journey car rental bozeman montana

Journey Rent-A-Car

Updated 1 month ago

Review Highlights

“ The team at Journey Rent-a-Car was incredibly helpful and made the process very smooth and easy. ” in 6 reviews

“ Super easy to check in very clean nice comfy car. ” in 5 reviews

“ Their fleet of vehicles are great - both times I've rented cars with low mileage in great condition. ” in 2 reviews

Location & Hours

Suggest an edit

157 Progressive Dr

Belgrade, MT 59714

You Might Also Consider

Classic Limo

in Limos, Airport Shuttles

Summit Taxi

in Taxis, Airport Shuttles

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Book a Convertible!

in Car Rental

About the Business

At Journey Rent-A-Car, we offer affordable yet high-quality van, SUV, and car rentals near Bozeman, MT. As a locally owned and operated company, we always treat our customers as we would want to be treated. When you rent with us, you'll always get a personalized and hassle-free experience without any hidden fees. Whether you're navigating winter roads to Big Sky Ski Resort or embarking on a summer adventure to Yellowstone National Park, our diverse fleet to equips you for any adventure in Montana. Reserve online! …

Ask the Community

Ask a question

Yelp users haven’t asked any questions yet about Journey Rent-A-Car .

People also searched for

Transportation

Car Service

Vacation Rentals

Airport Shuttles

Recommended Reviews

• 1 star rating Not good
• 2 star rating Could’ve been better
• 3 star rating OK
• 4 star rating Good
• 5 star rating Great

Select your rating

Overall rating

Great personal service. Cars are available right outside baggage claim. Owners are very responsive

We rented an suv for the day, super awesome experience from the day I made the reservation. I had a bunch of questions as I always do and we talked through email which I love even if it was after hours or on the weekend they would get right back to me. The car was exactly what I wanted. Super easy to check in very clean nice comfy car. Really easy return process. I will 100% rent from here again.

This was my first time renting a car from a local company. journey has no staffed booth at the airport. You do everything from your device through email, text, and phone. The price was great, and I was planning to drive within a relatively small area before returning the car to the Bozeman airport. The process proved to be very straight forward with excellent communication from the Journey staff. Responses to my questions were clear and quickly delivered. I would have given Journey five stars but for the fact there was no auto manual in the glovebox. If you're driving off in a familiar make of vehicle, that's not a problem; otherwise, it can be annoying to figure out how some component works. This has become even more problematic with cars that feature touch screen panels that are many menus deep. I've had this same problem in cars from national rental companies, and have docked them a star as well. If original manuals disappear, copies of selected sections of basic operations would still be helpful. Bottom line is that I highly recommend Journey to anyone seeking a good car and great support at a very good price.

Love it! Great service and communication. Car was very clean and in good shape. The service was smooth and easy, and also cheaper than 4 other places I checked out in the area. Definitely would use them again and would recommend to others! My only advice is to book them in advance to get the car you want. We wanted a suv but they were already filled so we opted for a smaller car.

Very convenient pick up at the airport and the car was in great condition. It was a no nonsense transaction and will continue doing business with Journey on my return trips to Montana.

Very accommodating. We have a group of 8 so we rented a 15 Passenger van. They removed some seats for us so we had room for luggage. Easy to work with and communicate with. Easy pick up and drop off. Thank you!

I wish all rental car compamies operated this way! The communication and follow through was exceptional. I was able to go straight to my car from the aiprort terminal and start my vacation. The return was equally as simple. I rented a 15 passenger van that was clean and easy to drive. Well done Journey Rent-A-Car - Thank you

The team at Journey Rent-a-Car was incredibly helpful and made the process very smooth and easy. I can't imagine a better experience and will rent from Journey every time we're in Bozeman.

Highly recommend! Super easy and straightforward to book. No hidden fees, all costs are very transparent, and their costs are quite reasonable! All paperwork done thru email and text. So when I got off the plane I just had to walk to the car, just a few minutes, put the code in the lockbox and VIOLA! I'm in the car ready to roll. SO SIMPLE. Car was great. We returned it to the same spot and texted them it was there. No long lines at a counter, no long wait times. Best rental experience ever!

Journey offers great. efficient service, with a customer focused. They were flexible in coordinating my pick up and drop off of my rental car. Great local business in the Gallatin Valley. I'll always use them!

20 other reviews that are not currently recommended

People Also Viewed

Explore Rentals

Finish Line Car Rental

Bozeman Car Rentals

Rocky Mountain Expeditions

Hatch Adventures

C & T Trailer Supply & Service

One Call Taxi

Medicine Lake Outfitters

Best of Belgrade

Things to do in Belgrade

Browse Nearby

Things to Do

Restaurants

Other Car Rental Nearby

Find more Car Rental near Journey Rent-A-Car

Related Cost Guides

Town Car Service

Journey Rent-A-Car is a Yelp advertiser.

Journey Rent-a-Car

• Interactive Guides
• Media Library
• Meeting Minutes & Announcements
• Montana Backstories
• Partner Center
• Tourism Partners
• Trip Planner

Start discovering now. Get your FREE Travel Packet.

• Charter Services
• Rental Cars
• Shuttle/Taxi Services

Getting here is easier than you think

• Communities
• Lakes & Rivers
• Montana State Parks
• Scenic Drives
• Small Towns
• Wildlife Viewing
• Wildlife Safety

Start planning your vacation. Check out our itineraries

• Bed & Breakfasts
• Condominiums
• Hot Springs
• Hotels & Motels
• Vacation Homes
• camping & RV
• Christmas Strolls
• distilleries
• dog sledding
• downhill skiing & snowboarding
• farmers markets
• food & drink
• Guided Adventures
• hiking & backpacking
• horseback riding
• hot springs
• ice climbing
• ice skating
• motorcycling
• nordic skiing
• pet friendly travel
• rafting & boating
• rock climbing
• scenic drives
• sleigh rides
• snowcoach tours
• snowmobiling
• snowshoeing
• tubing & stand-up paddleboarding
• Wildlife viewing
• Art Galleries
• Attractions
• Legends of Yellowstone

• Dining in Yellowstone National Park
• Fees & Reservations
• Getting Here & Getting Around
• Lodging in the Park
• Road Status
• Yellowstone Gateway Communities
• Yellowstone's Seasons

Welcome! Register to build a custom trip or sign in to review your saved trip.

