Donald Trump took the stage Thursday at the Republican National Convention to accept his party’s nomination again and give his first speech since he was cut off mid-sentence by a flurry of gunfire in an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.Trump’s address concludes the four-day convention in Milwaukee. He appeared each of the first three days with a white bandage on his ear, covering a wound he sustained in the Saturday shooting.Trump concludes speech after more than an hour and a halfTrump concluded his speech after more than an hour and a half, leading the crowd in a change to “Make America Great Again” as he closed it out.Melania Trump joined him on stage after he finished, and the band struck up, “Hold On, I’m Coming,” a song Trump frequently plays at the end of his campaign rallies.The Trump family the joined him on stage, including his daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. While they joined him at the White House, the couple has not been a part of his campaign.Red, white and blue balloons are dropping over the conventionThe crowd has settled into their seatsMany of the delegates were seated, as Trump’s speech passed 75 minutes, with occasional standing ovations, only to take their seats again.About half of Texas’ large delegation was noticeably seated (their cowboy hats give them away).Instead, the speech had settled into a typical Trump conversation with the audience in the room, broken by regular polite applause.But when he said, “We won’t have men playing in women’s sports,” a buzzword for the right, many of the delegation rose to its feet in raucous cheers.The Trump administration worked to dismantle the US refugee agencyTrump made a series of sporadic remarks about the two-decade war in Afghanistan, saying that he had negotiated a great deal with the Taliban before leaving office. But despite the chaotic withdrawal by the Biden administration in August 2021, there is no way to prove that a Trump administration would have done anything differently.The U.S. mounted a massive evacuation program to get Americans and Afghans who had served with U.S. forces in Afghanistan out. That project continues to this day and while there is no way to know if a Trump administration would have been more successful, the Trump administration had spent four years dismantling the U.S. refugee acceptance agency and making it more difficult for Afghans and others to enter the United States.Trump says Orbán wants him back in officeTrump cited Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a champion of “illiberal democracy” in his country. Trump has considered it a character reference.Orbán, who has endorsed Trump, is Russia’s closest ally in the European Union and is also close to China. He’s also fought against immigration and LGBTQ+ rights and his party has rewritten the nation’s constitution to give it control of the media and judiciary.“Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary, very tough guy,” Trump said. He said Orbán, a repeat visitor to Trump’s Florida compound Mar-a-Lago — including one last week shortly after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin — was asked why the world seemed to be in chaos.Trump quoted Orbán as saying, “There’s only one way you can solve it. You’ve got to bring President Trump back.”“Russia was afraid of him. China was afraid of him,” Trump quoted the Hungarian prime minister as saying. “The whole world was at peace.”Trump returns to repeating immigration falsehoodsTrump has returned to his signature topic, immigration, and his plans to launch what he says will be the largest deportation operation in American history.“It is an invasion, indeed,” Trump said, using language that has been criticized for dehumanizing migrants.Trump is again alleging that migrants “are coming from prisons, they’re coming from jails, they’re coming from mental institutions and asylums,” even though there is no evidence countries are sending their criminals or mentally ill across the border, as he alleges.“We’ve become a dumping ground for the rest of the world, which is laughing at us. They think we’re stupid,” he said.‘Without that chart, I would not be here today’As he entered the second hour of his speech, Trump launched into his regular riff on Biden’s border policy and then stopped, realizing he was directing the audience’s attention to the same chart he posted Saturday just as gunfire broke out.“Look at the chart that saved my life,” Trump said as a chart of detentions at the border under his and Biden’s administration displayed on the arena’s screens. The chart shows a major spike under Biden.“Without that chart, I would not be here today.”Trump refrains from mentioning Biden by name for 45 minutesIt took Trump 45 minutes of his nomination acceptance speech to mention his opponent by name, twice noting “the previous administration,” but not using his well-worn nickname “Crooked Joe.” It’s a sign of what is a more subdued speech, the tone of which was set by a somber telling of the assassination attempt Saturday.When he finally mentioned Biden’s name, he did so only once — and pledged to keep it that way.The misspelling on Comperatore’s jacket was not Trump’s doingThe name of Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief killed at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, is misspelled on the jacket brought to the convention stage. But that was not Trump’s doing. The Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company confirmed it was his gear and that it was sent to Trump, which the former president shared in his speech.While the volunteer fire department gave no reason for the misspelling, it responded to a reader who pointed out the mistake on its Facebook page, noting that it “was in error years ago, and it was left that way by Corey.” Saying the quiet part out loudTrump tried to make amends with the city hosting the RNC on Thursday. After criticizing Milwaukee as “a horrible city” during a private meeting last month, the former president thanked the city for hosting Republicans this year.He also made a plea for electoral support from the key battleground state of Wisconsin, saying that a second Trump term would heavily invest in jobs here. “I hope you remember this in November and give us your vote,” he said to a roaring crowd. “I am trying to buy your vote.” Trump said that he’s ‘beaten’ his indictments but the truth is more complicatedIt’s true that one case was dismissed this week, but he was also convicted in May in his hush money trial in New York. Though his two other prosecutions, both having to do with plotting to overturn the 2020 election, won’t go to trial before November, both remain pending.Trump also touted the ruling by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that threw out his classified documents case.He praised Cannon, whom he appointed, as highly regarded even though many legal experts have faulted her handling of the case and criticized her stunning ruling finding that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional. The decision had nothing to do with the merits of the case.Trump’s speech turns to familiar terrainAfter soberly recounting his harrowing assassination attempt and mourning those lost and wounded, Trump began to enter familiar terrain. He called for the country to unify and then said the best way to do that would be for Democrats to drop criminal cases against him.“We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement, which is what’s been happening in our country lately at a level that nobody has ever seen before,” Trump said.