‘A miracle’: born-again ex-president Donald Trump pivots to play peacemaker after assassination attempt

In a starkly different approach Donald Trump has called on Americans to ‘stand united’, declaring he will significantly reshape his pitch to voters to bring the US together.

Donald Trump, left, lands in Wisconsin before the Republican National Convention; top, after the assassination attempt; bottom, shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks.

Donald Trump has called on Americans to “stand united” in the face of his attempted assassination and declared he will significantly reshape his pitch at this week’s ­pivotal Republican National ­Convention to bring the country together.

Mr Trump’s pledge to calm America’s rattled nerves was ­echoed by Joe Biden in an Oval Office address that asked the country to “stand together and recommit to peace, democracy and the rule of law”.

Mr Trump’s call for unity marked a starkly different approach for the former president, whose bruising attacks on his ­opponents were a hallmark of his political style.

He pumped his fist and vowed to remain “defiant in the face of wickedness” as he landed in Milwaukee for the Republican convention just a day after almost losing his life to would-be-assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks.

Mr Trump said he now realised how lucky he was to survive the attack, in which a bullet grazed his right ear.

The GOP nominee told the New York Post that he would be dead if he had not turned his head slightly to the right to read a chart on illegal immigrants at the rally.

“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Mr Trump said.

“I’m not supposed to be here. I’m supposed to be dead, I’m supposed to be dead. That reality is just setting in.

“I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?

“The energy coming from the people there in that moment, they just stood there; it’s hard to describe what that felt like, but I knew the world was looking. I knew that history would judge this, and I knew I had to let them know we are OK.”

He made it clear he did not ­intend to try to incite his supporters after he formally accepted his party’s nomination for president this week.

“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” he told the Washington Examiner in his first interview since the attack.

“This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago.

“Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches.”

It would have been aimed mostly at the policies of Joe Biden, Mr Trump added. “Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now … It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance.”

A tired US President addressed the nation from the Oval Office just after 8pm on Sunday (10am AEST on Monday), urging Americans to jettison political violence as he made clear he would not be backing down from his bid to defeat Mr Trump in November.

“There is no place in America for this kind of violence or for any violence ever. Period. No exceptions. We can’t allow this violence to be normalised,” Mr Biden said.

“I’ll be travelling this week, making the case for our record and the vision – my vision of the country, our vision.”

Earlier in the day former South Carolina governor Nikki Haley emerged as a surprise last-minute addition to the list of speakers at the convention, fuelling speculation Mr Trump might pick her as his vice-presidential running mate in a bid to unify the Republican Party and the nation at large.

Until the weekend’s shocking events Ms Haley had been considered a remote prospect, well behind Ohio senator JD Vance, Florida senator Marco Rubio and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum.

Former first lady Melania Trump, who has rarely been seen with the former president since they left the White House, also made a call for unity, saying she had feared losing her husband forever when she saw the attempt on his life.

“A monster who recognised my husband as an inhuman political machine attempted to ring out Donald’s passion – his laughter, ingenuity, love of music, and inspiration,” Mrs Trump said.

“We all want a world where ­respect is paramount, family is first, and love transcends. We can realise this world again.”

Facing a torrent of attacks from Republicans over the Democrats’ aggressive campaign rhetoric, Mr Biden reminded Americans of the Capitol riots on January 6, 2021, attacks on Democrat Nancy ­Pelosi’s husband and an alleged 2020 conspiracy to kidnap Michigan’s Democratic governor Gretchen Whitmer.

Mr Trump said the decision to raise his fist as he was dragged off the Pennsylvania stage after being shot was to tell the crowd he was okay and that “America goes on, we go forward (and) that we are strong”. Mr Trump underwent a CT scan after the ­attack to check if his injuries were more serious than a grazed ear.

One person was killed and two people injured in the attack. Crooks, 20, was also shot dead at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

A police officer confronted Crooks minutes before the shooting. The officer reportedly climbed onto the roof and confronted Crooks, who turned his rifle on him. The policeman retreated and the gunman shot at Mr Trump seconds later. The Secret Service then killed Crooks.

Mr Trump made it clear he intended to forge ahead with his campaign immediately, despite his wounded right ear being bandaged. “I truly love our country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our great nation this week from Wisconsin,” Mr Trump posted on Truth Social.

“We will fear not, but instead remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness. In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win.”

Mr Trump said he believed it was “God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening”.

Trump supporters have had mixed reactions to the attack, with some expressing rage and blaming Democrats for fanning anti-Trump sentiment and others expressing sorrow and concern about the potential for further violence.

In Milwaukee, ahead of the start of the four-day convention, Trump supporters gathered for a prayer vigil for their candidate. “We understand that a lot of Americans right now are confused, they’re hurt, they’re angered but most importantly they are looking for a place to pray collectively” said vigil organiser Brett Galaszewski of conservative group Turning Point Action.

Many of those attending expressed awe at the reaction of Mr Trump after being shot. Robert Benning, dressed in a “Never Surrender” Trump T-shirt and draped in a Trump flag said: “He’s got all the resolve in the world and after he stood back up and put his fist up – that’s awesome, that’s the ultimate fighter, that’s what he is.”

Trump supporter Bryan Dudley said the assassination attempt would push the country “even more for Trump”. “He didn’t give up, he didn’t surrender, he got up after being shot and pumped his fist in the air – he’s fine, we’ve got to fight to get the country back,” Mr Dudley said.

In earlier remarks from the White House, Mr Biden promised a “thorough and swift” investigation into the attempted assassination and promised to review security arrangements for the Republican convention.