US Republicans eagerly await Trump's candidate speech
In his speech, Trump reportedly intends to forgo his usual sharp rhetoric and instead present himself as a reunifier for the Nation.
Shortly after the attempted assassination on a Saturday during a campaign rally in the state of Pennsylvania, he told the "New York Post" that he originally intended to give a "very harsh speech" about President Joe Biden's administration. However, he discarded the text after the attack and now plans to give a speech "that unites our country."
The polarizing right-populist is attempting an image change, having previously led his campaign as a prolonged polemics against Biden and the Democrats.
Trump spoke to the roughly 2400 delegates for the first three days of the convention but enjoyed the cheers that greeted him. At the beginning of the assembly on Monday, the delegates formally nominated Trump as the Presidential candidate for the November 3rd election.
Since the attack, the former President wears a white patch on his right ear, where the bullet from the assassin hit him - the patch has become a symbol of his heroism in the eyes of his supporters.
The famous photo of Trump right after the attack, with blood running down his cheek and him raising his fist in a defiant salute against the US flag, is prominently displayed at the convention.
The Trump cult within the Party and among his supporters has taken on more religious undertones since the attack than before. Many of his Christian-conservative supporters see him as sent by God and protected. "It's a miracle that his life was spared, and I really believe it was God's hand," said the 50-year-old delegate Teena Horlacher from the state of Utah to the news agency AFP.
A day before Trump, his Vice Presidential candidate J.D. Vance gave his convention speech. The 39-year-old Senator, bestselling author ("Hillbilly Elegy"), and former financial investor from impoverished backgrounds in the Rust Belt region hit hard by the decline of the steel industry, pledged to fight for the interests of workers. He called for a "new way." "The people who govern this country have failed us again and again," he said about the Biden administration.
Vance was previously a harsh critic of Trump and became his loyal supporter with his entry into politics. Trump was also paid tribute by other former critics - among them his primary rival, former Ambassador Nikki Haley. At the well-organized event, no dissent towards Trump was discernible - unlike earlier, when he was a highly controversial figure within the Party.
Trump currently benefits in the campaign from the weakness of his 81-year-old rival Biden, who appeared fumbling and disoriented in a TV debate at the end of June and is now facing a heated debate among the Democrats about his fitness for a second term. "There's clearly a stark contrast between the strength of President Trump and the weakness of President Biden," said delegate Clifton Carroll from Mississippi.
- The US-Republicans are currently running a campaign, with Donald Trump serving as their presidential candidate in the upcoming election.
- Trump's campaign speech in Milwaukee was expected to be filled with reconciliation messages, a shift from his usual aggressive rhetoric.
- Despite initial plans for a harsh speech against Joe Biden's administration, Trump decided to alter his campaign strategy following an attack in Pennsylvania.
- The Republicans celebrated Trump's nomination as their presidential candidate during the convention in Wisconsin, marking a moment of unity within the party.
- The New York Post reported on Trump's changed campaign strategy, highlighting his shift towards reconciliation after the attempted assassination.
- In his campaign speeches, Trump has emphasized his heroism and resilience, using symbols like the white patch on his ear to connect with his supporters.
