Trump jokes about 'dangerous business,' bashes Harris first rally since gunman arrested

FLINT, Mich. − To former President Donald Trump and his followers, fearing for the Republican nominee's life is now a fact of life.

“It’s a dangerous business, however, being president. It’s a little bit dangerous," he joked to the crowd Tuesday night at a packed 6,000-seat arena in Flint. Mich. "This is a dangerous business, and we have to keep it safe."

A delighted and worried crowd welcomed Trump back to the campaign trail after an alleged gunman was arrested Sunday after building a makeshift sniper's nest outside the former president's golf course in West Palm Beach, Fla.

“He’s gotta continue to get out and talk to the people, you’re not going to stop him, that’s the way he is," said Doug Altman, a 76-year-old campaign volunteer. “I don’t want anything to happen to my president, and we got to get him through the next 50 days and get him in office."

Trump was in classic form after being targeted by gunmen twice in two months , telling the energized swing state crowd that seeking the presidency was more hazardous than race car driving or bull riding.

The event, a town hall in name only, was the 78-year-old's first public event since Secret Service a gents opened fire on a gunman who was hiding in the bushes near his West Palm Beach golf course and was later arrested. Trump was unharmed.

More: Alleged Trump gunman had 'delusions of grandeur' in Ukraine, former recruiter says

The former president, who's neck-and-neck with Vice President Kamala Harris in national and swing-state polls, including in Michigan, made clear the two assassination attempts will be a prominent part of his campaign moving forward, saying they show he has the mettle for the job.

"You know, only consequential presidents get shot at," he joked.

Before taking questions from the crowd, Trump discussed at length his administration's record on the economy, energy, tariffs, Afghanistan, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Giving long answers to softball questions from the moderator − Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders , his former White House press secretary − and three members of the audience, Trump hit familiar themes throughout the evening. He attacked the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Harris over the economy, inflation, and illegal border crossings.

More: Police analyzing movements, DNA of Trump assassination attempt suspect

At Sanders' behest, Trump touted a "Day One" agenda of closing the border and approving more energy development. He avoided the phrase − uttered during a 2023 event with Fox News host Sean Hannity − that he wants to be a "dictator" on his first day.

Trump mocked his opponent's agenda while promoting his own. At one point, Trump joked about climate change, saying nuclear weapons are a bigger threat than global warming − and that the latter would provide Michigan with "more seafront property."

The former president detailed the foiled Sunday attack and the Secret Service's response , describing a woman who saw the suspect Ryan Routh, 58, flee the scene and sent photos of his car to local police, leading to his capture.

"She saw something in this guy that was bad. Women are smarter than men," he said to chuckles from the crowd.

'We got to get him through the next 50 days'

The former president was surrounded by committed fans in this blue-collar city 70 miles north of Detroit.

Ana and Chad Watanabe made the last-minute decision Sunday to fly from Salt Lake City, Utah to Flint before news broke about the attempted assassin. After they heard, they were even more energized to show up for the Trump.

“We want to be able to support a party and a leader who supports our faith in God," Ana, 51, told USA TODAY. “We want to let him know we’re here for him, our country needs him, we need him badly."

The mother of eight lost her job as a pilot recruiter for a major airline and said she's hopeful sending Trump back to the White House would help restore the job market .

“The one thing about Polynesian people, ohana is everything to us, our families are everything to us," Watanabe said. "President Trump is gonna make sure that our families and our country as a whole is going to be okay."

Campaign volunteer Altman, 76, sporting a National Rifle Association hat, said it was inevitable that Routh would have access to an assault rifle.

“No matter what you do with the gun laws, bad guys are going to get guns," he said. "You’re not going to be able to stop that."

Prosecutors said Routh, Sunday's alleged gunman, camped out on the perimeter of the golf course for 12 hours before being spotted by Secret Service when the barrel of his rifle was spotted sticking out of a bush.

"It just makes me sick inside," said rallygoer James Schultz, 58. Schultz served overseas in Afghanistan where he worked in surveillance. He came back to the States four days before the 2021 U.S. withdrawal that left 13 American service members dead.

Given these two attempts and a foiled Iranian plot on Trump, Schultz said he would be "on guard" for the rest of the campagn. He questioned if authorities had used aerial drones and swept the golf course's perimeter before Trump's arrival.

"There is a complete failure on every level in my opinion, with the second time and the first time," he said.

— Sam Woodward can be reached at swoodward@gannett.com , on X @woodyreports, and on Threads @samjowoody .

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump jokes about 'dangerous business,' bashes Harris first rally since gunman arrested