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:
'I'm not supposed to be here tonight'
Trump told the crowd, “I'm not supposed to be here tonight."
The crowd started chanting, "Yes you are."
"I stand before you this arena only by the grace of Almighty God," he said.
Trump praises rally crowd for not running after shooting
Trump talked about how the crowd at the Pennsylvania rally did not flee or panic during the shooting.
"In fact, many of them bravely, but automatically, stood up looking for where the sniper would be. they knew immediately it was a sniper, and then began pointing at him. You can see that if you look at the group behind me," he said. "Nobody ran, and by not stampeding, many lives were saved."
"This beautiful crowd, they didn’t want to leave me, they knew I was trouble, they didn’t want to leave me," he added.
Trump on assassination attempt: 'I had God on my side'
Trump recounted the moments he realized he was shot to a hushed crowd.
"I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear," he said. "I said to myself, wow what was that? It can only be a bullet."
"My hand was covered with blood. Just blood absolutely all over the place," he said.
He said he "immediately" knew it was serious and the "brave" Secret Service agents rushed to the stage, with the crowd clapping.
If he had moved slightly differently, he said, "I would not be here tonight."
"I had God on my side," he said.
Stadium quiet as Trump talks about shooting
The raucous stadium that minutes ago was chanting “Trump, Trump, Trump” is now hushed as he speaks about Saturday’s shooting.