 30 Homestake Drive Bozeman, MT 59718

 406-551-2277

  Visit Website

Upcoming Events

• Getting Here
• Places To Go
• Places To Stay
• Things To Do
• Arts & Culture
• Yellowstone National Park

Journey Rent-A-Car LLC

New chamber members.

• VAN RENTALS
• AUTO & RV RENTALS
• Visit Website

The Journey Rent-A-Car Difference Locally owned and operated, Journey wants to ensure that you enjoy the journey as much as the destination. Whether you need a cheap car for a short business trip or an SUV for a winter family vacation, Journey is here to help get you started down the road from our ideal location in Bozeman. Our hassle-free approach is a refreshing alternative to the disappointing experience many find at big-name, corporate car rental companies.

Whom to Contact

• Jennifer King

join the chamber

Bozeman car rentals from $35/day

This price is the cheapest per day rate found by a kayak user in the last 48 hours by searching for a car rental in bozeman with a pick-up date of 9/6 and drop-off date of 9/13. fares are subject to change and may not be available at all agencies or on all dates of rental. click the price to replicate the search for this deal., compare hundreds of rental car sites at once for car rental deals in bozeman, montana.

Save up to 35% Compare multiple travel sites with one search.

Free to use There are no hidden charges or fees.

Filter your deals Filter by car type, brand and more. Instantly customise your results.

Book with flexibility Use our "free cancellation" filter for maximum flexibility at no extra cost.

Cheap car rentals in Bozeman

Kayak’s top tips for renting a car in bozeman.

• Bozeman is a fast-growing city, increasing its population of road users. Avoid being stuck on the road for hours by getting on the road during rush hours. The rush times start at 6:30 am to 10:30 am, with the peak morning rush being between 7:30 am and 8 am. The evening rush hour kicks in from 4:30 pm to 7 pm. The most congested roads in Bozeman are Huffine Lane, Jackrabbit Lane, and N. 19th Avenue. In downtown Bozeman, the worst congestion is on Main Street. If you’re in town during the summer, the road to Hyalite Reservoir is always congested, so visit the attraction during other periods.
• Are you accessing the city by road instead of flying in? If so, you don’t need to travel to Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport to acquire cheap car rentals in Bozeman. Several rental providers also have rental offices in downtown Bozeman. Enterprise and NewCar Rental have downtown locations. The former has offices along W. Babcock Street, while the latter is on N 7th Avenue. Downtown locations provide all types of vehicles, including four-wheel drives to help you tackle the snowy roads during winter.
• Trucks compose almost half the total vehicles on Bozeman roads. Be extra careful while driving, especially a few hours before rush hour, from around noon to 3 pm. Watch out for trucks while driving Bozeman car rentals. Slow down and leave enough space between you and the truck ahead. This will avoid a dangerous situation such as getting your vehicle stuck under the truck. If you must overtake, ensure you can clearly see the road ahead and overtake sensibly and quickly. Moreover, avoid cutting in front of trucks on a highway or near traffic lights. If a truck is overtaking your vehicle, avoid speeding. Do not drive right at the center line of the road if there are many trucks around. Avoid operating a handheld device while driving, as this can make you lose control of your vehicle.
• Visit Bozeman and benefit from the freedom and flexibility a rental car can give you during your stay. Apart from the many attractions within the city borders, such as the Museum of the Rockies, there are also many national parks and green spaces that are best reached by car. About 90 miles to the south lies Yellowstone National Park, which is an hour and 40-minute drive from Bozeman city and is just waiting to be explored.
• Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport is over 10 miles from the city center, so the most convenient way to get out and about is by renting a vehicle directly at one of the airport agencies. Situated right next to the baggage claim area, the airport sports eight major agencies, including Hertz, Avis, and National. There are also some off-site rental agencies, some of which offer shuttle services from the airport to the rental center.
• The winters in Bozeman, Montana can be very cold and bring lots of snow. Knowing how to handle a car in winter conditions is important when visiting the city in the cold months. First of all, make sure to have the rental car equipped properly and also rent snow chains, if necessary (they may only be used when there is ice or snow on the roads).
• Another important aspect of driving in cold conditions is to adjust your speed. Bozeman drivers are generally known to be patient and friendly and will usually also adjust their speed when the roads are slippery. Sudden braking or accelerating should be avoided and headlights should always be turned on – even during the day – so that other drivers can spot your car better in the snow flurries.
• 25% of our users found rental cars in Bozeman for $70 or less
• Book your rental car in Bozeman at least 1 day before your trip in order to get a below-average price
• Intermediate rental cars in Bozeman are around 3% more expensive than other car types, on average

Bozeman car rental experiences: the best tips from KAYAK users

Faqs about renting a car in bozeman, what type of car is recommended for driving in bozeman.

Especially when visiting in the cold winter months, opting for a 4-wheel drive car is a wise decision to make. An SUV can whizz in and out of the city with ease and still provide the essential road grip for safety. For more space, choose a minivan where bigger families have plenty of space for themselves and any additional luggage.

What’s the speed limit in Bozeman?

In residential areas, 25-30 mph is permitted, on undivided rural roads up to 70 mph, and up to 80 mph on freeways. However, drivers should always look out for posted signs and adhere to them. It is also important to drive according to weather and road conditions and to slow down considerably when necessary.

Where are the best places to park in Bozeman?

Parking in Bozeman is usually a pleasant experience compared to many other US cities. On-street parking is free for the first two hours and metered afterwards. Parking in most garages is also free for two hours, including the Bridger Park Downtown Garage and the off-street parking lots, Rouse Lot and Black Lot. Also note that cars parked on the street have to be moved every 48 hours.

How much does it cost to rent a car in Bozeman?

On average a rental car in Bozeman costs $96 per day. But prices differ between operators and you can save money through a price comparison of car rental deals from different agencies. The cheapest price for a car rental in Bozeman found in the last 2 weeks is $80.

What is the cheapest car rental company in Bozeman?

In the past 72 hours, the cheapest rental cars were found at Dollar ($35/day), Thrifty ($38/day) and Hertz ($43/day). In the last 72 hours the cheapest rental car price was found at Dollar 850 Gallatin Field Road 59714 (9 miles from city center).