“And in that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy. Especially since that is not true. In fact, I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country.”Two of the cases center around Trump’s attempt to overturn his loss in the 2020 election.Trump kisses Comperatore’s firefighter helmetIn the middle of his remarks, Trump walked to Corey Comperatore’s fire jacket and helmet, which were hanging on a stand behind him. Trump leaned over and kissed Comperatore’s helmet and the crowd applauded. Trump returned to the lectern to continue his speech and thanked the fire department for sending his gear.Trump said that more than $6 million has been raised in a fund to benefit victims’ families.He then asked for a moment of silence in honor of the former fire chief. Trump recalls the assassination attempt against himTrump told the story of what happened to him Saturday when he survived a near assassination attempt.But he says, “You’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s too painful to tell.”Prior to the shot fired at Trump, the former president was talking about immigration and “in order to see the chart” his campaign had prepared, he said, he turned to his right “and was ready to begin.”But instead, he “felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear.”“I said to myself, ‘Wow, what was that?’” he said. “It can only be a bullet.”Trump said he raised his hand to his ear and saw that it was “covered with blood.”“I immediately knew that it was very serious, that we were under attack,” he said, and proceeded to drop to the ground as bullets continued to fly. He said brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage “and pounced on top of me so that I would be protected.”“In a certain way, I felt very safe because I had God on my side,” he said. If he hadn’t turned his head, he said, “I would be here tonight.”Images of Trump from the assassination attempt were being displayed on screens behind him, including pictures of him lying down on the stage with Secret Service agents piled on top of him. Trump promises to be ‘a president for all Americans’As he opened his speech, Trump pledged to be “a president for all of America.”It’s a line that Biden has often used against Trump, who’s been long criticized for trying to divide the country into his supporters and their enemies. Now, Trump said, “As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate. We rise together or we fall apart.”He was much more muted than usual as he opened his remarks. He was speaking slower and his voice was softer, a sharp departure from his rallies when he often brought his volume to a roar, cracked jokes and punctuated his remarks with impressions and unrelated anecdotes.References to Trump’s assassination are present on stageAs Trump strode across the stage, two uniformed men wheeled out a firefighter’s jacket that appeared to belong to Corey Comperatore, who was slain during Saturday’s assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.Video below: Trump honors firefighter killed during rally shootingSecret Service officers are lined along the stairs that lead up to the stands. Hundreds of Trump supporters are watching their candidate prepare to speak for the first time since the shooting Saturday.’I’m not supposed to be here,’ Trump tells RNC crowd while recalling assassination attempt“I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” Trump told the RNC attendees. The comment was met by chants of “Yes you are!”“Thank you. But I’m not and I’ll tell you, I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God,” Trump said. Trump gives much-anticipated speech at RNC, formally accepts party nominationDonald Trump took the stage to give remarks at the RNC. It’s the first public speech the former president has made since the assassination attempt on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania. Trump and vice presidential nominee JD Vance signed the paperwork to officially accept their party’s nomination ahead of the former president’s speech. Dana White, who is the president of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), introduced Trump. Prior to the former president taking the stage, Lee Greenwood played “God Bless the U.S.A.”Kid Rock performsMusician Kid Rock made an explosive entrance on the RNC stage and began singing ’fight! fight!” as the crowd repeated it back to him, a reference to the words Trump shouted after his assassination attempt.He’s sang a remixed song with calls for the crowd to say, “Trump, Trump.” The screens behind him show flames and an American flag.There were a lot of loud songs and speeches this week, but Kid Rock had the RNC arena literally vibrating. The bass during Rock’s pro-Trump song was so loud that it shook dividing walls set up right around the stage where the former president will soon give his prime-time headline address. Melania Trump makes first appearance on RNC floor in MilwaukeeIt is one of the most anticipated moments of the convention. Former first lady Melania Trump has been cheered loudly when mentioned by other speakers during the previous nights, but she finally entered the arena on the final night wearing a red jacket and pencil skirt suit and waving to the crowds.Melania has been largely missing from the campaign trail, missing key moments such as his Super Tuesday victory party and his 78th birthday party last month. She also did not accompany the Republican nominee during his more than month-long hush money trial in New York, with reporters repeatedly asking him at the courthouse “Where’s Melania?”She will not be speaking at the convention. Her office was the one that declined an invitation for Barron Trump to appear as a Florida delegate after the state’s Republican party chose him to join the delegation saying the couple’s youngest son had “prior commitments.”Her presence helps the Republican party show unity, a theme that has emerged more prominently after the attempt on Trump’s life. A day after the attack, Melania issued a statement calling on Americans to “ascend above hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence.”Franklin Graham is one of the few speakers to acknowledge abortionEvangelist Franklin Graham followed former wrestling icon Hulk Hogan onto the stage, and he smiled at the contrast.“God spared his life,” Graham said of Trump. “And when we go through those experiences, it changes us.”Graham also made a rare allusion to Trump appointing the Supreme Court justices who provided the key votes to overturn Roe v. Wade, a politically touchy subject the convention has avoided.“When he told me and this country that what he was going to do was appoint conservative justices, he did,” Graham said of Trump.Graham also led a prayer for God’s guidance for the country and aid for Trump and running mate JD Vance. Graham added of Vance: “We’re thankful for his strong stand for defending life.” Hulk Hogan takes RNC stageProfessional wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan was among the stars who were out at the RNC on Thursday, and the former WWE star took to the stage to voice his support of Trump.Sporting a red bandana atop his platinum blonde hair, Hulk Hogan took the stage waving an American flag before gesturing to the crowd with moves that he made famous during his wrestling days.In his speech, Hulk Hogan spoke of the electric energy of the crowd.Hogan, who once endorsed former President Barack Obama, used wrestling references to talk about the strength and character of Trump, and referred to Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, as “the greatest tag team.”As Hulk Hogan talked about the rage he felt when seeing the attempted assassination of Trump, Hogan, who was wearing a shirt that featured a wrestling-style image, tore off his shirt. Underneath, he was wearing a Trump-Vance 2024 T-shirt.”I didn’t come here as Hulk Hogan, but I just had to give you a little taste,” the longtime pro-wrestler said.The wrestler, whose real name is Terry Bollea, said he prefers to stay out of politics but felt compelled to speak at the convention and express his support of the former president.“As an entertainer I try to stay out of politics,” Hogan said as he briefly broke character. “I can no longer stay silent. I’m here tonight because I want the world to know that Donald Trump is a real American hero.”Trump and his family reenter the arenaHulk Hogan’s appearance came moments after Trump, who had left the convention floor for a time, reemerged and made his way to his family box at the RNC. He was joined by members of his family, including his adult children, Don Jr. and Ivanka, and his grandchildren. The band keeps vamping for timeThe convention programming was running around half an hour behind schedule during the prime-time show Thursday. The band was playing song after song as the crowd awaited what was expected to be a series of high-profile speeches including Hulk Hogan to Eric Trump Jr., with the former president closing out the night. Democratic Sen. Jon Tester called President Biden to drop out of the presidential raceThe Montana senator is up for reelection this year, hoping to hold onto Democrats’ only congressional seat in the state.