RNC 2024 Day 4 updates: Trump pitches unity, but revives old grievances

Trump leaned into his usual talking points during his RNC speech.

ByMeredith Deliso, Ivan Pereira, Alexandra Hutzler, Chris Boccia, and Tal Axelrod
Last Updated: July 19, 2024, 12:29 AM EDT

On the fourth and final day of the Republican National Convention, former President Donald Trump gave a highly anticipated speech, which he said beforehand would call for unity following his assassination attempt.

However in his first speech since the incident, Trump leaned into his usual talking points, slamming President Joe Biden, Democrats and other critics on a wide variety of issues from the economy, immigration and crime.

For over an hour, Trump went off script much to the crowd's delight. The former president told them he was grateful for their support after his brush with death but argued that the country needed to be fixed due to Biden's policies.

The night also included wild speeches from guests such as Hulk Hogan and Eric Trump, who echoed some of the former president's rhetoric bashing Biden and the Democrats.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing.
Jul 18, 2024, 11:42 PM EDT

Fact check: Trump on 'catch and release'

While discussing the border and immigration, Trump said his administration "ended all catch-and-release."

Though Trump attempted to end the catch-and-release practice under his presidency, migrants were more likely to be “released” through this process under Trump compared to Biden, according to the libertarian Cato Institute. The Cato analysis found that Biden’s immigration authorities released 48.6% of those apprehended at the border, while the Trump administration released 52.2% over roughly a two-year period.

"Of course, the absolute numbers of releases have been higher under President Biden, but that reflects much higher arrivals, not any meaningful change in policy," Cato's David J. Bier wrote.

Jul 18, 2024, 11:41 PM EDT

Fact check: Undocumented immigration and crime

Trump argued dangerous criminals "are coming from prisons and jails, from mental institutions and insane asylums, and terrorists at levels never seen before."

Trump was likely referring to the latest statistics released by ICE, which reported that of the 170,590 administrative arrests made in the 2023 fiscal year and 43% had criminal convictions or pending criminal charges.

These were administrative arrests conducted by ICE’s Enforcement and Removal Operations (ERO) which primarily focuses on removing people who already have some sort of charge or conviction.

-ABC News' Armando Garcia

Jul 18, 2024, 11:41 PM EDT

Fact-checking Trump’s claim Biden wants to 'raise your taxes by four times'

Trump said of Biden's administration, “This is the only administration that said we're going to raise your taxes by four times what you're paying now.”

False.

Biden proposes a tax increase of roughly 7% over the next decade, not 300%, as Trump claims. About 83% of the proposed Biden tax increase would be borne by the top 1% of taxpayers, who earn just under $1 million a year in income.

—PolitiFact’s Sara Swann

Jul 18, 2024, 11:40 PM EDT

'Without that chart I would not be here today'

PHOTO: Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech as the chart that was being shown at the rally is displayed on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 18, 2024.
Republican presidential nominee and former President Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech as the chart that was being shown at the rally is displayed on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 18, 2024.
Mike Segar/Reuters

Trump displayed a chart on undocumented migrants coming into the U.S. that he said he was discussing at the time of his assassination attempt during Saturday's rally.

Trump credited the chart, which he turned his head to look just as a bullet flew by and struck his ear, with saving his life.

"Without that chart I would not be here today," he said, to cheers.

The former president displayed a chart on undocumented migrants coming into the U.S. that he said he was discussing at the time of his assassination attempt during Saturday's rally.
1:03

Trump credits chart with saving his life at rally shooting

The former president displayed a chart on undocumented migrants coming into the U.S. that he said he was discussing at the time of his assassination attempt during Saturday's rally.
ABCNews.com