Two different Donald Trumps occupy the stage as former president accepts nomination

Milwaukee: This is the tale of two Donald Trumps. The first version is the bombastic, bare-knuckled brawler whose grievance-fuelled speeches have become a hallmark of US politics for the last eight years.

The second version is the Trump his campaign wanted you to see tonight as he accepted his party’s presidential nomination: a softer, gentler and more restrained version, who would seek to unite the country after his near-death experience.

Donald Trump speaks at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.Credit: Bloomberg

But if you think an attempted assassination might have changed the former president entirely, think again.

Twenty minutes into a speech that had supposedly been rewritten to meet the moment and bridge political divides, the incendiary Republican returned to form, lamenting the “partisan witch hunts” against him; claiming a migrant “invasion” was killing America; repeating his claims of a stolen election; and bragging about getting along with global dictators.

“It’s nice to get along with somebody who has a lot of nuclear weapons,” he told the crowd as he highlighted his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.

The speech – in which Trump recounted in dramatic detail the moment he almost lost his life – was the first he has given since the shocking event.

“I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” he said, as the crowd started chanting, “Yes you are! Yes you are!”

“Thank you, but I’m not,” he continued, speaking in almost hushed tones. “I stand before you in this arena, only by the grace of almighty God.”

His acceptance of the nomination also capped off a Republican National Convention that many delegates and officials this week said was the most united and disciplined in the party’s history.

Former first lady Melania Trump – who days ago recounted the horror of almost losing her husband to a “monster” – made a rare public appearance, sitting with other members of the Trump family, including their son Barron and Trump’s adult children Tiffany, Ivanka, Donald Jr and Eric.

Melania Trump is introduced at the convention.Credit: AP

Wrestling legend Hulk Hogan almost stole the show, ripping his shirt off to reveal a Trump-Vance singlet, while UFC president Dana White introduced the former president, describing him as “the toughest and most resilient human being I’ve ever met in my life”.

Dressed in his trademark dark blue suit and red tie, an initially sombre and softly spoken Trump began by urging the country to unite behind him, declaring that “the division in our society must be healed”. He also vowed to be a president for all Americans, “whether you are young or old; man or woman; Democrat, Republican or independent; black or white, Asian or Hispanic”.

He then began to describe in detail the harrowing experience of almost losing his life on Saturday (Sunday AEST), when a 20-year-old shooter took aim at the former president at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“So many people have asked me what happened, and therefore, I’ll tell you what happened,” Trump said. “You’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s too painful to tell.”

Trump stands on stage with his wife Melania Trump, other family members and Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance and his wife Usha Chilukuri Vance.Credit: AP

The crowd at the Republican National Convention – which only moments earlier had been dancing in their seats to Kid Rock singing “Fight! Fight! Fight! Trump! Trump! Trump!” was suddenly silent – hanging on to his every word.

He recounted how he turned his head, just at the right moment, and narrowly missed being killed. He recalled how the Secret Service whisked him to safety as “bullets were flying over us, yet I felt serene.”

At one point, he walked over to a fire jacket and helmet hanging on a stand behind him, which belonged to Corey Comperatore – the Pennsylvania father who was killed in the crossfire of Saturday’s attempted assassination. He then kissed the helmet, before returning to the lectern to continue his speech.

Donald Trump kisses a firefighter’s helmet meant to represent Corey Comperatore.Credit: Bloomberg

Even before Trump took the stage on Thursday night (Friday AEST) to formally accept his party’s presidential nomination, the effort to soften his image was clear in the carefully crafted speakers chosen.

His 17-year-old granddaughter Kai, the daughter of Don Jr, set the scene on Wednesday night, telling the audience: “To me, he’s just a normal grandpa. He gives us candy and soda when our parents are not looking.”

This rebranding continued on Thursday, with real estate baron Steven Witkoff speaking of Trump’s compassion after his son Andrew died after an opioid overdose.

Trump’s grandchildren were there too, including the four-year-old daughter of Eric and Lara Trump, who sat in his lap for part of the proceedings.

But after starting off with a message of unity, Trump reverted to type. It was a missed opportunity.

The Republican convention took place amid growing pressure on incumbent president Joe Biden – who is isolating at his Delaware home with COVID – to drop out of the 2024 race.

Three weeks after his disastrous debate performance, a growing number of Democrats have called for the 81-year-old president to stand aside

With polls showing Trump ahead in the key battlegrounds of Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Michigan, the challenge for Biden intensified this week when Trump picked 39-year-old Ohio Senator J.D. Vance – whose rags-to-riches story is likely to appeal to many Americans – as his new generation running mate.

Trump concluded his speech after an hour and a half, making it the longest presidential acceptance speech in history, and was joined by his family for the traditional balloon drop, with red, white and blue balloons falling from the ceiling.

“To all of the forgotten men and women who have been neglected, abandoned and left behind,” he said as he ended his speech. “You will be forgotten no longer. We will press forward and together we will win, win, win.”

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