“I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and I’ve never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong,” Tester told the Daily Montanan. “And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term.”He is the second Democratic senator to call for Biden to exit the race. Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont called for Biden to step down earlier this month.Tucker Carlson praises Trump’s reaction to assassination attemptFormer Fox News host Tucker Carlson says that he called Trump hours after Saturday’s assassination attempt and the former president didn’t talk about himself.“He said only how amazed he was and how proud he was of the crowd that didn’t run,” Tucker recounted. “Of course, they didn’t run; his courage gave them heart.”Carlson also said that Trump didn’t try to create division after the attack. “He turned down the most obvious opportunity to inflame the nation,” Carlson said. Country singer Jason Aldean greets Trump at the conventionHow much Trump loves music has come up several times in Thursday’s speeches, and he’s got a country star with him in the box.Jason Aldean is seated with Trump for the RNC’s final night. He and his wife, Brittany, shook hands with Trump and have been spotted speaking with him during the program.Aldean, a Trump supporter, dedicated his song “Try That in a Small Town” to Trump during a recent concert in Nashville following the Pennsylvania assassination attempt.Last year, the music video for the song — which became that summer’s political litmus test — received fervent criticism online, with some claiming the visual is a “dog whistle” and others labeling it “pro-lynching.”In the video, Aldean performed in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, the site of a 1946 race riot and a 1927 mob lynching of an 18-year-old Black teenager named Henry Choate.‘Every attack on President Trump only strengthens our movement,’ Trump attorney and adviser saysAlina Habba, Trump’s attorney and adviser, offered a humanizing portrait of Trump, a man she said “loves this country” and “lifts up those around him.”She told the story of being on the phone with him outside a courthouse when a man on the street yelled, “God Bless you and President Trump!” She said Trump overheard the man and asked her to hand over the phone so he could thank him personally for his support.“The left has tried to demolish Trump, but there is no bulldozer big enough or strong enough to remove the legacy that he has built or the future he has created,” she said, adding, “Every attack on President Trump only strengthens our movement.”She also talked about Saturday’s failed assassination attempt.“So let us not forget that President Trump did not just take a bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania. He has and will continue to take them for each and every one of us.”RNC video uses Ronald Reagan quote from 1980 presidential debateA video that played at the RNC before conservative media personality Tucker Carlson took the stage evoked the voice of late former President Ronald Reagan.The video used Reagan’s words made famous during the 1980 presidential debate against former President Jimmy Carter: “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?”In the video, Reagan asked voters to “ask yourself” if it was “easier” to buy products at the grocery store, if unemployment numbers have risen or fallen, if America is “as respected throughout the world as it was,” and if the nation feels more or less secure than it was four years prior.New York builders attest to Trump’s personal characterNew York builders father and son Steven and Zach Witkoff were among speakers meant to serve as witnesses for Trump as a friend and employer.The former president’s persona has been well-defined after a term in office and a highly public profile since leaving office.The father and son vouched for Trump as a boss and a grandfather.“I have witnessed his leadership in quiet moments,” Steve Witkoff said. “When times are really tough, when he has everything to lose and nothing to gain, Donald Trump is there for you.”Describing pain that was “unbearable,” Steve Wifcoff told of Trump’s outreach after the man’s son died of an opioid overdose.“That’s who he is,” Steven Witcoff said.In a passionate speech, a Detroit pastor speaks in favor of TrumpThe pastor of a Black church in Detroit that Trump visited last month has suggested that the former president came to his congregation to listen and learn.“Could it be that Jesus Christ preserved him for a time such as this?” Lorenzo Sewell, a Detroit pastor, proclaimed, as thousands of delegates cheered and rose to their feet.Sewell made repeated Biblical references, and reminded the crowd that Trump “came to the hood because he cares about average everyday Americans.”Sewell also made several references to the assassination attempt, saying that “if President Donald Trump would have moved just a millimeter,” he would not have been at the convention.Addressing his “Democrat friends,” Sewell asked if they knew of anyone who had been “convicted of 34 counts, raised 53 million dollars in 24 hours and could be the 47th president of America — and he was shot one time. Do you know anybody like that?”Senators night in Trump’s family boxA group of Trump’s most loyal allies in the Senate are seated in the former president’s exclusive box at the RNC on Thursday night. Sens. Mike Lee, Bill Hagerty, and Ted Cruz are filling the seats ahead of the arrival of Trump’s family for his highly anticipated speech. Some Senate hopefuls are also lounging in the area, including Nevada GOP candidate Sam Brown.Donald Trump arrives for the fourth night of the RNCAfter a video montage of the former president dancing at various events to The Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.,” Donald Trump arrived for the fourth night of the convention.With a bandage still covering his ear, Trump entered the floor of the arena to thunderous applause.Trump will speak later as he formally accepts the party’s nomination.Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo takes RNC stageFormer Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is highlighting the foreign policy accomplishments of Trump’s administration, saying, “We put America first every single day.”Pompeo also lashed out at Biden for the disastrous pullout from Afghanistan and blamed him for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Gaza’s attack on Israel.“We can’t trust the Biden administration,” he said.Pompeo, who also served as Trump’s CIA director and represented Kansas in Congress, considered challenging Trump this year for the GOP nomination. But he decided to stay out of the race, saying the time was not right for him and his family. Down the block from the RNC, dozens gather to mourn two deadDown the block from the RNC, about 50 family members and supporters of two Milwaukee men recently killed in separate circumstances rallied and marched to call attention to the two deaths.The event focused on the death of Samuel Sharpe, a homeless man fatally shot Tuesday by out-of-state police officers deployed to Milwaukee for the RNC, as well D’Vontaye Mitchell, who died last month after he was pinned down by security guards at a nearby hotel.The deaths of the two men, both of whom were Black, has inflamed tensions within the city, with Sharpe’s killing in particular focusing scrutiny on the law enforcement approach to the convention.Speaking to dozens of protesters and a phalanx of reporters, Angelique Sharpe attributed her brother’s death to the presence of out-of-state police officers.