Former President Trump held a rally on Saturday night rally in Butler, Pa., his first appearance in the town since a bullet grazed his ear at an event there nearly three months ago.
Trump’s allies framed the new rally as a sign of triumph for the former president one month out from Election Day. Polls show him neck and neck with Vice President Harris, and Pennsylvania is expected to play a pivotal role in determining who wins control of the White House.
The former president was joined on Saturday by family members of Corey Comperatore, who was killed at the July rally, as well as high-profile figures including running mate Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) and Tesla owner Elon Musk.
Follow The Hill’s live updates below.
Trump wraps up remarks
Trump concluded his remarks at 7:31 p.m., with the second half of the rally largely echoing his typical remarks at campaign events.
The former president stood on stage dancing and clapping as “YMCA” blared over the speakers.
Trump rails against California voter ID law
The former president blasted a new California law that will prohibit local governments from requiring voters to provide ID to cast a ballot in the state.
“Other Democrat states are following. This is only so they can cheat,” Trump said.
Trump, who has repeatedly called for voter ID requirements and cast doubt on the reliability of mail ballots, attacked California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) for signing the state’s legislation.
But the California law will not go into effect until Jan. 1, after this year’s election.
Trump praises Vance debate performance
The former president shouted out his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), praising his performance earlier in the week in the vice presidential debate.
“You know the expression the yhave. If that were a fight, they would have stopped it,” Trump said of Vance’s debate with Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz (D).
“So I just want to thank, JD. I was always confident in that pick. And we had great people, too, JD,” he added. “Every one of them would have done a great job. But we appreciate the job you’re doing.”
Trump brings Elon Musk on stage
Trump introduced Elon Musk, the owner of Tesla and the social media company X, who endorsed the former president on the day he was shot in July.
“The true test of someone’s character is how they behave under fire. We had one president who couldn’t climb a flight of stairs and another who was fist pumping after getting shot,” Musk said, swiping at President Biden.
Musk went on to rail against Democrats, claiming the party wanted to “take away your freedom of speech, they want to take away your right to bear arms, they want to take away your right to vote, effectively.
Democrats have pushed for expanded voting rights laws, and Vice President Harris, the party’s nominee for president, has been adamant she is not seeking to take away gun owners’ firearms.
Trump says Pennsylvania could decide election
The former president nodded to the political importance of Pennsylvania during his remarks.
“If we win Pennsylvania, we will win the whole thing. The whole thing will be one,” Trump said.
He warned that if supporters don’t get out and vote, “all of this will be for nothing.””
Twelve weeks ago we all took a bullet for America and all we are all asking is that everyone goes out and votes. We’ve gotta win,” he added.
Attendee requires medical attention
One rally-goer required medical attention, briefly interrupting Trump’s remarks.
Crowd members called out for assistance, catching Trump’s attention.
The former president asked for a doctor.
“We’ve got to protect our people, right? Take your time,” Trump said.
Trump: Opponents ‘maybe even tried to kill me’
The former president pivoted to swiping at his political opponents, suggesting they “maybe even tried to kill me” in an effort to stop his White House bid.
“Over the past eight years, those who want to stop us from achieving this future have slandered me, impeached me, indicted me, tried to throw me off the ballot, and who knows, maybe even tried to kill me,” Trump said.
“But I’ve never stopped fighting for you and I never will.”
Trump went on to say that an “enemy from within” can be more dangerous than foreign adversaries like Russia, China or North Korea.
Trump honors victims of July shooting
Trump recognized the individuals who were injured in the July 13 shooting, as well as Corey Comperatore, who was killed in the assassination attempt.
“Corey is not with us tonight, and he should be. He has become somewhat of a folk hero, I have to tell you,” Trump said.
The former president met before the rally with Comperatore’s family members, and several of them were in attendance as he spoke.
He also recognized David Dutch and Jim Copenhaver, both of whom were injured in the shooting.
At 6:11 p.m., Trump noted it was “12 weeks to the minute that the shooting began.”
He called for a moment of silence. A bell tolled out and “Ave Maria” began playing over the speakers.
Trump opens: ‘As I was saying’
The former president began his remarks by thanking Pennsylvania and telling the crowd, “As I was saying.”
