NATIONAL NEWS

Donald Trump will accept Republican nomination again days after surviving an assassination attempt

Jul 18, 2024, 8:47 AM

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on stage during his walk-through on...

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump on stage during his walk-through on the third day of the Republican National Convention on Wednesday, July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Credit: ASSOCIATED PRESS

(AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Donald Trump takes 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 will conclude 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.

His 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.

Trump has said the shooting also led him to change his RNC speech, from what was going to be “a humdinger” made up largely of attacks on President Joe Biden to one more focused on bringing the country together.

“Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now,” Trump told the Washington Examiner.

His son Donald Trump Jr. said earlier this week that he spent a few hours with him trying to “de-escalate” some of the rhetoric in the former president’s speech following the attack. Trump has not released information about the extent of his injuries or the treatment he received.

RNC speakers this 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.

In his first prime-time speech since becoming the nominee for vice president, Vance spoke of growing up poor in Kentucky and Ohio, his mother addicted to drugs and his father absent, and of how he later joined the military and went on to the highest levels of U.S. politics.

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.”

While Republicans were set to emerge from their convention more united than in recent memory, Democrats are bitterly divided about whether Biden should continue to lead the ticket. Biden, following his disastrous debate performance against Trump last month, has resisted increasing pressure to drop out, with Democrats’ own party convention scheduled for next month in Chicago.

Nearly two-thirds of Democrats nationally say Biden should step aside and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to an AP/NORC poll released Wednesday.

Some national polls do show a close race, though others suggest Trump with a lead. And some state polls have contained warning signs for Biden, too, including a recent New York Times/Siena poll that suggested a competitive race in Virginia, a state Biden won in their 2020 matchup.

The RNC 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.

Trump Jr. spoke movingly Wednesday about his father’s bravery, saying he showed “for all the world” that “the next American president has the heart of a lion.” But he toggled back and forth between talking about his father as a symbol of national unity and slamming his enemies.

“When he stood up with blood on his face and the flag at his back the world saw a spirit that could never be broken,” Trump Jr. said.

Trump has not spoken in public since the shooting, though he’s given interviews off camera. But he referenced it during a private fundraiser on Wednesday, according to a clip of his remarks recorded on a cellphone and obtained by PBS News.

“I got lucky,” he said. “God was with me.”

KSL 5 TV Live

National News

Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump arrives to speak at a campaign rally ...

Associated Press

AP Race Call: Donald Trump wins Pennsylvania

Former President Donald Trump won Pennsylvania on Wednesday, defeating Democrat Kamala Harris in the critical battleground state.

42 minutes ago

Associated Press called the race for Trump in Georgia late Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. (KSL TV)...

Associated Press

AP Race Call: Donald Trump wins Georgia

Former President Donald Trump won the swing state of Georgia on Wednesday, returning its 16 electoral votes to the Republican column.

2 hours ago

Lights shine inside the U.S. Capitol Building as night falls on Jan. 21, 2018, in Washington....

Lisa Mascaro and Mary Clare Jalonick, Associated Press

Republicans take Senate majority for first time in 4 years

Republicans have taken the Senate majority for first time in four years.

2 hours ago

A man votes while holding a child at Valley View Elementary School Gym on Election Day, Tuesday, No...

JOHN HANNA

South Dakota deciding on abortion rights and legalize marijuana

South Dakota will decide Tuesday whether to add protections for abortion rights to the state constitution and potentially overturn the state’s abortion ban.

5 hours ago

FILE — Police lights. (KSL TV)...

Jim Salter, The Associated Press

Flash flooding blamed for 5 deaths in Missouri, including 2 election judges

Flash flooding caused by torrential rain in Missouri has killed at least five people, including two election judges who died when their vehicles were swept away in the southern part of the state.

7 hours ago

Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean Sea on Monday afternoon. (CNN Weather via CNN Newsour...

Mary Gilbert, CNN

Tropical Storm Rafael forms in the Caribbean and could threaten the US Gulf Coast

Tropical Storm Rafael formed in the Caribbean Sea Monday afternoon and could bring a rare November threat to the United States this weekend after tearing through parts of the western Caribbean.

7 hours ago

Sponsored Articles

abstract vector digital social network technology background...

Les Olson

Protecting yourself against social engineering attacks

Learn more about the common types of social engineering to protect your online or offline assets from an attack.

family having fun at home...

Lighting Design

Discover the impact of lighting on your mood

From color temperature to lighting saturation, we tackle how different lighting design setups can impact your day-to-day mood.

Laptops in a modern technology store. Department of computers in the electronics store. Choosing a ...

PC Laptops

How to choose the best laptop for college students

Finding the right laptop for college students can be hard, but with this guide we break down what to look for so you can find the best one.

young male technician is repairing a printer at office...

Les Olson

Unraveling the dilemma between leasing and buying office technology

Carefully weigh these pros and cons to make an informed decision that best suits your business growth and day-to-day operation. 

A kitchen in a modern farmhouse....

Lighting Design

A room-by-room lighting guide for your home

Bookmark this room-by-room lighting guide whenever you decide to upgrade your lighting or style a new home.

Photo courtesy of Artists of Ballet West...

Ballet West

The rising demand for ballet tickets: why they’re harder to get

Ballet West’s box office is experiencing demand they’ve never seen before, leaving many interested patrons unable to secure tickets they want.

Donald Trump will accept Republican nomination again days after surviving an assassination attempt