“I’d rather have the Milwaukee police department who know the people of this community (than) people who have no ties to your community and don’t care nothing about our extended family members down there,” she said.Police officials said Sharpe was shot by five Columbus, Ohio, police officers who spotted him lunging at another man with two knives.At the rally, Angelique Sharpe said her brother suffered from multiple sclerosis and was acting in self-defense against a person who had threatened him in recent days.Professional wrestling and other stars present at RNCThere was some star power as the events of the fourth night of the RNC kicked off. Professional wrestling fans recognized a couple of familiar faces as wrestling icon Hulk Hogan was at the convention. Additionally, Linda McMahon, who is the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), spoke from the stage, appealing to small business owners and others. McMahon, who is married to former WWE CEO Vince McMahon and served in Trump’s cabinet as the U.S. administrator of the Small Business Administration, spoke of her long friendship with the former president, who appeared in several WWE storylines over the years. “He is a good man. He has the heart of a lion and the soul of a warrior,” Linda McMahon said. “I believe if necessary he would stand at the gates of hell to defend our country.”Hogan and Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White were expected to speak at the event, and musician Kid Rock was also set to perform.NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty was also seen at the convention Thursday.‘Everyday American’ is GOP-backing billionaireOne of the “everyday Americans” speaking on behalf of Trump’s campaign is a former Playboy model who’s been listed among the country’s wealthiest self-made women.Wisconsin native Diane Hendricks told delegates how she started off as a single mom who got into real estate, met her husband and “risked everything we had” to start ABC Supply.Their company is the largest wholesale distributor of roofing supplies and one of the largest distributors of siding and windows in North America, with nearly 700 locations across the U.S. and Canada.Hendricks talked about the tens of thousands of jobs she’s helped create in the U.S. and told aspiring entrepreneurs, “if I can make it, you can make it, too.” She also lauded Trump’s business acumen as what the country needs.She’s been a big backer of GOP candidates both in her home state and elsewhere. Forbes lists her estimated net worth above $20 billion.New York builders attest to Trump personal characterNew York builders father and son Steven and Zach Witkoff were among speakers meant to serve as witnesses for Trump as a friend and employer.The former president’s persona has been well-defined after a term in office and a highly public profile since leaving office.The father and son vouched for Trump as a boss and a grandfather.“I have witnessed his leadership in quiet moments,” Steve Witkoff said. “When times are really tough, when he has everything to lose and nothing to gain, Donald Trump is there for you.”Describing pain that was “unbearable,” Steve Wifcoff told of Trump’s outreach after the man’s son died of an opioid overdose.“That’s who he is,” Steven Witcoff said.RNC speeches open with an appeal to voters in swing statesIn the first speech of the night, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana who is also the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, tried to appeal to voters in states where key Senate races are taking place this year. The GOP has been using the convention to appeal to swing state voters in hopes of retaining control of the House of Representatives and taking back control of the U.S. Senate.Daines attempted to appeal to voters in states like Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, Ohio and Montana.Trump says he’s rewritten his remarksRepublicans throughout the week in Milwaukee have suggested the combative former president take a gentler tone in light of the shooting and have suggested the crisis provides a chance to de-escalate the divisive political rhetoric that has marked the 2024 campaign.Trump told the Washington Examiner that he had rewritten his acceptance speech in the wake of the Saturday shooting, emphasizing a call for national unity.“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” he said. “Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches,” aimed mostly at the policies of President Joe Biden.“Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now,” he said.Any such dialing down by Trump will come before a delegation, many of whom have been moved by Trump’s own defiant words in the grasp of U.S. Secret Service agents Saturday, and have sparked their echo in the form of chants of “fight, fight, fight.”“I do believe that after going through that his message will be better, and I do think he will appeal to our better emotions,” Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Lawrence Tabas said. “He has an enormous compassion and empathy that doesn’t always come through.”Trump’s family will be at RNC, but not everyone will speakUnlike most national conventions, Trump’s wife Melania and daughter Ivanka who both spoke at the previous two conventions are not expected to address the convention but are expected to attend.Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, ended the program Tuesday with a speech about Trump’s personal warmth and love for his family. The final day of the RNC is underwayTrump’s moment of survival has shaped the week, even as convention organizers insisted they would continue with their program as planned less than 48 hours after the shooting. Speakers and delegates have repeatedly chanted “Fight, fight, fight!” in homage to Trump’s words as he got to his feet and pumped his fist after Secret Service agents killed the gunman. And some of his supporters have started sporting their own makeshift bandages on the convention floor.Speakers throughout the week have attributed Trump’s survival to divine intervention and paid tribute to victim Corey Comperatore, who died after shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at the rally.“Instead of a day of celebration, this could have been a day of heartache and mourning,” Trump’s vice presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, said in his speech to the convention on Wednesday. Video below: Vice president nominee JD Vance addresses delegates at RNC The convention has tried to give voice to the fear and frustration of conservatives while also trying to promote the former president as a symbol of hope for all voters.The convention has showcased a Republican Party reshaped by Trump since he shocked the GOP establishment and won the hearts of the party’s grassroots on his way to the party’s 2016 nomination. Rivals Trump has vanquished — including Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — put aside their past criticisms and gave him their unqualified support.Even Vance, Trump’s pick to carry his movement into the next generation, was once a fierce critic who suggested in a private message since made public that Trump could be “America’s Hitler.” Notable speakers for RNC Day 4:Eric TrumpSen. Steve Daines, chair of the National Republican Senatorial CommitteeRep. Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional CommitteeDiane Hendricks, a billionaire who is the co-founder of ABC SupplyLinda McMahon, the 25th administrator of the Small Business AdministrationFormer Secretary of State Mike PompeoSteve Witkoff, a businessman and developerAlina Habba, Trump’s attorneyTucker CarlsonDana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship
MILWAUKEE —
Donald Trump took the stage Thursday at the Republican National Convention to accept his party’s nomination again and give his first speech since he was cut off mid-sentence by a flurry of gunfire in an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.
Trump’s address concludes the four-day convention in Milwaukee. He appeared each of the first three days with a white bandage on his ear, covering a wound he sustained in the Saturday shooting.
Trump concludes speech after more than an hour and a half
Trump concluded his speech after more than an hour and a half, leading the crowd in a change to “Make America Great Again” as he closed it out.
Melania Trump joined him on stage after he finished, and the band struck up, “Hold On, I’m Coming,” a song Trump frequently plays at the end of his campaign rallies.