He then looked over at a chart showing rising immigration numbers in recent years, the same chart that was on display at the moment shots rang out on July 13 in Butler.
“I love that chart. I love that graph. Isn’t it a beautiful thing?” Trump said.
Trump takes the stage
The former president took the stage just before 6 p.m. as Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA” live.
Prior to Trump’s entrance, there was a video that played on screens at the rally site referencing the shooting in July and touting the strength of Trump’s movement.
— Brett Samuels
Trump greets Comperatore family
Photo courtesy of Doug Mills/The New York Times.
Eric Trump appears to blame political opponents for assassination attempt
Eric Trump and Lara Trump addressed the crowd, with the former president’s son aggressively attacking Democrats.
“They tried to smear us. They tried to bankrupt us. They came after us, they impeached him twice. They went after his Supreme Court justices. They weaponized the entire legal system…and it has not worked,” Eric Trump said. “And then guys, they tried to kill him. And it’s because the Democratic Party, they can’t do anything right.”
Eric Trump also bashed the Biden administration’s response to Hurricane Helene.
Vance, Musk talk before Trump addresses crowd
Vance and Musk, sporting a black MAGA hat, spoke before Trump took the stage.
Vance criticizes Dem rhetoric at rally
Vance criticized Democrats during his speech in Butler for their rhetoric, arguing that after the assassination attempt on Trump, they had not shifted the tone of their criticism.
He also criticized the media.
“Even after that terrible assassination attempt that took one man’s life and nearly took many others, they continue to use dangerous, inflammatory rhetoric,” Vance said. “The media has continued to call Donald Trump, the guy who actually won his primary, a threat to Democracy.”
Vance then criticized Vice President Harris for saying Trump had attacked the foundations of American democracy.
“And I think you all were join me in saying to Kamala Harris, how dare you talk about threats to democracy, Donald Trump took a bullet for democracy, what the hell have you done,” Vance said.
Vance says hearts are filled with sadness that Corey Comperatore, the man killed at the July 13 rally where an assassin tried to kill Trump, is not at the rally.
“Our hearts are heavy with sadness, knowing that there’s one hero who’s not ere with us today. And that’s , of course, is great hero Corey Comperatore,” Vance said.
“We’re never going to forget Corey, and we’re never going to forget his heroism that day,” Vance said after chants of “Corey, Corey, Corey” from the crowd.
Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s running mate, is warming up the crowd in Butler, praising the community’s resilience ahead of the former president’s appearance.
“We’re here to say, we can’t be intimidated, we cannot be stopped. We won’t be denied. We will make America great again and we’re going to do it together,” Vance told the cheering crowd, which responded with chants of “USA! USA!”
How the Butler shooting changed Donald Trump’s campaign
The Associated Press is out with a story on how the Butler shooting changed Trump’s campaign.
It begins with an anecdote about Trump being onstage at a rally on Long Island last month, and seemingly getting spooked for a second by something he had spotted over his shoulder.
“I thought this was a wise guy coming up,” he explained, joking that he was getting his elbow ready to fight back.
The AP writes that the scare, as he returns to Butler on Saturday, “underscores the lasting fallout for the candidate and his campaign even as much of the national attention has shifted to other crises.”
You can read the full story here.
Trump arrives in Butler
The former president arrived in Butler a little more than an hour before he is set to speak at 5 p.m.
His plane flew over the site of the rally so it was visible to attendees.
Memorial set up to honor fallen rally-goer
The area where Corey Comperatore sat when he was killed in the July 13 shooting in Butler was occupied Saturday by a memorial featuring his old firefighter’s jacket.
Comperatore’s widow and other family members are expected to attend Saturday’s rally.
Crowds form hours ahead of Trump speech
Videos from the rally site showed thousands of people lining up for the former president’s speech, which is set to begin at 5 p.m. EDT.
Trump will address supporters nearly three months after a bullet grazed his ear at the same site in an attempted assassination.
The former president told NewsNation this week he felt he had an “obligation” to return to the site of the shooting, which killed one rallygoer.
Trump and his campaign have indicated they will turn Saturday’s rally into a triumphant return for the former president, as well as a way to honor those who were killed, injured or involved in response efforts during the July 13 event.