What is the best rental car company in Bozeman?

Based on ratings and reviews from real users on KAYAK, the best car rental companies in Bozeman are Enterprise Rent-A-Car (8.8, 70 reviews), and Hertz (7.8, 230 reviews).

How much is gas price in Bozeman?

The average gas price in Bozeman is $3.70 per gallon over the past 30 days. Filling up a gas tank costs between $44 and $59, depending on the car size.

What is the most popular rental car in Bozeman?

Intermediate (Toyota RAV4 or similar) is the most frequently booked rental car type in Bozeman.

Which car rental companies are at Gallatin Field airport (BZN)?

Car rental companies onsite at Gallatin Field airport include Hertz , Dollar , Thrifty , NextCar and Ace .

Which car rental companies will pick you up at Gallatin Field airport (BZN)?

Car rental companies that offer shuttle or pick-up services from Gallatin Field airport to off-airport locations include Hertz , Budget , Dollar , Thrifty , Enterprise Rent-A-Car , Avis , Alamo , National , and Ace .

How can I find car rentals near me in Bozeman?

Take a look at our extensive car rental location map to find the best rental cars near you.

How much does an Intermediate car rental cost in Bozeman?

An Intermediate car rental in Bozeman costs $112 per day, on average.

How much does a Compact car rental cost in Bozeman?

A Compact car rental in Bozeman costs $94 per day, on average.

How much does a Standard car rental cost in Bozeman?

A Standard car rental in Bozeman costs $100 per day, on average.

How much does it cost to rent a car for a week in Bozeman?

On average a rental car in Bozeman costs $673 per week ($96 per day).

How much does it cost to rent a car long term for a month in Bozeman?

On average a rental car in Bozeman costs $2,882 per month ($96 per day).

Should I get insurance when renting a car in Bozeman?

Most car rental providers in Bozeman offer insurance but the level of protection can differ substantially. If you're unsure whether to get extra protection for your car rental in Bozeman, check out KAYAK's car rental insurance guide.

How many car agencies are operating in Bozeman?

KAYAK has deals for you to compare from 8 car rental agencies in Bozeman.

What do I need to know before booking a car rental in Bozeman?

Finding the right price, understanding the add-ons and staying up to date with policy changes can be a challenge. That’s why KAYAK has produced the ultimate guide to renting a car to help you cut though the jargon and make the right choice for your rental car. Find tips and insights for how to book your rental, what car rental insurance you’ll need, how to deal with a car rental agency and what extra fees to expect (and avoid!).

Why should I use KAYAK to rent a car in Bozeman?

KAYAK searches thousands of car rental agencies to provide you with offers from all car rental agencies operating in Bozeman so that you can compare car rental rates, reviews and pick-up and drop-off locations to find the best deal for you.

Are there toll roads in Bozeman?

Renters of cheap car rentals in Bozeman will not have to worry about paying tolls on Bozeman roads. Montana state lacks any toll roads; you can drive throughout Bozeman and Montana without a transponder, so you do not need to get one from your car rental provider.

Is free cancellation available for car rentals in Bozeman?

Yes, cancel your Bozeman car rental reservation at least 24 hours before the intended pick-up time if you wish to get a full refund. This applies to both on-airport and downtown rental locations. Avis, Enterprise, and Budget all provide full refunds for cancellations done directly through their website.

Bozeman car rental reviews and directory   All ratings and reviews are collected from KAYAK users with a verified car rental booking. Learn how KAYAK collects reviews .

Enterprise Rent-A-Car

Cleanliness

Pick-up/Drop-off

Value for money

2 locations in Bozeman

Locations in Bozeman

4780 W Babcock St

+1 406 586 8010

850 Gallatin Field Rd

+1 833 886 0854

Show reviews that mention

10.0 Wonderful

Camille, Aug 2024

Berti, Feb 2024

Compact SUV

Anonymous, Jan 2024

Intermediate SUV

8.0 Very good

John, Oct 2020

8.8 Very good

Bill, Oct 2020

1 out of 14

One location in Bozeman

157 Progressive Drive

+1 406 551 2277

Erin, Oct 2023

23 North 7th Avenue

+1 406 587 0933

Lynn, Aug 2021

850 Gallatin Field Road

+1 406 388 6939

J.A., Jun 2024

Anonymous, Mar 2024

Standard SUV

Anonymous, Sep 2023

9.6 Wonderful

Libby, Sep 2019

Anonymous, Aug 2022

Dan, May 2022

Dawn, Aug 2024

850 Gallatin Field

Anonymous, Jul 2024

Grace, Jun 2024

Supplier choice

Anonymous, Mar 2023

A Frontage Road

No reviews available

Gallatin Field Airport

Opening times not available

Ace Rent-a-Car

No score available yet

Bozeman Airport

Ace Rental Cars

30 Homestake Dr

5 Gallatin Field

VIPCars Recommendation

30 Homestake Dr, Bozeman, , United States

+1 914 368 0091

Car rental locations in or near Bozeman

Good to know, when to book a rental car in bozeman, everything you need to know for your car rental in bozeman, car rental at airports serving bozeman, popular car brands to rent in bozeman, car rental types at bozeman, popular rental types in bozeman, complete your trip to bozeman, large capacity rentals in bozeman, car rental in other popular destinations, bozeman car rental information.

Journey Rent-A-Car, LLC

157 Progressive Dr., Ste. F Bozeman, MT

(406) 551-2277

At Journey Rent-A-Car , we offer more than just your typical car rental in Belgrade, near Bozeman, MT; we also provide our customers with highly personalized service that includes an efficient and no-hassle reservation process. We work hard to understand your wants from a rental vehicle, and we then exceed your expectations. Contact us today at (406) 551-2277 to learn more about our car rental services, or make a reservation online now .

View Website

Compact Cars

Our cheapest rental car option, a compact car is economical and convenient. Easily maneuver the roads of Montana’s laid-back towns without having to rely on taxis and buses. Go where you want, when you want, in one of our affordable vehicles.

Mid-Size Cars

When you want a comfortable ride, sedans are the ideal choice. Furnished with plush interiors, ample legroom, and comfortable seating, our mid-size rental cars guarantee a relaxing ride. Their streamlined exteriors also increase fuel-efficiency and gas mileage.

