Former President Donald Trump’s running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, told the 60,000 supporters gathered in Butler, Pennsylvania, at the site of the first assassination attempt against the Republican presidential candidate that God “has a plan for the United States.”
During his 17-minute speech, Vance hailed rallygoers who returned to the farm show grounds on Saturday, where nearly three months earlier a 20-year-old would-be assassin, Thomas Matthew Crooks, climbed on top of a building about 130 yards away and opened fire, piercing the upper part of Trump’s right ear. The shooter also wounded two supporters and killed 50-year-old Butler resident Corey Comperatore.
The vice presidential candidate told supporters, who had been in the audience on the day of the shooting and returned to attend Saturday’s rally to support their presidential ticket, that it was “a testament to your courage and your patriotism” that they were there.
“[Y]ou heard the shots; you saw the blood. We all feared the worst but you knew everything would be OK when President Trump raised his fist high in the air and shouted, ‘fight, fight,’” Vance said.
“Now, I believe, as sure I’m standing here today, that what happened was a true miracle. And on that day, America felt the truth of Scripture,” he added, citing Psalm 23:4, in part: “Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.”
Though supporters and viewers who watched the July 13 rally at home all feared the worst when they witnessed Trump being shot, Vance assured that “God still has a plan for him (Trump) just like He still has a plan for the United States of America.”
“I truly believe that God saved President Trump’s life that day. And I believe that God is with us right now and watches over this incredible nation every single day,” he declared. “We especially thank God for the two great Americans who were wounded and survived in July — that’s David Dutch and James Copenhaver. God bless you guys.”
He continued: “We pray for their full and complete recoveries, and we’re honored that David and his family were able to join us today. […] God bless you and God bless your family. But our hearts are heavy with sadness, knowing that there’s one hero who’s not here with us today. And that’s, of course, the great Corey Comperatore.”
“We’re never going to forget his heroism that day. And I want everyone to join me right now in sending our support, our respect, our love, to the Comperatore family here with us today. We love you guys. […] Thank you for loving this country and thank you for not giving up on it.”
Following the shocking first assassination attempt, Vance said he’d hoped the country would “turn a page” and that the media and his political opponents “would remember that before we are Democrats or before we are Republicans, we are Americans.”
“But sadly, our opponents have not heeded Abraham Lincoln’s words and listened to the better angels of our nature,” he lamented.
“Even after that terrible assassination attempt that took one man’s life and nearly took many others, they continue to use dangerous inflammatory rhetoric. The media has continued to call Donald Trump, the guy who actually won his primary, a threat to democracy,” he added, taking a swipe at Vice President Kamala Harris, who was installed as the Democratic presidential candidate.;
Vance added that Harris has repeatedly claimed that the Republican presidential nominee was “attacking the foundations of our democracy,” to which he replied, “Donald Trump took a bullet for democracy. What the hell have you done?”
Harris’ claim that Trump is an “existential threat to democracy” was echoed by a second failed assassin, Ryan Wesley Routh, who, he said, “wrote that ‘democracy is on the ballot.’” Vance added that those were “the exact same words that Kamala Harris wrote after accusing Trump of being a dictator only days before the first attempt on his life.”
He said that such attacks and claims that Trump is a threat to democracy are intended to silence his supporters. He said this is also evident in Harris and her running mate Gov. Tim Walz’s push for censorship.
“They have declared war explicitly on the First Amendment to the United States Constitution,” Vance said. “Kamala Harris proudly says she wants to censor the internet, and Tim Walz said, ‘there is no guarantee to free speech.’”
Vance warned that censorship would only be the “first step,” as evidenced by “everything they’ve done to President Trump.”
“First, they tried to silence him. When that didn’t work, they tried to bankrupt him. When that didn’t work, they tried to jail him. And with all the hatred they have spewed at President Trump, it was only a matter of time before somebody tried to kill him. And that’s exactly what happened.”
Despite the attacks and assassination attempts, Vance said Trump responded by calling for “national unity.”
Vance then turned his attention to the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene, which has led to the deaths of at least 227 people and left millions without power, clean water and access to life-saving medications and supplies.
Earlier this week, Vance visited an area of Virginia he described as having been “ravaged” by the aftermath of the hurricane, adding that what began as a natural disaster turned into a “manmade disaster” when the federal government fell far behind Christian organizations and civilians in providing supplies and relief to those most in need.
“We know the Appalachian region of this country has been left behind and ignored by a generation of American leaders,” he said. “But what started out as a natural disaster is becoming a manmade disaster. When Appalachia was underwater, remember, President Biden was sitting on a beach and Kamala Harris was in a San Francisco fundraiser. That is not leadership. That is a disgrace.”
“And now we’re seeing reports that deployments of the military and the National Guard are moving at a snail’s pace.”
Vance went on to list numerous issues Republican voters are concerned about, including mass illegal immigration, inflation, the housing affordability crisis, fentanyl deaths, crime and the rising cost of food and household goods.
To the families struggling, Vance said, “I want you to know that help is on the way.”