The Trump family the joined him on stage, including his daughter, Ivanka, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. While they joined him at the White House, the couple has not been a part of his campaign.
Red, white and blue balloons are dropping over the convention
The crowd has settled into their seats
Many of the delegates were seated, as Trump’s speech passed 75 minutes, with occasional standing ovations, only to take their seats again.
About half of Texas’ large delegation was noticeably seated (their cowboy hats give them away).
Instead, the speech had settled into a typical Trump conversation with the audience in the room, broken by regular polite applause.
But when he said, “We won’t have men playing in women’s sports,” a buzzword for the right, many of the delegation rose to its feet in raucous cheers.
The Trump administration worked to dismantle the US refugee agency
Trump made a series of sporadic remarks about the two-decade war in Afghanistan, saying that he had negotiated a great deal with the Taliban before leaving office. But despite the chaotic withdrawal by the Biden administration in August 2021, there is no way to prove that a Trump administration would have done anything differently.
The U.S. mounted a massive evacuation program to get Americans and Afghans who had served with U.S. forces in Afghanistan out. That project continues to this day and while there is no way to know if a Trump administration would have been more successful, the Trump administration had spent four years dismantling the U.S. refugee acceptance agency and making it more difficult for Afghans and others to enter the United States.
Trump says Orbán wants him back in office
Trump cited Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, a champion of “illiberal democracy” in his country. Trump has considered it a character reference.
Orbán, who has endorsed Trump, is Russia’s closest ally in the European Union and is also close to China. He’s also fought against immigration and LGBTQ+ rights and his party has rewritten the nation’s constitution to give it control of the media and judiciary.
“Viktor Orbán, prime minister of Hungary, very tough guy,” Trump said. He said Orbán, a repeat visitor to Trump’s Florida compound Mar-a-Lago — including one last week shortly after a meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin — was asked why the world seemed to be in chaos.
Trump quoted Orbán as saying, “There’s only one way you can solve it. You’ve got to bring President Trump back.”
“Russia was afraid of him. China was afraid of him,” Trump quoted the Hungarian prime minister as saying. “The whole world was at peace.”
Trump returns to repeating immigration falsehoods
Trump has returned to his signature topic, immigration, and his plans to launch what he says will be the largest deportation operation in American history.
“It is an invasion, indeed,” Trump said, using language that has been criticized for dehumanizing migrants.
Trump is again alleging that migrants “are coming from prisons, they’re coming from jails, they’re coming from mental institutions and asylums,” even though there is no evidence countries are sending their criminals or mentally ill across the border, as he alleges.
“We’ve become a dumping ground for the rest of the world, which is laughing at us. They think we’re stupid,” he said.
‘Without that chart, I would not be here today’
As he entered the second hour of his speech, Trump launched into his regular riff on Biden’s border policy and then stopped, realizing he was directing the audience’s attention to the same chart he posted Saturday just as gunfire broke out.
“Look at the chart that saved my life,” Trump said as a chart of detentions at the border under his and Biden’s administration displayed on the arena’s screens. The chart shows a major spike under Biden.
“Without that chart, I would not be here today.”
Trump refrains from mentioning Biden by name for 45 minutes
It took Trump 45 minutes of his nomination acceptance speech to mention his opponent by name, twice noting “the previous administration,” but not using his well-worn nickname “Crooked Joe.” It’s a sign of what is a more subdued speech, the tone of which was set by a somber telling of the assassination attempt Saturday.
When he finally mentioned Biden’s name, he did so only once — and pledged to keep it that way.
The misspelling on Comperatore’s jacket was not Trump’s doing
The name of Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief killed at the Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, is misspelled on the jacket brought to the convention stage. But that was not Trump’s doing. The Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company confirmed it was his gear and that it was sent to Trump, which the former president shared in his speech.
While the volunteer fire department gave no reason for the misspelling, it responded to a reader who pointed out the mistake on its Facebook page, noting that it “was in error years ago, and it was left that way by Corey.”
Saying the quiet part out loud
Trump tried to make amends with the city hosting the RNC on Thursday. After criticizing Milwaukee as “a horrible city” during a private meeting last month, the former president thanked the city for hosting Republicans this year.
He also made a plea for electoral support from the key battleground state of Wisconsin, saying that a second Trump term would heavily invest in jobs here. “I hope you remember this in November and give us your vote,” he said to a roaring crowd. “I am trying to buy your vote.”
Trump said that he’s ‘beaten’ his indictments but the truth is more complicated
It’s true that one case was dismissed this week, but he was also convicted in May in his hush money trial in New York. Though his two other prosecutions, both having to do with plotting to overturn the 2020 election, won’t go to trial before November, both remain pending.
Trump also touted the ruling by U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon that threw out his classified documents case.
He praised Cannon, whom he appointed, as highly regarded even though many legal experts have faulted her handling of the case and criticized her stunning ruling finding that special counsel Jack Smith’s appointment was unconstitutional. The decision had nothing to do with the merits of the case.
Trump’s speech turns to familiar terrain
After soberly recounting his harrowing assassination attempt and mourning those lost and wounded, Trump began to enter familiar terrain. He called for the country to unify and then said the best way to do that would be for Democrats to drop criminal cases against him.
“We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement, which is what’s been happening in our country lately at a level that nobody has ever seen before,” Trump said.
“And in that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the justice system and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy. Especially since that is not true. In fact, I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country.”
Two of the cases center around Trump’s attempt to overturn his loss in the 2020 election.
Trump kisses Comperatore’s firefighter helmet
In the middle of his remarks, Trump walked to Corey Comperatore’s fire jacket and helmet, which were hanging on a stand behind him. Trump leaned over and kissed Comperatore’s helmet and the crowd applauded. Trump returned to the lectern to continue his speech and thanked the fire department for sending his gear.
Trump said that more than $6 million has been raised in a fund to benefit victims’ families.
He then asked for a moment of silence in honor of the former fire chief.
Trump recalls the assassination attempt against him
Trump told the story of what happened to him Saturday when he survived a near assassination attempt.
But he says, “You’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s too painful to tell.”
Prior to the shot fired at Trump, the former president was talking about immigration and “in order to see the chart” his campaign had prepared, he said, he turned to his right “and was ready to begin.”
But instead, he “felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear.”
“I said to myself, ‘Wow, what was that?’” he said. “It can only be a bullet.”