Full-Size Cars

The smart choice for long trips, renting a full-size car provides a more relaxing riding experience. An upgrade from a mid-size or compact option, these models have a spacious backseat, allowing passengers to ride comfortably. Rent a car for your next getaway with ample room for luggage without sacrificing fuel economy or comfort.

Car Rentals for Every Adventure

Whether you’re here for an annual ski trip to Big Sky or to experience Yellowstone National Park with the family, we are certain that you’ll find the perfect transportation option at Journey for your Montana travels. We always put our customers and their rental experience first, and we’ll help you get to wherever it is you’re going in the perfect car rental for your specific needs.

As well as affordable car rentals, we also provide spacious passenger vans and SUVs for those needing more room than a car provides. We’ll even work around any schedule to make sure we are able to provide curbside service to you at the Bozeman Yellowstone International Airport , day or night.

Download Our Travel Guide

Download Guide

• Journey Rent-A-Car
• Locations ›
• MT ›
• Bozeman, MT ›
• Car & Truck Rental ›
• (406) 551-2277
• www.facebook.com/250445851651783 www.carriagehousemt.com/ www.journeyrentacar.com
• Car & Truck Rental

Recommendations & Reviews

• Facebook - 1
• WhoDoYou - 0
• Twitter - 0

Overall Rating

• 30 Homestake Dr Bozeman , MT 59718 (map)

Hours of operation

Recommendations and reviews from 1 person.

• Bozeman, MT (1 mi)
• Belgrade, MT (9 mi)
• Manhattan, MT (19 mi)
• Livingston, MT (24 mi)
• Big Sky, MT (32 mi)
• Car rental x
• Truck rental x
• Post this review to my wall

Journey Rent-A-Car

Rental car location, car rental service, business info, similar businesses.

U-Haul Neighborhood Dealer

Explore Rentals 2

Hertz rent a car.

Alamo Rent A Car

National Car Rental

Nearby neighborhoods, bozeman , mt, belgrade , mt, manhattan , mt.

• Media Assets
• Investor Relations
• Get Started
• Neighborhoods
• 2023 Neighborhood Faves
• Anti-Racism Resources

Business and Organizations

• Small Business
• Brands & Agencies
• Public Agency
• Businesses on Nextdoor
• Neighborhood Faves
• Self-Service Ad Terms
• For Developers
• Home & Garden
• Real Estate
• Professional Services
• Food & Entertainment
• Shopping & Retail
• Medical & Dental
• Legal & Terms

NEW ADDRESS: 246 Briar Place, Unit #1, Belgrade, MT 59714

Office Hours 9-5 | Rentals Available 24/7

• Our Location

Journey Rent-A-Car

(406) 551-2277

246 Briar Place, Unit #1 Belgrade, MT 59714

Monday – Sunday | 9am – 5pm

* Vehicles available 24/7 with an advanced reservation. Holiday hours may vary, please call to verify.

• Name * First Last
• Reason for Contacting Us - Select One - Compact Car Mid-Size Car Full-Size Car Intermediate SUV Standard SUV Premium SUV Passenger Van Other
• Additional Information?
• Vans Passenger Van Rentals
• SUVs Intermediate SUVs Standard SUVs Premium SUVs View All
• Cars Compact Cars Mid-Size Cars Full-Size Cars View All
• Airport Availability
• Resources Rental Policies Recent Articles
• Things To Do Montana Attractions Visit Big Sky Explore Yellowstone

Home / Our Location

Election Live Updates: Harris Supporters Stump in Florida, Focusing on Reproductive Rights

After Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden appeared together on Monday, the campaign trail today is being left to surrogates.

• Share full article

Chris Cameron

Here’s the latest on the 2024 race.

Allies of the Harris campaign, including Senator Amy Klobuchar of Minnesota, began a campaign bus tour in Palm Beach County, Fla., on Tuesday focused on reproductive rights — a top issue for Democrats in this election . The tour will head to Jacksonville on Wednesday. Vice President Kamala Harris, former President Donald J. Trump and their running mates will be off the campaign trail today.

Ms. Harris will hold a campaign event in New Hampshire on Wednesday, and that night Mr. Trump will hold a town hall in Pennsylvania that will be televised on Fox News. On Thursday, Mr. Trump will speak remotely to a gathering of the Republican Jewish Coalition in Las Vegas and in person at the Economic Club of New York. Their running mates are booked for two-day stops in battleground states: On the Republican side, Senator JD Vance of Ohio will campaign in Arizona on Wednesday and Thursday, while Gov. Tim Walz, Democrat of Minnesota, will spend both days in Pennsylvania.

Here’s what else to know:

Trump office prank: Three suspicious devices discovered last week at desks in the Trump campaign’s West Palm Beach, Fla., office — which prompted staff members to evacuate for fear that they were listening devices — were found to be part of a prank, according to a police report.

Isaac Hayes song dispute: A federal judge in Georgia sided with the estate of Isaac Hayes , ordering the Trump campaign to stop using the late singer and songwriter’s “Hold On, I’m Coming” during rallies. Mr. Trump used the song as his exit music often over the past year, including at the Republican National Convention.

Vance on culture issues: In 2017, Mr. Vance championed a little-noticed report by the Heritage Foundation that proposed a sweeping conservative agenda to restrict sexual and reproductive freedoms and remake American families.

Labor Day stops: On Monday, President Biden made his first campaign appearance with Ms. Harris since he stepped out of the race, joining his second-in-command in Pittsburgh as she courted working-class voters in an event celebrating union labor. The holiday is the symbolic starting line of the final stretch of presidential races, and Ms. Harris and her running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, made a swing through three crucial states.

Harris on steel: Ms. Harris said during the event in Pittsburgh that she opposed the takeover of U.S. Steel by a Japanese company, adopting a position already taken by Mr. Biden. “U.S. Steel should remain American-owned and American-operated,” she said at a local union hall.

Down-ballot races: Ms. Harris’s fund-raising apparatus plans to direct nearly $25 million to organizations dedicated to electing down-ballot Democratic candidates. The cash transfers reflect Ms. Harris’s surge of financial support and the party’s increased focus on state-level races.

Motorcade crash: Mr. Walz was en route to a campaign event in Milwaukee on Monday when several cars in his motorcade crashed, causing some injuries. The Minnesota governor later took the stage as planned. After his speech, he stopped at a Milwaukee hospital to check on his staff members involved in the crash.

