Trump describes assassination attempt in personal detail as he accepts Republican nomination

MILWAUKEE (AP) — Donald Trump, somber and bandaged, accepted nan GOP statesmanlike information connected Thursday astatine nan Republican National Convention successful a reside wherever he described really he felt during an assassination effort that could person ended his life.

“I’m not expected to beryllium present tonight,” Trump told nan packed normal hallway arsenic thousands of group listened successful silence. “There was humor pouring everywhere, yet, successful a definite measurement I felt secure because I had God connected my side.”

The 78-year-old erstwhile president, known champion for his bombast and fierce rhetoric, offered a softer and profoundly individual connection that drew straight from his brushwood pinch death. He asked for a infinitesimal of soundlessness for Corey Comperatore, nan retired occurrence main who was slain astatine nan rally.

“The discord and section successful our nine must beryllium healed. We conscionable heal it quickly. As Americans, we are bound together by a azygous destiny and a shared destiny. We emergence together. Or we autumn apart,” Trump said, wearing a ample achromatic bandage connected his correct ear, arsenic he has each week, to screen a coiled he sustained successful nan Saturday shooting. “I americium moving to beryllium president for each of America, not half of America, because location is nary triumph successful winning for half of America.”

Trump’s reside marks nan climax and conclusion of a monolithic four-day Republican pep rally that drew thousands of blimpish activists and elected officials to swing-state Wisconsin arsenic voters measurement an predetermination that presently features 2 profoundly unpopular candidates. Sensing governmental opportunity successful nan aftermath of his near-death experience, nan often bombastic Republican leader embraced a caller reside he hopes will thief make moreover much momentum successful an predetermination that appears to beryllium shifting successful his favor.

But pinch little than 4 months to spell successful nan contest, awesome changes successful nan title are possible, if not likely.

Trump’s quality comes arsenic 81-year-old Democrat Biden clings to his party’s information successful nan look of unrelenting unit from cardinal legislature allies, donors and moreover erstwhile President Barack Obama, who fearfulness he whitethorn beryllium incapable to triumph reelection aft his disastrous debate.
Long pressed by friends to run much vigorously, Biden is alternatively successful isolation astatine his formation location successful Delaware aft having been diagnosed pinch COVID-19.

While Trump offered a gentler reside than accustomed connected Thursday night, nan crowded speaking programme of nan convention’s last time was besides designed to task spot successful an implicit rebuke of Biden. It was decidedly much masculine than it has been for overmuch of nan week.

Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White called Trump “a existent American bad ass.” Kid Rock performed a opus pinch nan chorus, “Fight, fight!” And wrestling icon Hulk Hogan described nan erstwhile president arsenic “an American hero.”

Hogan drew a raucous consequence when, opinionated connected nan main stage, he ripped disconnected his garment to uncover a reddish Trump-Vance “Make America Great Again” shirt.

“As an entertainer I effort to enactment retired of politics,” Hogan said arsenic he concisely collapsed character. “I tin nary longer enactment silent.”

Like galore speakers during nan convention, Carlson besides suggested that caller events were divinely inspired and that he wondered “if thing bigger is going on.”

“I deliberation it changed him,” Carlson said of nan shooting, praising Trump for not lashing retired successful anger afterward.

“He did his champion to bring nan state together,” Carlson added. “This is nan astir responsible, unifying behaviour from a leader I’ve ever seen.”

Former first woman Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump, nan president’s elder girl and erstwhile elder adviser, joined Trump successful nan normal hallway up of his speech, making their first appearances there. But neither female spoke.

While Republicans were group to look from their normal much agreed than successful caller memory, Democrats are bitterly divided astir whether Biden should proceed to lead nan ticket. Biden, pursuing his disastrous statement capacity against Trump past month, has resisted expanding unit to driblet out, pinch Democrats’ ain statement normal scheduled for adjacent period successful Chicago.

Hours earlier nan balloons were scheduled to rainfall down connected Trump and his family wrong nan normal hall, Biden lawman run head Quentin Fulks appeared adjacent successful Milwaukee and insisted complete and complete that Biden would not measurement aside.

“I do not want to beryllium rude, but I don’t cognize really galore much times I tin reply that,” Fulks told reporters. “There are nary plans being made to switch Biden connected nan ballot.”

Nearly two-thirds of Democrats nationally opportunity Biden should measurement speech and fto his statement nominate a different candidate, according to an AP-NORC canvass released Wednesday.

The normal has showcased a Republican Party reshaped by Trump since he shocked nan GOP constitution and won complete nan party’s grassroots connected his measurement to nan party’s 2016 nomination. Rivals Trump has vanquished — including Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, erstwhile U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — put speech their past criticisms and gave him their unqualified support.

Even his vice statesmanlike pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, Trump’s prime to transportation his activity into nan adjacent generation, was erstwhile a fierce professional who suggested successful a backstage connection since made nationalist that Trump could beryllium “America’s Hitler.”

Security was a awesome attraction successful Milwaukee successful nan aftermath of Trump’s near-assassination. But aft astir 4 afloat days, location were nary superior incidents wrong nan normal hallway aliases nan ample information perimeter that surrounded it.

The Secret Service, backed by hundreds of rule enforcement officers from crossed nan nation, had a ample and visible presence. And during Trump’s appearances each night, he was surrounded by a wall of protective agents wherever he went.

Meanwhile, Trump and his run person not released accusation astir his wounded aliases nan curen he received.

“The assassin’s slug came wrong a 4th of an inch of taking my life,” Trump said. “Despite specified a heinous attack, we merge this evening much wished than ever.”

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Associated Press reporters Michelle L. Price successful Milwaukee and Emily Swanson successful Washington contributed to this report.