RNC 2024 Day 4 updates: Trump pitches unity, but revives old grievances in longest acceptance speech in history
Trump leaned into his usual talking points during his RNC speech.
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:
Trump family leaves box
Trump’s family and his VP pick JD Vance have filed out of his box in the stadium, presumably to make their way to join him on stage.
'All about him': Biden adviser
An adviser to President Biden told ABC News Trump's speech was "all about him, no plan for future, exactly what people hate about politicians."
-ABC News' Mary Bruce
Trump says no tax on tips part of economic relief plan
Trump said massive tax cuts for workers, including no tax on tips, are at the "center" of his plan for economic relief.
He said a large group of people, including "waitresses and caddies and drivers," are being hurt.
"Let them keep their money," he said.
Fact-checking Trump’s claim about Biden-era inflation.
Trump said, “We’ve had the worst inflation we’ve ever had, under this person (Biden).”
Although inflation is still considered an economic problem for the U.S., the overall rate is nowhere near a record.
The highest inflation rates were recorded in the 1970s and early 1980s, when the annual price increase sometimes hovered between 12% and 15%. The highest rate on Biden’s watch was around 9% in summer 2022. That was the highest monthly figure in about four decades, but not the highest ever.
Inflation is down to around 3% now, about two-thirds lower than its 2022 peak.
—PolitiFact’s Louis Jacobson