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:
Attendee on what she thinks Trump will say tonight
“I think Trump will reference what happened Saturday, but not dwell on it,” said an attendee sitting next to ABC News Digital in the convention center.
“He has too much else to talk about,” she added.
Concert-like atmosphere
The musical interludes tonight have people up out of their seats and in the aisles dancing. Delegates from Texas are swaying their cowboy hats in the air and others are waving “Make America Great Again” signs.
'Public schools are the problem,' former teacher says
Annette Albright, who was introduced as "advocate for safe schools," took the stage to criticize Biden and Democrats over the state of education in the country.
Albright, a former teacher who said she was a former Democrat, talked about how she experienced an assault by students in North Carolina and argued, "public schools are the problem."
Condemning violence in public schools, she said, "I've repeatedly seen that the Democrat Party cares more about appeasing the teachers union than they do about prioritizing our kids.”
Tucker Carlson touts Trump's 'transformation' after shooting
Former Fox News host Tucker Carlson took the stage to a standing crowd.
Carlson, who did not use a teleprompter, talked about how last week's assassination attempt resulted in a "transformation" in the former president.
"He was no longer just a political party’s nominee, or a former president or a future president. This was the leader of a nation," he said.
Carlson said he spoke with Trump immediately after the shooting and the former president said he was amazed the crowd did not run away.
"This is the most responsible, unifying behavior from a leader that I've ever seen," he said.
Carlson and Fox News agreed to part ways last year following the network's $787.5 million settlement agreement with Dominion Voting Systems.
Dominion accused Fox News in a lawsuit of knowingly pushing false conspiracy theories that the voting machine company rigged the 2020 presidential election in Joe Biden's favor.