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Early in his address at the Republican National Convention, former President Donald Trump described what happened during an assassination attempt at one of his rallies last weekend, saying it was the one and only time he would share details on the frightening day.
"As you already know, the assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. So many people have asked me what happened, and therefore, I’ll tell you what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s too painful to tell," he began.
The former president, still wearing a bandage on his ear after a bullet grazed the right side of his head Saturday, detailed the moment gunshots rang out.
"Behind me and to the right was a large screen that was displaying a chart of border crossings under my leadership. The numbers were absolutely amazing. In order to see the chart, I started to, like this, turn to my right and was ready to begin a little bit further turn, which I'm very lucky I didn't do," Trump said. "When I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear, I said to myself, 'Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet.' And moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down, my hand was covered with blood, just absolutely ... blood all over the place. I immediately knew it was very serious that we were under attack."
Trump recalled dropping to the ground as "bullets were continuing to fly" and "very brave Secret Service agents rushed to the stage. "
Trump told the packed convention hall filled with thousands of supporters, "I'm not supposed to be here tonight."
“There was blood pouring everywhere, yet, in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side.”
The 78-year-old former president, known best for his bombast and aggressive rhetoric, offered a softer and deeply personal message that drew directly from his brush with death. He asked for a moment of silence for Corey Comperatore, the retired fire chief who was slain at the rally.
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“The discord and division in our society must be healed. We just heal it quickly. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart,” Trump said. “I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America.”
Trump’s address marks the climax and conclusion of a massive four-day Republican pep rally that drew thousands of conservative activists and elected officials to swing-state Wisconsin as voters weigh an election that currently features two deeply unpopular candidates. Sensing political opportunity in the wake of his near-death experience, the often bombastic Republican leader embraced a new tone he hopes will help generate even more momentum in an election that appears to be shifting in his favor.
But with less than four months to go in the contest, major changes in the race are possible, if not likely.
While Trump offered a gentler tone than usual on Thursday night, the crowded speaking program of the convention’s final day was also designed to project strength in an implicit rebuke of Biden. It was decidedly more masculine than it has been for much of the week.
Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White called Trump “a real American bad ass.” Kid Rock performed a song with the chorus, “Fight, fight!” And wrestling icon Hulk Hogan described the former president as “an American hero.”
Hogan drew a raucous response when, standing on the main stage, he ripped off his shirt to reveal a red Trump-Vance “Make America Great Again” shirt.
Former first lady Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump, the president’s elder daughter and former senior adviser, joined Trump in the convention hall ahead of his speech, making their first appearances there. But neither woman spoke.
At one point, country singer Jason Aldean and his wife were seen sitting next to Trump at the convention.
The convention has showcased a Republican Party reshaped by Trump since he shocked the GOP establishment and won over the party’s grassroots on his way to the party’s 2016 nomination. Rivals Trump has vanquished — including Sens. Ted Cruz of Texas and Marco Rubio of Florida, former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis — put aside their past criticisms and gave him their unqualified support.
Security was a major focus in Milwaukee in the wake of Trump’s near-assassination. But after nearly four full days, there were no serious incidents inside the convention hall or the large security perimeter that surrounded it.
The Secret Service, backed by hundreds of law enforcement officers from across the nation, had a large and visible presence. And during Trump’s appearances each night, he was surrounded by a wall of protective agents wherever he went.
Meanwhile, Trump and his campaign have not released information about his injury or the treatment he received.
