As Donald Trump addressed the audience at the Republican National Convention, his message centered on unity, and he shared his first account of the recent assassination attempt on his life.
Trump took the stage to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and began his speech by recounting the harrowing experience. “There was blood pouring everywhere, but in a certain way, I felt very safe because I had God on my side,” he said.
He described the moment the bullet flew past his ear, emphasizing the sound it made and repeatedly stating, “I’m not supposed to be here.”
“The amazing thing is that if I had not moved my head at the very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be here tonight,” Trump added. “We would not be together.”
The crowd responded with chants of “Yes, you are!” after Trump expressed his disbelief at surviving the attempt.
“I stand before you in this arena only because of the grace of Almighty God,” he continued, recounting how reports described his survival as providential.
“The crowd was confused because they thought I was dead. And there was great sorrow. I could see that on their faces as I looked out. They didn’t know that I was looking out. They thought it was over. When I could see it, I wanted to do something to let them know I was okay. I raised my right arm, looked at the thousands and thousands of people that were restlessly waiting, and started shouting ‘Fight, fight, fight,’” he said.
Trump also honored Corey Comperatore, who lost his life during the shooting. “He was an unbelievable person everybody tells me.” He recognized those injured in the attack, including Marine veteran David Dutch and 74-year-old James Copenhaver, both of whom have since been stabilized.
A moment of silence was observed for Comperatore, a volunteer fire chief, and Trump announced that $6 million had been raised for his family. “He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect [his wife and daughter] from flying bullets.”
Displaying Comperatore’s uniform, Trump spoke of his desire to unify the nation and outlined his policy agenda. “This is the most important election in the history of our country,” he declared, addressing issues such as high inflation, illegal immigration, crime rates, and ongoing wars in Europe and the Middle East.
While discussing immigration policy, Trump referred to a chart he had looked at just before the bullet struck his ear in Pennsylvania. “Last time I put up that chart I never really got to look at it. Without that chart, I would not be here!”
Trump pledged to end the inflation crisis, lower interest rates, and reduce energy costs. “We will drill, baby, drill,” he stated. “We’ll end lots of different things. We’ll start paying off debt and start lowering taxes even further.”
“Whether you’ve supported me in the past or not, I hope you will support me in the future because I will bring back the American dream,” he told the audience.
With humility, Trump concluded, “I am asking you to be excited about the future of our country.”