FACE OF BRAVERY
Bandaged Donald Trump looks emotional as he greets RNC crowd flanked by family in 1st public appearance since shooting
The former president was surrounded by security as he made his way to his seat
DONALD Trump was met with a rapture of applause as he strode into the Republican National Committee Convention on Monday night, just days after surviving an assassination attempt.
The former president, who was flanked by security and wearing a bandage on his right ear, appeared emotional as he made his way through the crowd, marking his first public appearance since the terrifying attack.
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Trump took a bullet to his ear on Saturday night when a lone would-be assassin fired eight shots at him from an AR-15-style rifle as he addressed to supporters in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Just two days later, he was met with a standing ovation as he entered the Fiserv Forum for day one of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
Lee Greenwood gave a live performance of his signature song, God Bless the USA, as Trump walked in waving to chants of "fight, fight, fight" from the crowd.
The former president, who was formally named the Republican presidential nominee just hours earlier, made his way to his seat, where he was greeted by his emotional sons, Don Jr. and Eric, and daughter Tiffany.
He was also met by his new vice presidential pick Ohio Senator JD Vance, and Speaker of the House Mike Johnson.
The announcement of Vance as Trump's VP pick was announced the same day by the former president on Truth Social.
"They wanted tonight to be his funeral,'" Angie Wong, a delegate from Florida told the crowd as the song began to fade away.
"Instead, they got the Super Bowl of politics with a nomination and a VP pick."
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Trump did not speak on Monday night, appearing instead for the final hour of speeches.
He is, however, set to take the podium as planned on Thursday despite the threat to his life just days earlier.
Joe Biden opens up on phone call with Trump after assassination attempt and says ex-president thanked him for concern
The 2024 Republican nominee told an ABC reporter on Monday that the attempt on his life has had an "impact" on him.
While he "doesn't like to think like that" when asked if the bullet had changed him, he added, "I think has an impact."
The comment came just hours after the former president was officially named the presidential nominee.
Eric Trump announced to the delegates that his vote officially made his dad Donald the Republican Party's presidential nominee.
He was joined by his wife, Lara Trump, and brother, Donald Jr., as he announced that 125 delegates from Florida nominated "the greatest president that's ever lived."
"[We] hereby declare him the Republican nominee for President of the United States of America," he said.
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The victory came after Trump was grazed by a bullet at his campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
The shooter, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, unleashed nearly a dozen bullets at Trump from a rooftop 430 feet away from where the Republican presidential candidate, 78, was speaking.
Minutes into the rally's start, Trump was seen slightly tilting his head to read a chart on a projector regarding immigration.
Moments later, the former president, 78, had a grimacing expression on his face, ducks down as Secret Service agents yelled out, "Get down," and pounced on him, shielding Trump from the barrage of gunfire.
Within seconds, a Secret Service counter-sniper stationed on a roof near the stage where Trump was speaking immediately returned fire, killing Crooks.
Trump, with blood visible around his right ear and cheek, was lifted from the ground and whisked into a motorcade, but not before he defiantly raised his fist and mouthed to the crowd, "Fight. Fight."
The former commander-in-chief shared with that a small piece of his right ear was torn off by the bullet, but is grateful to have survived.
Besides the shooter, one rally-goer identified as former volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore was pronounced dead after using his body to shield his wife and daughter from a stray bullet aimed at the former president.
Two others were also shot and both remain in critical condition.
“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” Trump told The Post Sunday night.
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But plans for the Republican National Convention have not changed in the wake of Saturday's assassination attempt against Trump.
Less than 48 hours after the brush with death, Trump arrived in Milwaukee heavily guarded, accompanied by dozens of Secret Service agents and police personnel.
Video obtained by The U.S. Sun from the Fiserv Forum, the site of the RNC in Milwaukee, showed the streets surrounding the arena completely locked down by law enforcement officials.
Vehicles in the area were searched by police officials as sniffer dogs prowled the entry to the arena.
The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would've been two days ago.
Donald Trump
Trump boldly refused to let the events from Saturday derail his campaign but admitted the shooting at his rally prompted him to rewrite his RNC speech and even hinted at a possible shift in strategy for the remaining four months until the election.
He told the that his speech was going to be "humdinger," mostly targeting President Biden's policies, but he decided to move toward "a whole different speech."
"I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration,” he told The Post about his speech.
“But I threw it away," Trump said.
"This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together," Trump told the outlet, adding he isn't sure if that is possible due to how divided the country is.
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"The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would've been two days ago."
"It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance."
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Donald Trump Rally Shooting Timeline
Donald Trump was shot at his Pennsylvania rally on July 13.
1pm: Doors open at the Butler Farm Show grounds where Trump was expected to speak at 5pm.
4:11pm: Sean Parnell gave the opening speech.
4:35pm: David McCormick rallied the crowd.
5:30pm: Crowds were still waiting for Trump.
6:03pm: Trump takes the stage.
6:11pm: Gunshots were fired as Trump delivered remarks.
6:12pm: Trump was ushered off stage by Secret Service agents.
6:42pm: Secret Service confirmed Trump is safe.
7:24pm: The shooter and one rally attendee are confirmed dead by law enforcement officials.
8:42pm: Trump confirms he was shot in the ear, sharing a statement on Truth Social.
8:49pm: The Secret Service confirms the shooter and a rally attendee are dead. Two others remain critically injured.
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