Trump said he raised his hand to his ear and saw that it was “covered with blood.”
“I immediately knew that it was very serious, that we were under attack,” he said, and proceeded to drop to the ground as bullets continued to fly. He said brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage “and pounced on top of me so that I would be protected.”
“In a certain way, I felt very safe because I had God on my side,” he said. If he hadn’t turned his head, he said, “I would be here tonight.”
Images of Trump from the assassination attempt were being displayed on screens behind him, including pictures of him lying down on the stage with Secret Service agents piled on top of him.
Trump promises to be ‘a president for all Americans’
As he opened his speech, Trump pledged to be “a president for all of America.”
It’s a line that Biden has often used against Trump, who’s been long criticized for trying to divide the country into his supporters and their enemies. Now, Trump said, “As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate. We rise together or we fall apart.”
He was much more muted than usual as he opened his remarks. He was speaking slower and his voice was softer, a sharp departure from his rallies when he often brought his volume to a roar, cracked jokes and punctuated his remarks with impressions and unrelated anecdotes.
References to Trump’s assassination are present on stage
As Trump strode across the stage, two uniformed men wheeled out a firefighter’s jacket that appeared to belong to Corey Comperatore, who was slain during Saturday’s assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Video below: Trump honors firefighter killed during rally shooting
Secret Service officers are lined along the stairs that lead up to the stands. Hundreds of Trump supporters are watching their candidate prepare to speak for the first time since the shooting Saturday.
‘I’m not supposed to be here,’ Trump tells RNC crowd while recalling assassination attempt
“I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” Trump told the RNC attendees.
The comment was met by chants of “Yes you are!”
“Thank you. But I’m not and I’ll tell you, I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God,” Trump said.
Trump gives much-anticipated speech at RNC, formally accepts party nomination
Donald Trump took the stage to give remarks at the RNC. It’s the first public speech the former president has made since the assassination attempt on Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Trump and vice presidential nominee JD Vance signed the paperwork to officially accept their party’s nomination ahead of the former president’s speech.
Dana White, who is the president of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), introduced Trump. Prior to the former president taking the stage, Lee Greenwood played “God Bless the U.S.A.”
Kid Rock performs
Musician Kid Rock made an explosive entrance on the RNC stage and began singing ’fight! fight!” as the crowd repeated it back to him, a reference to the words Trump shouted after his assassination attempt.
He’s sang a remixed song with calls for the crowd to say, “Trump, Trump.” The screens behind him show flames and an American flag.
There were a lot of loud songs and speeches this week, but Kid Rock had the RNC arena literally vibrating. The bass during Rock’s pro-Trump song was so loud that it shook dividing walls set up right around the stage where the former president will soon give his prime-time headline address.
Melania Trump makes first appearance on RNC floor in Milwaukee
It is one of the most anticipated moments of the convention. Former first lady Melania Trump has been cheered loudly when mentioned by other speakers during the previous nights, but she finally entered the arena on the final night wearing a red jacket and pencil skirt suit and waving to the crowds.
Melania has been largely missing from the campaign trail, missing key moments such as his Super Tuesday victory party and his 78th birthday party last month. She also did not accompany the Republican nominee during his more than month-long hush money trial in New York, with reporters repeatedly asking him at the courthouse “Where’s Melania?”
She will not be speaking at the convention. Her office was the one that declined an invitation for Barron Trump to appear as a Florida delegate after the state’s Republican party chose him to join the delegation saying the couple’s youngest son had “prior commitments.”
Her presence helps the Republican party show unity, a theme that has emerged more prominently after the attempt on Trump’s life. A day after the attack, Melania issued a statement calling on Americans to “ascend above hate, the vitriol, and the simple-minded ideas that ignite violence.”
Franklin Graham is one of the few speakers to acknowledge abortion
Evangelist Franklin Graham followed former wrestling icon Hulk Hogan onto the stage, and he smiled at the contrast.
“God spared his life,” Graham said of Trump. “And when we go through those experiences, it changes us.”
Graham also made a rare allusion to Trump appointing the Supreme Court justices who provided the key votes to overturn Roe v. Wade, a politically touchy subject the convention has avoided.
“When he told me and this country that what he was going to do was appoint conservative justices, he did,” Graham said of Trump.
Graham also led a prayer for God’s guidance for the country and aid for Trump and running mate JD Vance. Graham added of Vance: “We’re thankful for his strong stand for defending life.”
Hulk Hogan takes RNC stage
Professional wrestling superstar Hulk Hogan was among the stars who were out at the RNC on Thursday, and the former WWE star took to the stage to voice his support of Trump.
Sporting a red bandana atop his platinum blonde hair, Hulk Hogan took the stage waving an American flag before gesturing to the crowd with moves that he made famous during his wrestling days.
In his speech, Hulk Hogan spoke of the electric energy of the crowd.
Hogan, who once endorsed former President Barack Obama, used wrestling references to talk about the strength and character of Trump, and referred to Trump and his running mate, JD Vance, as “the greatest tag team.”
As Hulk Hogan talked about the rage he felt when seeing the attempted assassination of Trump, Hogan, who was wearing a shirt that featured a wrestling-style image, tore off his shirt. Underneath, he was wearing a Trump-Vance 2024 T-shirt.
“I didn’t come here as Hulk Hogan, but I just had to give you a little taste,” the longtime pro-wrestler said.
The wrestler, whose real name is Terry Bollea, said he prefers to stay out of politics but felt compelled to speak at the convention and express his support of the former president.
“As an entertainer I try to stay out of politics,” Hogan said as he briefly broke character. “I can no longer stay silent. I’m here tonight because I want the world to know that Donald Trump is a real American hero.”
Trump and his family reenter the arena
Hulk Hogan’s appearance came moments after Trump, who had left the convention floor for a time, reemerged and made his way to his family box at the RNC. He was joined by members of his family, including his adult children, Don Jr. and Ivanka, and his grandchildren.
The band keeps vamping for time
The convention programming was running around half an hour behind schedule during the prime-time show Thursday. The band was playing song after song as the crowd awaited what was expected to be a series of high-profile speeches including Hulk Hogan to Eric Trump Jr., with the former president closing out the night.
Democratic Sen. Jon Tester called President Biden to drop out of the presidential race
The Montana senator is up for reelection this year, hoping to hold onto Democrats’ only congressional seat in the state.