A son of John McCain calls the Trump team’s clash at Arlington a ‘violation of a sacred place.’

Jimmy McCain, a son of the Vietnam War P.O.W. and longtime Republican senator John McCain, said Tuesday that the campaign of former President Donald J. Trump had committed a “violation of a sacred place” when it clashed with an official at Arlington National Cemetery.

Mr. McCain, a first lieutenant in the Arizona National Guard, told The New York Times that he was “very shocked” by the confrontation at the cemetery last week, saying it could be an “extremely triggering” event for the families of soldiers buried there.

“Arlington National Cemetery is a very sacred place for not only veterans, but for their families,” Mr. McCain said. He added, “It’s very hallowed, sacred ground, and it should be left that way.”

The altercation occurred during a visit by Mr. Trump for a wreath-laying ceremony honoring 13 U.S. troops killed in the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021 . Federal law prohibits taking photographs or filming for political purposes in that part of the cemetery, and the Army’s public affairs office defended a cemetery official who it said was pushed by a member of Mr. Trump’s staff after trying to prevent the campaign from filming in the restricted area.

A spokeswoman for the Trump campaign, Karoline Leavitt, said in a statement that there “has been no greater advocate for our brave military men and women than President Trump.” She added that Mr. Trump had avoided starting wars and putting “our troops in harm’s way.”

Mr. McCain, who also criticized the Trump campaign’s actions in an interview with CNN published earlier Tuesday, told The Times that he planned to vote for Vice President Kamala Harris. He also said that he joined the Democratic Party about a month ago, after returning from a period of service in Jordan. “You have a lot of time to think overseas,” he said.

Mr. McCain, 36, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 2006 and served in the Iraq war. He later served in Afghanistan as a member of the Oregon National Guard, he said. Although he is a member of the Arizona National Guard, Mr. McCain said, “I don’t represent them in any way with my views.” The Arizona National Guard said in statement that it does not comment on political matters.

Mr. McCain’s decision to speak out about the altercation and his joining the Democratic Party was the perhaps the most dramatic example of a member of the McCain family turning away from the Republican Party, which his father represented as presidential nominee for in 2008 and as longtime senator from Arizona. He died in 2018 , and his body lay instate in the Capitol Rotunda before his burial at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md. His father and grandfather, both admirals, are buried at Arlington.

Jimmy McCain said he was trying to follow his father’s legacy of “speaking your mind and standing up for what you believe in.”

The cemetery has been politicized by others before — Senator McCain himself once called an ad his campaign ran that included video of him at Arlington “a very bad mistake” — but the episode involving Mr. Trump touched off significant criticism.

Corey Lewandowski, a senior adviser for the Trump campaign , had posted photos of Mr. Trump’s visit to the restricted area of the cemetery, including one where the former president flashed a “thumbs up” pose . The Army said the participants in the visit had been informed of the prohibition against political activities, and that an employee who attempted to ensure compliance with the rules was “abruptly pushed aside.”

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump wrote on social media that “there was no conflict” at the cemetery, calling the incident a “made up story,” even though his campaign had previously acknowledged the confrontation and described the cemetery employee as “suffering from a mental health episode.”

Mr. Trump disparaged Senator McCain on multiple occasions, including saying he was “not a war hero” despite being shot down over Hanoi during the Vietnam War and held as a prisoner for five and a half years. “I like people who weren’t captured,” Mr. Trump declared.

The senator’s widow, Cindy McCain, endorsed Joseph R. Biden Jr. over Mr. Trump in the 2020 presidential election, citing Mr. Biden’s “character and integrity.”

And Meghan McCain, the couple’s eldest daughter and a self-described conservative , effusively praised the Democratic National Convention last month, writing on social media that perhaps Republicans should “just forfeit because I DO NOT KNOW HOW YOU CAN COMPETE WITH THIS.”

Still, Mr. McCain is the first member of the family known to have joined the Democratic Party.

Maggie Astor contributed reporting.

Advertisement

Andrew Duehren and Nicholas Nehamas

Reporting from Washington

Harris, proposing a tax break, makes a play for small-business owners.

Vice President Kamala Harris on Wednesday is set to propose expanding a tax break for start-ups, one of a series of policy ideas her campaign is rolling out this week aimed at helping entrepreneurs and small businesses.

The plan, which Ms. Harris will announce during a speech in New Hampshire, would allow new companies to deduct up to $50,000 in start-up expenses, a campaign official said. The move would increase by tenfold a $5,000 deduction that companies can now claim for expenses, like advertising and salaries, that they incurred before they started operating.

The goal of the proposed expansion is to help start 25 million small businesses if Ms. Harris is elected. In New Hampshire, she will also discuss creating a new fund to help small businesses expand, easing regulations and simplifying the taxes small businesses owe by creating a universally available deduction, the campaign official said, without offering additional details. The official revealed the plan on the condition of anonymity to freely share details of a policy proposal not yet released publicly.

Owners of so-called pass-through businesses, the structure for the vast majority of corporations in the United States, already enjoy access to a generous deduction that many progressives view as overwhelmingly benefiting the wealthy.

Since taking over the top of the Democratic ticket, Ms. Harris and her advisers have subtly sought to take a friendlier approach to the business community than President Biden did. Ms. Harris has closer relationships in Silicon Valley, which she once represented as a senator from California, and on Wall Street than Mr. Biden does. Her donors are encouraging her to emphasize the virtue of entrepreneurship and to abandon some of Mr. Biden’s most liberal ideas.

At the same time, Ms. Harris’s campaign has released four new advertisements since the party’s national convention that portray her as an ally of the middle class and former President Donald J. Trump as a friend to billionaires and big corporations. Voters express more trust in Mr. Trump’s handling of the economy than Ms. Harris, with many listing inflation as one of their top concerns heading into November.

The ads represent an effort to turn a weakness for Democrats into a strength. The latest ad argues that big businesses are responsible for rising prices and that Ms. Harris’s plans will fight inflationary corporate greed , though economists say that a variety of global economic factors are responsible for higher prices.

If Ms. Harris wins in November, taxes will be a central issue in her first year in office. Washington is gearing up for a major legislative battle next year over the expiration of many of the tax cuts Mr. Trump signed into law in 2017 .

