Increased security at Trump rally in Michigan

HISTORY: ::20 July 2024

::Trump supporters are happy about more security

at his first rally since surviving an assassination attempt

::Grand Rapids, Michigan

::Terry Bates, Trump supporter

“I haven’t seen the inside yet, but I’m sure there’s more. That’s what they said, that there’s more security here than in the past. So, you know, that’s just something you expect, I would hope that they should have had more security last week.”

::Renee White, Trump supporter

“When I arrived here today, I saw that drones had been installed and security measures had been tightened. Everyone was doing their job and after a while no one was allowed to leave the gate of the site. Everyone had to walk. That was completely different, security measures were tightened. It was nice to see.”

Several roads leading to Van Andel Arena in Grand Rapids were closed and dozens of police officers were stationed in the area.

“This is just what you expect, I hope… they should have had more security last week,” said Trump supporter and Michigan resident Terry Bates as he waited in line outside the venue Saturday morning.

In the assassination attempt on the former president during a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, last Saturday (July 13), Trump’s right ear was injured by a volley of gunfire and one participant died. The US secret service has been under scrutiny ever since because of an apparent failure in security measures.

Renee White, who was also at the rally in Butler and was sitting directly behind Trump during the shooting, said she was neither nervous nor shaken, but it was “good to see” the number of police officers and drones circling the Michigan venue.

On Saturday, Trump and his 39-year-old running mate, Senator JD Vance, appeared at their first joint campaign rally in Grand Rapids, Michigan, one of the three Rust Belt states that Democrat Joe Biden must win in the election campaign.