat his three fist-pump exultations as he rose to his feet after dodging the bullet literally and figuratively of the assassination attempt July 13 at 6:11 p.m. ET in Butler, Pennsylvania. Then, Thursday night in his Republican National Convention nomination acceptance speech, Trump pivoted the mantra of "fight, fight, fight" to "win, win, win."
Those words are becoming as synonymous with Trump's third presidential campaign as the famed "Make America Great Again" slogan.
Trump and newly tapped vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance planned the Grand Rapids campaign rally to bring the campaign message to the key battleground state that is a must-have in the Democrats' notorious "blue wall" state.
"Less than four months from now, we are going to win Michigan, we are going to take back the White House in a monumental landslide, and with your help, we are going to make America great again," Trump told the rally, which is indoors for added security after last week's would-be assassin was permitted to fire a shot through the right ear of the former president.
Early in the speech, Trump paid his respect to the victims of last Saturday's shooting, after hailing the Secret Service for stopping the potential mass casualty event and praising the grace of the hand of God.
"As I said earlier this week, I stand before you only by the grace of Almighty God," Trump said. "That's true. I shouldn't be here.
"Maybe J.D. or someone else should be here.
"I want to thank Butler Memorial Hospital in Pennsylvania for the incredible job they did and service they gave, and all of the great citizens of Butler, Pennsylvania, and the surrounding area, and everyone else for the job done, and the love that they showed us.
"Let me also thank Congressman Ronny Jackson for the care and treatment he gave me as an outstanding doctor, which he is. He's really an amazing guy.
"We continue to pray for the recovery of the two citizens who were wounded in that evil attack, David Dutch and James Copenhaver. Two incredible people. We remain in contact and send our deepest respect to the family of Corey Comperatore, the brave firefighter who died shielding his wife and daughters from bullets.
"Corey was a hero — and we will carry his memory in our hearts for all time. Great hero."
The crowd chanted, "Corey! Corey! Corey!"
"And he was a big Trumper, and we will never forget him," Trump said.
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Eric Mack ✉
Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.
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