Ms. Harris has effectively pledged to preserve those tax cuts for households making less than $400,000 a year, while also proposing a series of additional tax cuts of her own. Her campaign has also said she supports the roughly $5 trillion in tax increases included in the budget Mr. Biden released this spring.

Ms. Harris’s visit to New Hampshire will take her to political terrain that should feel far friendlier than it did when Mr. Biden topped the ticket. After the president’s disastrous debate performance, Democrats in New Hampshire and other reliably blue states — including Minnesota, New Mexico and Virginia — had started ringing alarm bells that Mr. Trump could be newly competitive. In 2020, Mr. Biden won New Hampshire by seven percentage points .

But those fears have largely dissipated since Ms. Harris replaced him on the ballot. Recent polls have had her up by roughly five points in New Hampshire.

The Harris campaign has also built a commanding advantage in its New Hampshire ground game. It has 17 offices around the state and over 100 staff members, far more than Mr. Trump.

And her appearance should provide the benefit of drawing news coverage in neighboring Maine, where the former president is seeking to win an Electoral College vote. Maine is one of two states that can divide their Electoral College votes between candidates, and Mr. Trump earned one vote in 2016 and another in 2020 based on strong support in one large voting district.

On Tuesday, Mr. Trump claimed on social media that Ms. Harris’s trip to New Hampshire reflected weakness, saying that the vice president knows “there are problems for her campaign” there because of the high cost of living.

Maggie Astor

The Harris campaign has taken a much feistier tone than the Biden campaign, leaning into memes and mockery. Case in point: the new banner image atop an official campaign account on X. It’s a screenshot of Trump asking on his social media site during Harris’s speech at the Democratic National Convention, “IS SHE TALKING ABOUT ME?”

A judge orders Trump to stop using Isaac Hayes’s song ‘Hold On, I’m Coming’ at his rallies.

A federal judge on Tuesday ordered former President Donald J. Trump’s campaign to stop using the song “Hold On, I’m Coming,” by Isaac Hayes, at campaign events in response to a lawsuit from the artist’s estate.

The judge, Thomas Thrash Jr. of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Georgia, issued a temporary injunction blocking further use of the song “without proper license.” However, Judge Thrash did not grant the estate’s request to order Mr. Trump’s campaign to take down recordings of past events in which it had used the song.

Mr. Trump regularly used the song as his exit music for much of the past year, including at the Republican National Convention in July and as recently as a rally in Bozeman, Mont., on Aug. 9. He has since returned to using the Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.,” which he used to close out his rallies during his 2020 campaign. (The Village People have also previously objected to Mr. Trump’s use of their music.)

“We are very pleased with the court’s decision,” a lawyer for the Hayes estate, James L. Walker Jr., said. “Donald Trump has been told he cannot use the music of Isaac Hayes without a license. That was our No. 1 goal. Now we work on the underlying trial and case.”

Ronald Coleman, a lawyer for Mr. Trump, said after the ruling: “The campaign had already agreed to cease further use. We’re very gratified that the court recognized the First Amendment issues at stake and didn’t order a takedown of existing videos.”

Mr. Hayes, who died in 2008, wrote the song with David Porter, and it was recorded by the duo Sam & Dave.

Many other artists have objected to Mr. Trump’s use of their music, including at least three over the past month.

The Foo Fighters said in late August that they had not authorized the use of their song “My Hero” to welcome Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to a rally stage in Arizona to endorse Mr. Trump. A representative for Abba said it also had not granted a license for use of its music. And after “My Heart Will Go On” played at the Montana rally, a post on Celine Dion’s Instagram page said that the usage was unauthorized and that the singer did not endorse it. The post added, “And really, that song?”

Michael Gold contributed reporting.

Maggie Haberman and Jonathan Swan

The suspicious devices that prompted Trump aides to evacuate their office last week were found to be part of a prank.

Watergate this was not.

Last week, the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee offices in West Palm Beach, Fla., were abuzz with talk of listening devices and espionage, possibly by a foreign government. The police were called and the offices were closed for a forensic search.

The reality was more Charlie Chaplin than John le Carré.

A plastic prank device that can be purchased on Amazon for $13.97 was the cause of the problem.

A police report from the West Palm Beach police department, obtained by The New York Times, detailed the incident. Devices were found on Thursday after people heard beeping under a staff member’s desk at the Trump campaign offices. When Trump officials searched, they found additional devices, for a total of three.

“FOUND POTENTIAL LISTENING DEVICES // HEARD BEEPING BY DESKS // INTERNAL SECURITY ALSO FOUND DEVICE,” the police report reads. The person making the report, according to the document, “THINKS THEY HAVE FOUND LISTENING DEVICES ‘BUGS; IN THE OFFICE.’”

Despite the police presence, officials determined quickly that the devices were likely a prank. No one has owned up to the prank, according to a person with direct knowledge of the matter.

A Trump spokesman didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.

The police report said that “about fifty employees evacuated the suites.” The security official who works for the offices in the building told the police he believed “the devices were part of a prank. The suites were canvassed for any additional devices and evidence yielding negative results,” according to the document.

The campaign faced an email hacking earlier this summer, which officials have blamed on Iranians. The F.B.I. has confirmed that Iran attempted to hack both the Trump campaign and President Biden’s former campaign.

Because of that, the Trump team has been operating with a heightened sense of paranoia.

At the kickoff of the Harris campaign’s reproductive-rights bus tour, Anya Cook, a resident of Florida, told a story that she also told at the Democratic National Convention: She was sent home from an emergency room while experiencing serious pregnancy complications, miscarried in a public bathroom and ended up almost dying from blood loss. Quoting former President Donald J. Trump’s words about appointing three of the justices who overturned Roe v. Wade, she says, “He is ‘proudly the person responsible’ for what I and so many women across the country have gone through.”

Surrogates for Vice President Kamala Harris’s campaign are in Palm Beach, Fla., for the start of a bus tour focused on reproductive rights. Speakers so far have included former Representative Debbie Mucarsel-Powell, who is challenging Senator Rick Scott of Florida; Representative Debbie Wasserman Schultz of Florida; and Ana Navarro, an anti-Trump Republican strategist and commentator who described her own experience receiving an abortion in a medical emergency.

