Trump says assassination attempt changed his convention speech; focus now on unity, not Biden

Former President Donald Trump has drastically altered his convention speech in response to the assassination attempt against him on Saturday. He plans to use his address on Thursday to call for national unity, using the opportunity to draw the country together.

In an interview with the Washington Examiner, Trump reflected on the attack and its impact on his campaign.

“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” Trump said. “Had this not happened, it would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches, mostly focusing on President Joe Biden’s policies. Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.”

Trump revealed that his speech, originally intended to motivate his supporters, will now focus on the profound shift he believes the assassination attempt has caused in the election campaign. Both Republicans and Democrats have acknowledged the incident’s significant impact.

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He recounted how people from diverse backgrounds and political views have reached out to him. Remarkably, Trump survived because he had briefly looked away from the crowd to check a screen displaying data for his speech. “That reality is just setting in,” he noted. “I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”

As he boarded his plane in Bedminster, New Jersey, en route to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention, Trump stated that his revised speech would reflect the gravity of the situation and aim to unite the nation. “It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance,” he said.

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Early Sunday morning, Trump expressed his gratitude on Truth Social, attributing his survival to divine intervention and asserting that he would “fear not.” He reiterated this sentiment during his conversation with the Washington Examiner, highlighting his belief in a higher power’s role in his deliverance.

Trump also honored Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief who was killed during the rally, and two other supporters, David Dutch and James Copenhaver, who were wounded and are currently recovering in stable condition.

Trump explained his decision to raise his hand as the Secret Service escorted him offstage was meant to reassure the crowd and demonstrate resilience. The image of him holding his fist in the air with blood on his face has become an iconic symbol of the 2024 election.

Should Trump call for unity in his Milwaukee speech, it will echo President Ronald Reagan’s response to a similar situation in 1981, when Reagan projected strength while recovering from a more severe assassination attempt.

Reflecting on the moment he stood up and saw the crowd still present, Trump said, “The energy coming from the people there in that moment, they just stood there; it’s hard to describe what that felt like, but I knew the world was looking. I knew that history would judge this, and I knew I had to let them know we are OK.”