Milwaukee, Wisconsin Former President Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination on Thursday night, launching his third campaign to become the 47th president of the United States before a rapt audience.
The normally bombastic Trump adopted a more conciliatory tone toward the nation in the wake of the assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. With Hulk Hogan, Tucker Carlson and Kid Rock among the speakers earlier, the Fiserv Forum had the feel of a raucous concert.
But with Trump, you could hear a pin drop as the delegates and guests in the room were silent and hung on every word.
“I offer you the hand of loyalty and friendship.”
“I’m running for president all “Half of America won, not half of America, because half of America doesn’t win,” Trump began his speech. “As you all know, an assassin’s bullet came very close to taking my life. Many of you have asked me what happened, and I’ll tell you what happened. You’ll never hear that story from me again, because it’s too painful to tell.”
Trump recalled that he knew the shot was a bullet the moment it hit him. As he lay on the ground surrounded by Secret Service agents, Trump said he knew God was protecting him. As usual, Trump recalled being surprised by the amount of blood coming out of his ear. He said a doctor told him that a pierced ear would cause more bleeding.
“I shouldn’t be here tonight,” Trump said, to which the crowd responded with chants of “Yes!”
“In a time when politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are all one people. We are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” he continued.
“Whether you’re young or old, male or female, Democrat, Republican or independent, black or white, Asian or Hispanic, I offer you the hand of loyalty and friendship,” he said.
As usual, Trump highlighted major issues facing the nation, including the border crisis and the fallout from a disastrous withdrawal from Afghanistan, but he only mentioned his opponent, President Joe Biden, by name once.
Trump also brought up a chart on illegal immigration that he was looking at at the Butler rally when he was shot, joking, “The last time I put this chart out, I didn’t have a chance to actually look at it.”
Towards the end of his more than hour-long speech, Trump alternated between impromptu and prepared remarks on a range of topics.
“The attackers in Pennsylvania tried to stop our movement. … This movement has never been about me, it has always been about you. … It cannot be stopped.”
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