Trump focuses on national security at first outdoor rally since assassination attempt: 'The world is on fire'

Former President Trump said he “stopped wars with phone calls” while commander in chief, speaking at his first outdoor rally since surviving an assassination attempt.

Trump held a campaign event in Asheboro, North Carolina, on Wednesday, where he focused his remarks on national security and how “the whole world was safer when I was sitting behind that beautiful Resolute desk in the Oval Office.”

“The world is on fire. And Kamala and Biden have brought us to the brink of World War III,” Trump said from a podium surrounded by bulletproof glass.

The former president spoke about the state of national security under his administration, saying that “our allies admired us” and “our enemies feared us.”

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An outdoor stage is set up, surrounded by bulletproof glass, as supporters arrive to hear former President Trump speak at a rally, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in Asheboro, North Carolina. (Julia Nikhinson)

“We defeated ISIS. We killed the world’s top terrorists. We secured our borders. We achieved energy independence. We stood up to China. We protected Israel. We made peace in the Middle East with the Abraham Accords and so much more. We did things like nobody’s ever heard,” Trump said.

“I have managed to convince the world not to start many wars by telephone. I don't need to send troops,” he told the crowd.

Trump pointed to President Biden's erratic withdrawal from Afghanistan, Russia's invasion of Ukraine and the devastating October 7 attack on Israel, suggesting that none of these things would have happened on his watch.

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“Since the catastrophe in Afghanistan, the hunt has been on against America and our allies,” he said of the withdrawal, which saw 13 American service members killed.

Security is put in place ahead of former President Trump's rally, Wednesday, Aug. 21, 2024, in Asheboro, North Carolina. (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, Trump's running mate, also spoke at the event, saying Trump was “the person who prevented nuclear war.”

“Mean tweets and world peace have a nice ring to them. I think we should get back to that,” Vance told a cheering crowd. “He was too tough for the tyrants of the world. He was too strong, even for an assassin’s bullet. Ladies and gentlemen, let’s get back to a time when the bravest man led this nation with strength.”

Senator J.D. Vance speaks to the audience during a campaign rally on August 20, 2024, in Kenosha, Wisconsin. (Andy Manis/Getty Images)

During his speech, Trump cited revised employment figures after new data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics revealed that 818,000 fewer jobs were created this year than previously reported.

“The Harris-Biden administration has been caught fraudulently manipulating jobs statistics to hide the true extent of the economic ruin it has inflicted on America,” Trump said.

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The Trump-Vance event took place ahead of the third day of the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.