Full Raw Video - Donald Trump speaks during Las Vegas stop

Donald Trump made his debut in Las Vegas for the 2024 campaign with a toned-down approach, deviating from his usual showmanship.

Returning to the city that boasts a Trump hotel, exactly one year after a campaign rally for GOP Senate candidate Alex Laxalt, Trump's speech lasted a mere 40 minutes at the Clark County volunteer recruitment drive held in a church located 15 miles away from the famous Las Vegas Strip.

Trump's relationship with Nevada has been complicated. While he maintains a firm grip on the state's Republican Party, he lost Nevada in two consecutive presidential campaigns, trailing by almost 3 percentage points in 2020. Aware of the challenge ahead, Trump emphasized the importance of the upcoming election, stating, "This is the most important election in the history of our country."

Although the event was relatively small, Trump didn't shy away from delivering some of his trademark lines, including repeating falsehoods about the 2020 election, addressing border issues, China, critical race theory, transgender rights, and revisiting his greatest hits.

Trump garnered cheers when mentioning Nevada GOP power brokers such as state party chair Michael McDonald, who testified before a federal grand jury investigating the events of January 6 and Trump's attempts to remain in office. Trump referred to McDonald as a long-time friend.

Under McDonald's leadership, the Nevada GOP is currently suing the state government for transitioning away from the caucus format, which had greatly benefited Trump in the past. The 2024 primary is expected to be a state-run primary rather than a caucus.

Trump took the opportunity to criticize Ron DeSantis, the Florida governor and potential GOP contender, who recently campaigned in Nevada. Trump referred to DeSantis as "highly overrated" and questioned his personality as a politician. He also criticized DeSantis for his 2018 vote in favor of storing nuclear waste at Yucca Mountain, a contentious issue in the swing state.

While polling in Nevada is limited, early polls show Trump holding a significant lead over DeSantis by a margin of over 30 percentage points, with other GOP contenders trailing in the single digits.

As Trump concluded his speech, he hinted at future rallies with larger crowds, expressing gratitude to volunteers and supporters, and stating, "We'll be back many times."