Donald Trump, JD Vance hit campaign trail for 1st time together at campaign rally in Michigan

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- Former President Donald Trump returned to the run way successful the battleground authorities of Michigan -- days aft accepting the Republican information for president astatine the party's normal for the 3rd time.

This time, though, Trump was joined by his moving mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, for the archetypal clip astatine a run rally successful Grand Rapids, Michigan, connected Saturday evening. It marks Trump's archetypal rally since his assassination effort astatine a rally successful Pennsylvania past Saturday.

Republican statesmanlike campaigner Donald Trump and vice statesmanlike campaigner Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, get astatine a run rally, Saturday, July 20, 2024, successful Grand Rapids, Mich.

AP Photo/Evan Vucci

Walking retired to an enthusiastic crowd, Vance wasted nary clip attacking his governmental opponent, Vice President Kamala Harris.

"The Vice President Kamala Harris, she doesn't similar me," Vance said. "Kamala Harris said thing to the effect that that I person nary loyalty to this country. Well, I don't cognize Kamala, I did service successful the United States Marine Corps and physique a business. What the hellhole person you done different than cod the check?"

Vance went connected to speech astir his background, increasing up successful Ohio and his household struggles.

RELATED: JD Vance introduces himself arsenic Donald Trump's moving mate astatine RNC Wednesday

He aboriginal returned to the signifier to present Trump, who was wearing a beige bandage astir his injured close ear.

Trump instantly talked astir past week's shooting, reiterating that helium stands lone by the "grace of God" and gave his respects to the 3 radical who were changeable during the incident.

The erstwhile president past pivoted to the RNC, remarking astir the highlights from the assemblage to the speeches.

"It was conscionable love. It was conscionable a large four-day emotion fest," helium said.

Trump past mocked the Democrats implicit the existent questions connected President Joe Biden's future, remarking the Democrats person "no thought who their campaigner is and neither bash we."

"That's a problem, but we'll see. Hopefully, they get it worked retired benignant of interesting," helium said.

Trump besides bashed Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, saying he'd "be blessed to tally against her."

The rally was wrong the Van Andel Arena, an easier-to-secure indoor venue aft the gunman astatine past week's outdoor venue fired from a adjacent roof. The indoor venue is simply a alteration from Trump's erstwhile rallies this predetermination cycle, which are chiefly outdoors, upwind permitting.

Van Andel Arena accommodates much than 12,000 people, though it's unclear however galore radical volition attend. The arena is located successful the bosom of downtown Grand Rapids, surrounded by respective restaurants and hotels. Attendees tin expect heightened information fixed past week's attempted assassination.

Many attendees said they came to amusement Trump they weren't acrophobic aft what happened past week. Some camped overnight extracurricular the venue to get a bully spot.

"He's not acrophobic to combat for america and we're not acrophobic to combat for him," Lisa Donlin, a Michigan mother, told ABC News.

RELATED: Who is JD Vance? From 'never-Trump guy' to his VP pick

This volition beryllium Vance's archetypal authoritative run rally arsenic portion of the GOP ticket. It shouldn't beryllium seen arsenic a coincidence that Trump and Vance's archetypal rally unneurotic is taking spot successful Michigan, a cardinal battleground state.

The Trump-Vance run has made it wide since Vance was announced arsenic Trump's moving mate that they spot the Ohio legislator arsenic important successful their strategy to triumph the battleground states successful the midwest: Michigan, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania.

On Newsmax Monday evening, Vance recalled his speech with the erstwhile president erstwhile helium offered him the accidental to beryllium his vice president, saying that Trump told him, "You tin assistance maine successful immoderate of these Midwestern states, similar Pennsylvania, Michigan, and truthful forth."

During his acceptance code astatine the Republican National Convention earlier this week, Vance emphasized his inheritance increasing up successful Middletown, Ohio, and surviving successful the Rust Belt.

"I committedness you 1 much thing, to the radical of Middletown, Ohio, and each the forgotten communities successful Michigan, Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and each country of our nation: I volition beryllium a vice president who ne'er forgets wherever helium came from," Vance said Wednesday night.

But Vance has travel a agelong mode since his Rust Belt days, having gone connected to be Yale Law School and worked successful the tech manufacture arsenic a task capitalist.

In 2016, Vance released his memoir, "Hillbilly Elegy," which shared his communicative of increasing up successful poorness successful America's Rust Belt and being surrounded by unit and addiction.

A fewer years later, helium launched his run for Ohio's unfastened Senate seat, winning the wide predetermination successful 2022, defeating then-Rep. Tim Ryan.

Michigan is an indispensable authorities for some candidates. Biden defeated Trump successful Michigan successful 2020, however, Trump won the authorities successful 2016 implicit Hillary Clinton.

The arena volition beryllium a acquainted venue to Trump arsenic helium held a rally determination successful March 2019. In his erstwhile predetermination cycles, Trump made Michigan his last halt earlier Election Day.

During Trump's keynote code astatine the RNC connected Thursday, the erstwhile president mentioned the car manufacture respective times successful an effort to entreaty to Michigan, location of galore car manufacturers. Although Trump pledges to bring backmost car manufacture jobs, Trump disparaged United Auto Workers' leadership, saying the union's person should beryllium "fired immediately."

"So with each the different things happening connected our border, and they're being built by China to marque cars and merchantability them into our country, nary tax, nary anything. The United Auto Workers ought to beryllium ashamed for allowing this to hap and the person of the United Auto Workers should beryllium fired immediately," Trump said.

UAW, which endorsed Biden successful January, responded successful a station connected X Thursday night, saying ".@realDonaldTrump is simply a scab and a billionaire and that's who helium represents. We cognize which broadside we're on. Not his."