Donald Trump has told a rally in Michigan that he “took a bullet for democracy” when an attempt was made on his life last week.
He also derided President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris at the event in Grand Rapids – his first with new running mate JD Vance and the first since he survived the assassination attempt.
He told a packed arena that Democrats had accused him of being “a threat to democracy” and, to huge applause, said he was ready to “take back the White House”.
An investigation is under way into the shooting last weekend, which left Trump with a wounded ear – though the prominent white bandage he wore throughout the Republican National Convention had on Saturday been replaced by a discreet flesh-toned plaster.
The gunman flew a drone above the site of the shooting ahead of time, law enforcement officials have told US media.
The Grand Rapids event was one of several campaign stops the former president has made in the key battleground state, as polls show him in a close race against Mr Biden.
Mr Biden, meanwhile, has had to pause campaign events after testing positive for Covid-19. He continues to resist growing calls from members of his own party to drop out of the race due to concerns about his age and cognitive abilities.
During his speech Mr Trump repeated the falsehood that the 2020 election – which he lost to Mr Biden – had been “rigged”.
He mocked the crisis around Mr Biden’s own bid for re-election as president, saying: “They don’t know who their candidate is, and neither do we.”
Credit: bbc.com