“I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and I’ve never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong,” Tester told the Daily Montanan. “And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term.”
He is the second Democratic senator to call for Biden to exit the race. Sen. Peter Welch of Vermont called for Biden to step down earlier this month.
Tucker Carlson praises Trump’s reaction to assassination attempt
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson says that he called Trump hours after Saturday’s assassination attempt and the former president didn’t talk about himself.
“He said only how amazed he was and how proud he was of the crowd that didn’t run,” Tucker recounted. “Of course, they didn’t run; his courage gave them heart.”
Carlson also said that Trump didn’t try to create division after the attack. “He turned down the most obvious opportunity to inflame the nation,” Carlson said.
Country singer Jason Aldean greets Trump at the convention
How much Trump loves music has come up several times in Thursday’s speeches, and he’s got a country star with him in the box.
Jason Aldean is seated with Trump for the RNC’s final night. He and his wife, Brittany, shook hands with Trump and have been spotted speaking with him during the program.
Aldean, a Trump supporter, dedicated his song “Try That in a Small Town” to Trump during a recent concert in Nashville following the Pennsylvania assassination attempt.
Last year, the music video for the song — which became that summer’s political litmus test — received fervent criticism online, with some claiming the visual is a “dog whistle” and others labeling it “pro-lynching.”
In the video, Aldean performed in front of the Maury County Courthouse in Columbia, Tennessee, the site of a 1946 race riot and a 1927 mob lynching of an 18-year-old Black teenager named Henry Choate.
‘Every attack on President Trump only strengthens our movement,’ Trump attorney and adviser says
Alina Habba, Trump’s attorney and adviser, offered a humanizing portrait of Trump, a man she said “loves this country” and “lifts up those around him.”
She told the story of being on the phone with him outside a courthouse when a man on the street yelled, “God Bless you and President Trump!” She said Trump overheard the man and asked her to hand over the phone so he could thank him personally for his support.
“The left has tried to demolish Trump, but there is no bulldozer big enough or strong enough to remove the legacy that he has built or the future he has created,” she said, adding, “Every attack on President Trump only strengthens our movement.”
She also talked about Saturday’s failed assassination attempt.
“So let us not forget that President Trump did not just take a bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania. He has and will continue to take them for each and every one of us.”
RNC video uses Ronald Reagan quote from 1980 presidential debate
A video that played at the RNC before conservative media personality Tucker Carlson took the stage evoked the voice of late former President Ronald Reagan.
The video used Reagan’s words made famous during the 1980 presidential debate against former President Jimmy Carter: “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?”
In the video, Reagan asked voters to “ask yourself” if it was “easier” to buy products at the grocery store, if unemployment numbers have risen or fallen, if America is “as respected throughout the world as it was,” and if the nation feels more or less secure than it was four years prior.
New York builders attest to Trump’s personal character
New York builders father and son Steven and Zach Witkoff were among speakers meant to serve as witnesses for Trump as a friend and employer.
The former president’s persona has been well-defined after a term in office and a highly public profile since leaving office.
The father and son vouched for Trump as a boss and a grandfather.
“I have witnessed his leadership in quiet moments,” Steve Witkoff said. “When times are really tough, when he has everything to lose and nothing to gain, Donald Trump is there for you.”
Describing pain that was “unbearable,” Steve Wifcoff told of Trump’s outreach after the man’s son died of an opioid overdose.
“That’s who he is,” Steven Witcoff said.
In a passionate speech, a Detroit pastor speaks in favor of Trump
The pastor of a Black church in Detroit that Trump visited last month has suggested that the former president came to his congregation to listen and learn.
“Could it be that Jesus Christ preserved him for a time such as this?” Lorenzo Sewell, a Detroit pastor, proclaimed, as thousands of delegates cheered and rose to their feet.
Sewell made repeated Biblical references, and reminded the crowd that Trump “came to the hood because he cares about average everyday Americans.”
Sewell also made several references to the assassination attempt, saying that “if President Donald Trump would have moved just a millimeter,” he would not have been at the convention.
Addressing his “Democrat friends,” Sewell asked if they knew of anyone who had been “convicted of 34 counts, raised 53 million dollars in 24 hours and could be the 47th president of America — and he was shot one time. Do you know anybody like that?”
Senators night in Trump’s family box
A group of Trump’s most loyal allies in the Senate are seated in the former president’s exclusive box at the RNC on Thursday night. Sens. Mike Lee, Bill Hagerty, and Ted Cruz are filling the seats ahead of the arrival of Trump’s family for his highly anticipated speech. Some Senate hopefuls are also lounging in the area, including Nevada GOP candidate Sam Brown.
Donald Trump arrives for the fourth night of the RNC
After a video montage of the former president dancing at various events to The Village People’s “Y.M.C.A.,” Donald Trump arrived for the fourth night of the convention.
With a bandage still covering his ear, Trump entered the floor of the arena to thunderous applause.
Trump will speak later as he formally accepts the party’s nomination.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo takes RNC stage
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is highlighting the foreign policy accomplishments of Trump’s administration, saying, “We put America first every single day.”
Pompeo also lashed out at Biden for the disastrous pullout from Afghanistan and blamed him for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and Gaza’s attack on Israel.
“We can’t trust the Biden administration,” he said.
Pompeo, who also served as Trump’s CIA director and represented Kansas in Congress, considered challenging Trump this year for the GOP nomination. But he decided to stay out of the race, saying the time was not right for him and his family.
Down the block from the RNC, dozens gather to mourn two dead
Down the block from the RNC, about 50 family members and supporters of two Milwaukee men recently killed in separate circumstances rallied and marched to call attention to the two deaths.
The event focused on the death of Samuel Sharpe, a homeless man fatally shot Tuesday by out-of-state police officers deployed to Milwaukee for the RNC, as well D’Vontaye Mitchell, who died last month after he was pinned down by security guards at a nearby hotel.
The deaths of the two men, both of whom were Black, has inflamed tensions within the city, with Sharpe’s killing in particular focusing scrutiny on the law enforcement approach to the convention.
Speaking to dozens of protesters and a phalanx of reporters, Angelique Sharpe attributed her brother’s death to the presence of out-of-state police officers.
“I’d rather have the Milwaukee police department who know the people of this community (than) people who have no ties to your community and don’t care nothing about our extended family members down there,” she said.