“I’m not sure today in Florida I could get the treatment I desperately needed,” Navarro said, noting that many doctors had expressed fear over applying the medical-emergency exemptions in state abortion bans out of fear that prosecutors will interpret them differently.

Former President Donald J. Trump claimed falsely in a social media post that “there was no conflict” during his visit to Arlington National Cemetery last week, calling it “a made up story” by Vice President Kamala Harris. Cemetery officials and the Army have confirmed a confrontation between a Trump campaign official and a cemetery employee who was trying to enforce a prohibition on election-related activities; the Army said the campaign official physically pushed the employee.

A spokesman for his campaign previously acknowledged the confrontation in a statement claiming that the cemetery employee had tried to “physically block” members of Trump’s team and describing the employee as “clearly suffering from a mental health episode.” The spokesman, Steven Cheung, said the campaign was prepared to release footage supporting its account, but it has not done so.

Theodore Schleifer

Pete Buttigieg, who developed a successful fund-raising network in the tech industry and the Bay Area during his 2020 presidential run, is set to relive some of those good times tomorrow on behalf of Kamala Harris. On Wednesday, Buttigieg, the transportation secretary, will host five separate fund-raisers on her behalf in Northern California — two in Atherton, one in Palo Alto, one in San Francisco and one in Napa Valley, according to invites I’ve seen.

Reid J. Epstein

Reporting on the Harris campaign from Washington

The Harris operation will send $24.5 million to groups supporting down-ballot Democrats.

The fund-raising apparatus of Vice President Kamala Harris will direct $24.5 million to organizations dedicated to electing down-ballot Democratic candidates, Ms. Harris’s campaign chief said on Tuesday.

The Harris campaign will send $10 million each to the House and Senate Democratic campaign arms, $2.5 million to the body that helps elect state legislative Democrats and $1 million each to the Democratic Governors Association and the Democratic attorneys general campaign arm, it said.

The campaign did not say which of its fund-raising vehicles — Harris for President, the Democratic National Committee or the campaign’s joint fund-raising committees it operates with state Democratic parties — would be tapped to send the money to the down-ballot groups.

The cash transfers reflect Ms. Harris’s surge of financial support, and represent an increased focus among Democrats on down-ballot races. The party was wiped out in local contests during Barack Obama’s presidency, and then Republicans drew legislative districts to their own advantage after the 2010 census and reapportionment.

Since then, Democrats have sought to direct more money to state-level races. Last year, more than $40 million was spent on an election for a single seat on the Wisconsin Supreme Court.

The most expensive nonpresidential races in 2024 will be the contests that determine control of the Senate — elections in Arizona, Montana, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin — but many millions more will be directed toward competitive House districts.

The party’s state legislative campaign arm intends to spend $10 million on key races, a fraction of Democratic investment in just one of the most competitive Senate contests. There are few expensive races for governor this year beyond the election to replace Gov. Roy Cooper, Democrat of North Carolina.

“The vice president believes that this race is about mobilizing the entire country, in races at every level, to fight for our freedoms and our economic opportunity,” said Jen O’Malley Dillon, Ms. Harris’s campaign chair. “Democrats win when we fight together.”

Ms. Harris’s running mate, Gov. Tim Walz of Minnesota, was until last month the chairman of the Democratic Governors Association.

The Harris campaign has been swimming in cash since the vice president replaced President Biden as the party’s presidential nominee. It said it raised $82 million during the week of the Democratic National Convention, and $540 million over the first month Ms. Harris was a candidate.

Two new ads supporting Vice President Kamala Harris have begun airing. Harris’s campaign released an ad on Tuesday promoting her proposal to ban price gouging. And an independent group, Republican Voters Against Trump, released a montage of former Trump voters endorsing Harris that will run in Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Nebraska’s Second Congressional District as part of an $11.5 million campaign.

These former Trump voters are voting for Kamala Harris in 2024. This ad is running now in AZ, MI, NE, PA, and WI as part of our new $11.5 million swing state ad blitz. pic.twitter.com/1xrGhOu9qg — Republican Voters Against Trump (@AccountableGOP) September 3, 2024

Nicholas Nehamas

The ad on the economy accuses former President Donald Trump of favoring corporations over the middle class, and uses far more aggressive language than what President Biden had used. Many of Biden's allies had urged him to attack big business in stronger terms.

In 2017, JD Vance championed a report on families from the architects of Project 2025.

Years before he became the Republican vice-presidential nominee, JD Vance endorsed a little-noticed 2017 report by the Heritage Foundation that proposed a sweeping conservative agenda to restrict sexual and reproductive freedoms and remake American families.

In a series of 29 separate essays, conservative commentators, policy experts, community leaders and Christian clergy members opposed the spread of in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments, describing those treatments as harmful to women. They praised the rapidly expanding number of state laws restricting abortion rights and access, saying that the procedure should become “unthinkable” in America. And they cited hunger as a “great motivation” for Americans to find work.

Mr. Vance, then known as the author of a best-selling memoir, became a champion of the project. He wrote the introduction and praised the volume as “admirable,” and was the keynote speaker at the public release of the report at Heritage’s offices in Washington.

The report was released just months after Donald J. Trump became president, as social conservatives were laying the foundation for an aggressive agenda restricting sexual freedom and reproductive rights. Those policies became a hallmark of the Trump administration and Mr. Vance’s political career.

Taken together, the pieces in the report amount to an effort to instruct Americans on what their families should be, when to grow them and the best way to raise their children. Authors argued in the 2017 report that women should become pregnant at younger ages and that a two-parent, heterosexual household was the “ideal” environment for children.

“The ideal situation for any child is growing up with the mother and father who brought that child into the world,” wrote Katrina Trinko, a conservative journalist, in an essay detailing the “tragedy” of babies born to single mothers.

Although Mr. Vance did not address in detail the specific issues of fertility treatments, abortion rights or marriage, the broad vision expressed in the report comports with some of the views he has expressed about American families.

He has been an ardent opponent of abortion rights , saying he wanted to protect life “from the date of conception.” During his Senate race in 2022, he promised to oppose legislation codifying the right to marriage for same-sex couples. He has stressed the importance of having children, saying not doing so “makes people more sociopathic.”

And in a comment that prompted a wave of outrage among liberal and independent women, he criticized prominent Democrats as “childless cat ladies” — a claim he later dismissed as a “sarcastic remark.”

Mr. Vance’s campaign neither defended nor disavowed the opinions expressed in the report, saying he had no role in editing the essays and “did not have any input on the commentary.”

“Senator Vance has long made clear that he supports I.V.F. and does not agree with every opinion in this seven-year-old report, which features a range of unique views from dozens of conservative thinkers,” said Luke Schroeder, a spokesman for Mr. Vance. “It’s bizarre that The New York Times is writing an entire piece attacking Senator Vance for the views of other individuals.”

The Heritage Foundation also said Mr. Vance had no involvement with the policy ideas included in the report, but declined to offer an opinion on the content.

“Senator Vance had no role in producing or approving the contents of the 2017 Index of Culture and Opportunity, outside of writing the introduction,” said Noah Weinrich, a spokesman for the organization.

In his introduction, Mr. Vance argued that economic struggles were inextricable from what he saw as cultural decay, suggesting that fixing the state of American life required not just proposals about trade, jobs and education but an embrace of conservative social values that would define the nation’s families.

“Culture, in other words, must serve as the beginning of a conversation, not the end of one, and proper conversation about culture will never be used as a weapon against those whom Christ described as ‘the least of these,’” he wrote in the foundation’s Index of Culture and Opportunity report. “It will be a needed antidote to a simplistic political discourse.”

One of the essays takes a deeply skeptical view of in vitro fertilization and other fertility treatments, arguing that they cause women to be “lured into the belief that they can have children whenever they are finally ready.”

The piece casts women as turning to fertility treatments as “magic pills” to delay motherhood for professional advancement rather than as expensive last resorts for couples desperate to have a child. It also refers to egg-freezing, the medical procedure through which eggs are harvested, frozen and stored for later use, as a “scheme.”

“We need to stop practices that may bring harm to others: the children born from high-tech pregnancies as well as the women who are exploited for their healthy reproductive capacities,” writes Jennifer Lahl, an anti-abortion advocate, who founded the Center for Bioethics and Culture, a group that questions the use of fertility treatments.

Mr. Trump said on the campaign trail last week that he wants to make I.V.F. treatment free for all Americans, a proposal that faces a steep — if not impossible — climb through Congress and the federal government to becoming law. Mr. Vance, who has expressed support for I.V.F., defended that position on the trail but offered no specifics on how Mr. Trump would fund his plan.

Another set of pieces reiterate long-held conservative economic views, including eliminating regulations on businesses, cutting federal spending, expanding charter schools, increasing work requirements for welfare programs and voicing opposition to programs that offer government assistance for Americans to buy or rent homes.

“The private market has proved more than capable of providing a wide array of housing types that are affordable for many income levels — and could do even better for those of lower incomes absent overly restrictive zoning and other regulatory impediments,” wrote Howard Husock, a conservative housing policy expert.

In a separate piece, Cal Thomas, a conservative commentator, calls welfare programs the “ultimate poison” that create poverty by discouraging work.

“The threat of an empty stomach is a great motivator for people who are able to work to find work,” Mr. Thomas wrote . “For many, human nature would rather get a check from the government without working for it than earn a check from a job.”

The report was published as Mr. Vance was dipping his toe into politics and was famous for his memoir. His beliefs on specific issues were relatively unknown, and his endorsement of the Heritage report offered an early declaration of his socially conservative values.

“Two of the biggest factors driving regional differences in upward mobility are the prevalence of single-parent families and concentrated poverty, indicating that both family and neighborhood structure matter in the lives of our nation’s working class,” he wrote in the introduction.

In recent weeks, Mr. Trump has gone out of his way to distance himself from the Heritage Foundation and the group’s Project 2025 effort, a policy blueprint for the next Republican administration that has become a major Democratic attack line.

Mr. Vance’s participation in the foundation’s Index of Culture and Opportunity report offers a reminder of the yearslong ties between him and the conservative think tank — connections that deepened in the years that followed.

In June, Mr. Vance announced that he wrote the foreword to a new book by the Heritage Foundation’s president, Kevin D. Roberts , Project 2025’s principal architect. Publication of that book has since been delayed until after the election.

River Akira Davis

Reporting from Tokyo

Harris says U.S. Steel should stay American-owned.

Vice President Kamala Harris said U.S. Steel should stay in the hands of American owners, dealing another blow to the Japanese manufacturer Nippon Steel’s $15 billion proposal to acquire the storied American steel maker.

“U.S. Steel should remain American-owned and American-operated,” Ms. Harris, the Democratic nominee for president, said during a campaign stop in Pittsburgh on Monday, prompting cheers from the audience.

Since it was announced in December, the bid by Tokyo-based Nippon Steel to acquire U.S. Steel has been opposed by the United Steelworkers union, which is based in Pittsburgh.

The union said that a foreign corporation’s purchase of an American steel company would pose threats to national security. It has also questioned commitments made by Nippon Steel, including vows not to lay off employees or close plants.

Over the past eight months, politicians have joined the opposition, with both President Biden and Donald J. Trump, the Republican nominee for president, signaling their disapproval of foreign ownership of U.S. Steel.

Union officials and Nippon Steel executives have been waiting to see what Ms. Harris’s stance would be. The United Steelworkers welcomed her statement, saying it would help safeguard national security and union jobs.

Nippon Steel said it remained confident that the merger would put U.S. Steel and the American steel industry on stronger footing. “We believe that a fair and objective regulatory review process will support this outcome,” it said.

Nippon Steel has been betting that discussions will continue past the November presidential election, after which unions would potentially have less political sway.

In the United States, the president can block certain cross-border transactions on national security grounds. The question is whether an acquisition led by Japan — a close ally of the United States — could be deemed a threat.

Nippon Steel has gone to considerable lengths to show that the merger would be good for both companies and their employees, as well as for the United States and Japan.

The Japanese steel maker has promised billions of dollars in additional investment in U.S. Steel’s facilities. In July, it said it would withdraw from a longstanding joint venture in China that might have drawn suspicion from U.S. regulators.

A powerful interagency panel, the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States, has been looking into the national security implications of Nippon Steel’s proposal. For cases that require a full investigation, the committee makes a recommendation to the president, who has the final say.

Nicholas Nehamas contributed reporting from Washington.