Around 10 pm, after a Metallica song reinterpreted by Kid Rock, a speech by UFC president Dana White, and the motto “fight, fight, fight” as the theme of the last night of the Republican National Convention, Donald Trump appeared on the main stage of the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee to formally accept the presidential nomination.
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It was the first time that Trump appeared to speak in public since he suffered an assassination attempt on Saturday, July 13 at a political campaign event in Butler, Pennsylvania.
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But far from his grandiose, intense, and aggressive speeches, this time a different Trump was seen, calm, composed, and delivering a much more moderate message.
What did Trump say at the Republican Convention?
Still with the bandage on his right ear that he wore during the four nights of the Republican Convention, Trump described how he felt during the assassination attempt that came within millimeters of ending his life.
“I shouldn't be here tonight”, said Trump in front of thousands of people who listened in silence. “There was blood all over the place, yet, in a way, I felt very safe because I had God on my side.”
The 78-year-old former president delivered a deeply personal message about his close encounter with death. He also requested a minute of silence in honor of Corey Comperatore, the retired fire chief who lost his life during the attack and was remembered with his jacket and helmet on stage. The Republican candidate approached and kissed the helmet.
"We must heal the discord and division in our society. We must heal it quickly. As Americans, we are united in one destiny and a shared course. We rise together. Or we fall apart... I seek the presidency for all of the United States, not for half of the United States, because winning for half of the United States is not a victory," said Trump in a much lower and more measured tone than usual.
Perceiving a certain political opportunity after his near-death experience, the Republican adopted a new tone hoping that it will help him generate even more momentum in an election that seems to be leaning in his favor.
He even thanked the Secret Service for their bravery during the attack, highlighting a stark contrast with the harsh criticism from several prominent Republican leaders who have called for the resignation of the agency's chief, Kimberly Cheatle.
Who will be Trump's opponent in November?
Trump’s speech marked the climax and conclusion of a huge Republican event that attracted thousands of activists and conservative officials to Wisconsin, a key state in the upcoming elections, at a time when voters are weighing their options in an election where two highly unpopular candidates are facing off.
The National Democratic Convention is scheduled for August 19, but unlike the Republicans, there are many doubts about who will be the candidate as President Joe Biden is facing increasing pressure to drop out of the campaign, even from leaders like Barack Obama and Nancy Pelosi.