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:
’There he is!’: Hulk Hogan arrives
Fist bumps and Hulk Hogan poses broke out as the famous WWE star walked out.
“There he is!” attendees could be heard saying after he was set to appear earlier in the program.
Hogan emerged waving an American flag.
Trump returns with family
Trump has returned to the arena following an extended musical interlude with several members of his family in tow, including his daughters Ivanka and Tiffany, son Donald, daughter-in-law Lara Trump and son-in-law Jared Kushner.
Fact-checking Carlson’s claim about U.S. drug deaths, World War II comparison
“We've lost more Americans from drugs in the past four years than we lost in World War II. Yeah, our bloodiest war, more than we lost in World War II,” Carlson said. “Does anybody care? It is pathetic. It is pathetic. And do you hear a single word from Washington about doing anything?”
On the comparison of deaths, Carlson is close — but likely a bit off.
The Defense Casualty Analysis System of the U.S. government reports 405,399 soldiers died during World War II, with nearly 300,000 deaths coming on the battlefield. Drug overdose deaths in the United States have been averaging over 100,000 per year since Spring 2021, according the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Before that, the rate was closer to around 80,000 per year.
On calling World War II, America’s bloodiest war: It is America’s bloodiest foreign war. But an estimated 620,000 Americans died during the Civil War, according to American Battlefield Trust, with other estimates putting the figure closer to 750,000.
-PolitiFact’s Aaron Sharockman
RNC not sticking to the schedule
We were supposed to hear from wrestler Hulk Hogan a few minutes ago, but the RNC skipped over his speaking slot, and now we're being treated to a long musical interlude. Perhaps they're doing some last-minute rearranging of the program?
-538's Nathaniel Rakich