Milwaukee, United States—Donald Trump predicted an “incredible victory” Thursday in accepting the Republican presidential nomination from a party euphoric over his escape from assassination and buoyed by the apparent implosion of Joe Biden’s re-election campaign.
The 78-year-old former president commanded the stage for more than 90 minutes—well above average by convention standards—as he offered a deeply personal account of his near-death experience before pivoting to grievances over the Democrats’ handling of the economy, immigration and other issues.
“We will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country,” Trump said at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
It was his first speech since a 20-year-old man shot at him, causing a wound to one ear and killing a bystander during a rally last weekend.
In an emotional retelling of the shooting, where Trump said he had “God on my side,” the ex-president asked for a moment of silence to honor the victim, firefighter Corey Comperatore. Before a hushed crowd, he kissed the slain firefighter’s helmet on the stage.
“I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” Trump said quietly, prompting supporters to shout out “Yes you are!”
Minutes earlier Trump took the stage to chants of “USA” from a crowd which has spent the week talking of him in near-divine terms.
“There was excitement, hope. He seemed tonight to be pretty energized,” 64-year-old Terry Arnold from the Seattle area, told Agence France Presse (AFP) at her first convention.
“Earlier in the week he looked, understandably, a little weary to me. He’s been through a lot.”
Warm-up acts included shirt-ripping 1980s wrestling icon Hulk Hogan and conspiracy theorist and far-right media guru Tucker Carlson, who described Trump’s survival as a historic moment.
But while the speech had been touted as the launch of a less abrasive, more unity-seeking Trump, he soon reverted to his familiar painting of America as an apocalyptic ruin that needs saving.
Promising to complete a wall on the US-Mexico border, he said an “invasion” of immigrants had brought “destruction” and “misery” to a “nation in decline.”
He vowed to end Biden’s massive spending on fighting climate change, calling it a “scam.”
Trump again made his false claim that Democrats cheated in his defeat to Biden in the 2020 election. And, despite aides promising that Trump would not even say Biden in the speech, Trump did refer to his opponent by name and “the damage” he has done.
Trump flips script
Despite a torrent of scandals, impeachment for his unprecedented attempt to overturn the 2020 election, and 34 felony convictions in May at a New York criminal trial, Trump is on the rise in polls ahead of November.
Now, with Republicans more in step behind him than ever, he is bullish about a shock return to power.
Attempting to flip the script on accusations he intends to rule as an authoritarian leader, Trump insisted that he is “the one saving democracy” and referred to his criminal investigations as “witch hunts.”
“We must not criminalize dissent,” he said.
Trump’s love-fest in Milwaukee contrasted with the crisis engulfing Biden.
The 81-year-old Democratic president looked close late Thursday to being forced by his own party to withdraw and make way for Vice President Kamala Harris or another candidate, as fears spiral that his faltering physical health will lead to a loss in November.
Senior Trump advisor Jason Miller told AFP that “nothing fundamentally changes” for Trump if Biden drops out.
‘Fight, fight, fight!’
Trump’s family was in attendance, with son Eric rousing the crowd into a chant of “fight, fight, fight!”
Former first lady Melania Trump, who has been mostly absent throughout the campaign, arrived to applause but made no speech — a remarkable break with US political convention at such events.
She did stand hand-in-hand with her husband, as well as other family members, during the convention finale when red, white and blue balloons floated down from the rafters.
Joining Trump onstage was his newly named running mate J.D. Vance, a 39-year-old right-wing senator from Ohio.
In contrast with the pugilistic tone of speakers like Dana White, chief executive of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, evangelist preacher Franklin Graham led a lengthy prayer for Trump.
With Biden still reeling from the aftermath of his disastrous debate performance against Trump last month, polls show a gap gradually opening in the long-close race.
The Republican campaign has even been talking up Trump’s chances in Democratic strongholds like Minnesota and Virginia.
