Donald Trump made a dramatic entrance on the first night of the Republican National Convention on Monday, receiving loud applause from supporters just two days after a bullet grazed his right ear in an assassination attempt.
With a thick bandage over his ear, Trump entered the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee as the crowd chanted “Fight! Fight! Fight,” echoing his defiant reaction after being wounded.
The former president mouthed “Thank you” and joined some of his children and U.S. Senator J.D. Vance, his newly announced running mate, in a box.
Read more: Donald Trump Assassination Attempt: Key Details on Rally Shooting
Trump is set to formally accept the party’s nomination on Thursday and will challenge Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 election.
The convention began less than 48 hours after a gunman opened fire at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing a supporter before being shot dead. The motive remains unknown.
During the convention’s Monday session, six ordinary Americans discussed the impact of inflation on lower and middle-income families, while Republican leaders criticized the Biden administration.
Senator Tim Scott, who briefly contested Trump for the nomination, credited divine intervention for sparing Trump’s life.
“Our God still saves,” Scott said. “On Saturday, the devil came to Pennsylvania with a rifle, but an American lion got back up and roared!”
Vance, a former Trump critic who has become a staunch ally and supports Trump’s false claims of widespread fraud in the 2020 election, joined Trump in the afternoon announcement.
Vance’s popularity among Trump’s core supporters is high, but it’s unclear if he can appeal to a broader audience. His conservative stance on issues like abortion could alienate moderate voters.
Vance, with his wife Usha, greeted delegates on the convention floor and is scheduled to speak on Wednesday.
Reproductive rights in question
Biden told reporters at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland that Vance mirrors Trump on key issues, while other Democrats criticized Vance’s stance on reproductive rights.
In an interview on Monday night, Vance expressed support for Trump’s view that each state should determine its own abortion laws.
Opinion polls indicate a tight race between Trump, 78, and Biden, 81, with Trump leading in several pivotal swing states. Trump has not committed to accepting the election results if he loses.
Taylor Budowich, head of the primary fundraising super PAC supporting Trump, said on X that MAGA Inc raised over $50 million on Monday.
The Wall Street Journal reported that billionaire Elon Musk plans to donate about $45 million a month to a new pro-Trump super PAC, citing sources familiar with his plans. Musk endorsed Trump following the assassination attempt on Saturday.
After the shooting, Trump announced he was revising his acceptance speech to focus on national unity instead of his differences with Biden.
“The speech will be a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago,” Trump told the Washington Examiner.
The day began with another legal victory for Trump, as U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed federal charges accusing him of retaining classified documents after leaving the White House.
Trump is scheduled for sentencing in New York in September for attempting to cover up a hush money payment to porn star Stormy Daniels before the 2016 election.
However, his other federal and state indictments related to efforts to overturn the 2020 election are delayed and may be limited following a U.S. Supreme Court ruling granting him immunity for many of his presidential acts.
“This dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts,” Trump said on Truth Social on Monday, also referring to the prosecutions of his supporters who stormed the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021.
No tolerance for violence
The assassination attempt on Trump has dramatically changed the presidential campaign’s focus, which was previously centered on whether Biden should withdraw due to concerns about his age and cognitive abilities after a faltering debate performance on June 27. Nearly two dozen Democratic lawmakers have urged Biden to step aside and let the party select a new candidate.
This week’s spotlight will be on Trump. With firm control over the party, Trump has the chance to either deliver a unifying message or continue portraying the country as besieged by a corrupt leftist elite, as he has often done in his speeches.
Trump has frequently used violent rhetoric in his campaigns, calling his opponents “vermin” and “fascists.” Biden has described Trump as a danger to U.S. democracy, remarks some Republicans claim have contributed to the hostile atmosphere that led to the shooting, even though the shooter’s motive remains unknown.
In response to Saturday’s incident, Biden attempted to de-escalate political tensions. “There is no place in America for this kind of violence,” he stated from the White House on Sunday. In interview on Monday, Biden admitted it was a “mistake” to suggest putting Trump “in the bullseye” to donors but noted Trump’s frequent use of incendiary language.
Biden has ordered an independent review of how the gunman got so close to Trump. Congressional investigators are also looking to question the head of the U.S. Secret Service, tasked with protecting the former president.