Police officials said Sharpe was shot by five Columbus, Ohio, police officers who spotted him lunging at another man with two knives.
At the rally, Angelique Sharpe said her brother suffered from multiple sclerosis and was acting in self-defense against a person who had threatened him in recent days.
Professional wrestling and other stars present at RNC
There was some star power as the events of the fourth night of the RNC kicked off.
Professional wrestling fans recognized a couple of familiar faces as wrestling icon Hulk Hogan was at the convention. Additionally, Linda McMahon, who is the former CEO of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), spoke from the stage, appealing to small business owners and others.
McMahon, who is married to former WWE CEO Vince McMahon and served in Trump’s cabinet as the U.S. administrator of the Small Business Administration, spoke of her long friendship with the former president, who appeared in several WWE storylines over the years.
ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS
Former administrator of the Small Business Administration Linda McMahon speaks during the last day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 18, 2024. Donald Trump will get a hero’s welcome Thursday as he accepts the Republican Party’s nomination to run for US president in a speech capping a convention dominated by the recent attempt on his life. (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)
“He is a good man. He has the heart of a lion and the soul of a warrior,” Linda McMahon said. “I believe if necessary he would stand at the gates of hell to defend our country.”
Hogan and Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White were expected to speak at the event, and musician Kid Rock was also set to perform.
NASCAR Hall of Famer Richard Petty was also seen at the convention Thursday.
‘Everyday American’ is GOP-backing billionaire
One of the “everyday Americans” speaking on behalf of Trump’s campaign is a former Playboy model who’s been listed among the country’s wealthiest self-made women.
Wisconsin native Diane Hendricks told delegates how she started off as a single mom who got into real estate, met her husband and “risked everything we had” to start ABC Supply.
Their company is the largest wholesale distributor of roofing supplies and one of the largest distributors of siding and windows in North America, with nearly 700 locations across the U.S. and Canada.
Hendricks talked about the tens of thousands of jobs she’s helped create in the U.S. and told aspiring entrepreneurs, “if I can make it, you can make it, too.” She also lauded Trump’s business acumen as what the country needs.
She’s been a big backer of GOP candidates both in her home state and elsewhere. Forbes lists her estimated net worth above $20 billion.
New York builders attest to Trump personal character
New York builders father and son Steven and Zach Witkoff were among speakers meant to serve as witnesses for Trump as a friend and employer.
The former president’s persona has been well-defined after a term in office and a highly public profile since leaving office.
The father and son vouched for Trump as a boss and a grandfather.
“I have witnessed his leadership in quiet moments,” Steve Witkoff said. “When times are really tough, when he has everything to lose and nothing to gain, Donald Trump is there for you.”
Describing pain that was “unbearable,” Steve Wifcoff told of Trump’s outreach after the man’s son died of an opioid overdose.
“That’s who he is,” Steven Witcoff said.
RNC speeches open with an appeal to voters in swing states
In the first speech of the night, U.S. Sen. Steve Daines, a Republican from Montana who is also the chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee, tried to appeal to voters in states where key Senate races are taking place this year.
The GOP has been using the convention to appeal to swing state voters in hopes of retaining control of the House of Representatives and taking back control of the U.S. Senate.
Daines attempted to appeal to voters in states like Arizona, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin, Nevada, Ohio and Montana.
Trump says he’s rewritten his remarks
Republicans throughout the week in Milwaukee have suggested the combative former president take a gentler tone in light of the shooting and have suggested the crisis provides a chance to de-escalate the divisive political rhetoric that has marked the 2024 campaign.
Trump told the Washington Examiner that he had rewritten his acceptance speech in the wake of the Saturday shooting, emphasizing a call for national unity.
“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” he said. “Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches,” aimed mostly at the policies of President Joe Biden.
“Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now,” he said.
Any such dialing down by Trump will come before a delegation, many of whom have been moved by Trump’s own defiant words in the grasp of U.S. Secret Service agents Saturday, and have sparked their echo in the form of chants of “fight, fight, fight.”
“I do believe that after going through that his message will be better, and I do think he will appeal to our better emotions,” Pennsylvania Republican Party Chairman Lawrence Tabas said. “He has an enormous compassion and empathy that doesn’t always come through.”
Trump’s family will be at RNC, but not everyone will speak
Unlike most national conventions, Trump’s wife Melania and daughter Ivanka who both spoke at the previous two conventions are not expected to address the convention but are expected to attend.
Lara Trump, his daughter-in-law, ended the program Tuesday with a speech about Trump’s personal warmth and love for his family.
The final day of the RNC is underway
Trump’s moment of survival has shaped the week, even as convention organizers insisted they would continue with their program as planned less than 48 hours after the shooting. Speakers and delegates have repeatedly chanted “Fight, fight, fight!” in homage to Trump’s words as he got to his feet and pumped his fist after Secret Service agents killed the gunman. And some of his supporters have started sporting their own makeshift bandages on the convention floor.
Speakers throughout the week have attributed Trump’s survival to divine intervention and paid tribute to victim Corey Comperatore, who died after shielding his wife and daughter from gunfire at the rally.
“Instead of a day of celebration, this could have been a day of heartache and mourning,” Trump’s vice presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, said in his speech to the convention on Wednesday.
Video below: Vice president nominee JD Vance addresses delegates at RNC
The convention has tried to give voice to the fear and frustration of conservatives while also trying to promote the former president as a symbol of hope for all voters.
The convention has showcased a Republican Party reshaped by Trump since he shocked the GOP establishment and won the hearts of the party’s grassroots on his way to the party’s 2016 nomination. Rivals Trump has vanquished — including Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — put aside their past criticisms and gave him their unqualified support.
Even Vance, Trump’s pick to carry his movement into the next generation, was once a fierce critic who suggested in a private message since made public that Trump could be “America’s Hitler.”
Notable speakers for RNC Day 4:
- Eric Trump
- Sen. Steve Daines, chair of the National Republican Senatorial Committee
- Rep. Richard Hudson, chair of the National Republican Congressional Committee
- Diane Hendricks, a billionaire who is the co-founder of ABC Supply
- Linda McMahon, the 25th administrator of the Small Business Administration
- Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
- Steve Witkoff, a businessman and developer
- Alina Habba, Trump’s attorney
- Tucker Carlson
- Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship
