J.D. Vance Tells Joe Rogan He Drove Home, Loaded His Guns After Trump Shooting

J.D. Vance was ready to defend his homestead after Donald Trump was nearly shot in July .... he drove home and immediately loaded his guns -- ready to go down shooting!

The Republican nominee for vice president went on "The Joe Rogan Experience" for an interview, released Thursday ... and, he tells the story of learning about the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania which nearly took the 45th POTUS' life.

Vance says he saw the clip online, and instantly thought DJT had been killed after the former prez grabbed his ear and was dragged to the ground by Secret Service agents -- of course, Trump then got up and famously told the audience to "fight."

Seems like Vance didn't wait long enough to see the aftermath ... telling Rogan he grabbed his kids, threw them in the car, drove home from the mini-golf course they were at, and loaded up all his guns -- ready for Vance's last stand if it came down to it.

Worth noting ... the Ohio senator wasn't the Republican nominee for president yet -- 'cause the Republican National Convention took place days after the shooting. So, presumably no Secret Service protection for Vance at the time.

Of course, Trump survived the attempt on his life -- which led to a thorough investigation of the Secret Service and the resignation of Chief Kimberly Cheatle -- and, he and Trump are now locked in a tense race against VP Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.