Republican National Convention 2024 LIVE updates: Trump accepts US presidential nomination, recounts assassination attempt; speculation grows over Joe Biden’s leadership

While he rarely mentioned Joe Biden in his 93-minute speech, President Biden’s re-election campaign has offered its view on Trump’s address.

“It was Donald Trump who destroyed our economy, ripped away rights, and failed middle-class families,” said Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Biden campaign chair, in a statement after the speech.

“Now he pursues the presidency with an even more extreme vision for where he wants to take this country.”

For those conservative voters long turned off by former President Donald Trump’s rhetoric, his somewhat softened tone in accepting the Republican nomination was a welcome relief.

“He’s much improved,” Dave Struthers, a 57-year-old farmer from Collins, Iowa, said as he watched Trump’s speech in the basement of his farmhouse. “The thing I’ve had against him is he’s been so egotistical — ‘I, I, I. Me, me, me’. I’m not hearing that tonight.”

Dave Struthers watched the debate from his farmhouse.Credit: AP

Trump, who has a long history of divisive commentary, has said shoplifters should be immediately shot, suggested the United States’ top general be executed as a traitor, and mocked Nancy Pelosi’s husband, who was beaten with a hammer by a far-right conspiracy theorist.

But in Milwaukee, he sported a white bandage over his right ear, which was pierced by a bullet from a would-be assassin just days earlier, and spoke in a quieter, more relaxed tone for at least the first part of the speech. He described his experience of the shooting and called for an end to discord, division and demonisation in national politics.

Nevertheless, many of his talking points remained familiar. He claimed Democrats were destroying America, derided the prosecutions against him as a partisan witch hunt, warned of an “invasion” at the US-Mexico border, and insisted, without evidence, that murder rates in Central and South American countries were down because they were sending their killers to the US.

Struthers, a Republican who raises pigs and grows soybean and corn, supported Florida Governor Ron DeSantis during the caucuses. He said that while he believed Trump did some good things as president, his trade war with China hurt agriculture – including soybean sales, as that country is an important customer.

In his view, Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention was “more of a conversation with the American people, rather than yelling at them”.

As for Trump surviving the assassination attempt: “That’s just one more reason to support him. He’s not going to give up. He’s going to keep going.”

Alex Bueneman, 28, a maintenance technician from Oak Grove, Missouri, also said he appreciated a more moderate approach.

“While he still has the fiery words and the appearance, I really think they’re trying to tone it down,” Bueneman said. “I think that’s a good thing.”

The speech didn’t win over everyone, however.

“I don’t think he sounds any different than he did before the assassination attempt,” said John Frank, a 25-year-old designer in Milwaukee and self-described libertarian.

Frank said he does not plan to vote in November but nonetheless met up with a friend to watch the speech because “we didn’t want to miss something big happening in Milwaukee”.

– AP

Good afternoon and thank you for reading our live coverage of US politics and the final night of the four-day Republican National Convention in the battleground state of Wisconsin.

If you’re just joining us now, here’s what you need to know:

• The Republican jamboree reached fever pitch on Thursday night (US time) as former president Donald Trump formally accepted his nomination as the Republican party’s candidate for the November 5 election.
• The evening was marked by political chest-beating and a repetition of claims Trump was saved by divine intervention from an assassin’s bullet on Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania.
• Trump said in his acceptance speech that he was offering a “message of confidence, strength and hope” and that the Republicans would “win, win, win” the race for the White House. He claimed the economy would “soar” under his leadership and the country would make a “fortune” out of its oil reserves. He targeted illegal immigrants in his speech and pledged to tighten border controls.
• Musician Kid Rock and wrestler Hulk Hogan were among a surprising roll-call of performers and speakers.
• Meanwhile, US President Joe Biden is reportedly considering making an announcement about his political future as soon as Sunday, as senior Democrats are said to have increased pressure on him to step aside.

We’ve just witnessed history: CNN is reporting that Donald Trump’s 1 hour and 32 minute speech was the longest for a nomination acceptance by a major party figure in modern American political history.

Trump’s 2016 acceptance speech was 1 hour 15 minutes; his 2020 speech was 1 hour and 10 mins.

Donald Trump has pledged a “total renewal” of America in his closing remarks at the Republican National Convention.

“We have to make the most of every day for the people and the country that we love,” he said.

Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump speaks during the Republican National Convention.Credit: AP

Trump claimed the gunman in Pennsylvania on Saturday “wanted to stop our movement”, but it had never been about him. It was about the people and “it can’t be stopped”, he said.

“Success will bring us together. It is a story of love, sacrifice and so many other things.”

Among his final comments, Trump said: “I am humbly asking for your vote.”

In a less humble finale, he added: “We will press forward, and together we will win, win, win. We will very quickly make America great again.”

Donald Trump offered a tribute to 50-year-old father and volunteer firefighter, Corey Comperatore, who was killed on Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania when a gunman attempted to assassinate Trump.

Two others were seriously injured in the attack.

Trump asked for a minute’s silence for “our friend, Corey”. He held up a firefighter’s jacket that with the surname as “Compertore”.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump standing next to a uniform bearing the name Compertore.Credit: AP

Donald Trump promises to slash energy costs before declaring: “Remember, we have more liquid gold under our feet than any other country by far.”

The US is among the world’s top oil-producing countries, but this does not mean it has the world’s largest oil reserves.

The nation was going to make an “absolute fortune” out of oil, Trump said.

“We have it and China doesn’t,” he added, and the US would be “energy dominant”.

“Drill, baby, drill.”

Donald Trump deploys hyperbole in claiming US President Joe Biden has done more damage than the country’s “10 worst presidents”.

“They will not have done the damage that Biden has done,” he said, before adding that he was going to use his name “just one time”. Later, he called Biden “that person”.

He claimed the country was “flooded with illegal aliens” and “they’re taking the jobs” from the black and hispanic populations.

“Inflation has wiped out the life savings of our citizens,” he continued.

“I will bring back the American dream. With great humility, I am asking you to be excited about the future of our country.”

Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump, speaks during the Republican National Convention.Credit: AP

Donald Trump claims that the US has an “illegal immigration crisis” but he will ensure the nation’s borders are totally secure.

The economy “will soar” under his leadership, he says.

Donald Trump tells the crowd that his running mate, J.D. Vance, met his wife at Yale and they’re two “very smart people”.

He predicts the 39-year-old Ohio senator, once a staunch critic of Trump, will be in politics a long time and tells him to “enjoy the ride”.

“I’m here tonight to lay out a vision for the whole nation,” Trump continued. “I extend to you a hand of loyalty and friendship.”

Usha and J.D. Vance during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Wednesday.Credit: Bloomberg