Two days after surviving an attempted assassination, former United States president Donald Trump has appeared triumphantly at the Republican National Convention’s opening night with a bandage over his right ear.
Delegates cheered wildly as Trump appeared onscreen backstage and then emerged, visibly emotional, as country singer Lee Greenwood sang God Bless the USA.
Trump did not address the convention.
Trump’s appearance came hours after jubilant delegates nominated him to lead their ticket for a third time and welcomed Ohio senator JD Vance as his running mate.
Trump’s son Eric announced Florida’s votes, which put the former president over the top for the nomination.
The vote makes it official that Trump, who has long been the presumptive nominee, will lead the GOP in a third consecutive election. After winning in 2016, he lost to President Joe Biden in 2020. In November, he will again face Biden.
Trump’s announcement of Vance as his choice for a vice-presidential running mate has also been formally endorsed at the Milwaukee convention.
Delegates danced and waved Trump signs as the song Celebration played.
Throughout the voting, delegates flanked by ‘Make America Great Again’ signs applauded as state after state voted their support for Trump’s second term.
Trump will formally accept the party’s nomination in a prime-time speech on Thursday.
Saturday’s shooting at a Pennsylvania rally, where Trump was injured and one man died, was not far from delegates’ minds as they celebrated.
Some delegates chanted “fight, fight, fight” — the same words that Trump was seen shouting to the crowd as the Secret Service ushered him off the stage, his fist raised and face bloodied.
“We should all be thankful right now that we are able to cast our votes for President Donald J Trump after what took place on Saturday,” said New Jersey state senator Michael Testa.
After the assassination attempt, Trump said he was revising his acceptance speech to emphasise national unity rather than highlight his differences with Biden.
“This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago,” Trump told the Washington Examiner.
Some well-timed good news was also affecting the mood on the convention floor. The federal judge presiding over Trump’s classified documents case dismissed the prosecution because of concerns over the appointment of the prosecutor who brought the case, handing the former president a major court victory.
The US Justice Department will appeal against the ruling.
Hundreds of demonstrators converged in downtown Milwaukee to protest around the convention, calling attention to issues such as abortion rights, economic justice and the war in Gaza.
The protesters’ movements were restricted as part of enhanced security precautions established by the Secret Service.
With reporting by Reuters and the Associated Press.
Source Agencies
