©(ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP)
Donald Trump predicted an "incredible victory" Thursday in accepting the Republican presidential nomination from a party euphoric over his escape from assassination and buoyed by the apparent implosion of Joe Biden's reelection campaign.
"We will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country," Trump said at the Republican convention in Milwaukee.
It was his first speech since a 20-year-old man shot at him, causing a slight injury to one ear, but killing a bystander, during a rally last weekend.
"I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America," Trump said, still sporting a bandage over his ear.
Trump -- expected to speak for around 90 minutes -- took the stage to chants of "USA" from crowd members, of which have talked of him in divine terms.
Warm-up acts included shirt-ripping 1980s wrestling icon Hulk Hogan and conspiracy theorist and far-right media guru Tucker Carlson, who described Trump's survival as a historic moment.
At the assassination attempt, Trump became "leader of a nation," Carlson said.
Trump, 78, has put behind him a torrent of scandals, his unprecedented attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden, and his 34 felony convictions in May at a New York criminal trial.
Now, with Republicans more united behind him than ever, he is increasingly bullish about a shock return to power.
On Friday, Biden, 81, looked close to being forced by his own Democratic Party to withdraw and make way for Vice President Kamala Harris or another candidate, as fears spiral that his faltering physical health will lead to a loss in November.
Senior Trump advisor Jason Miller told AFP that "nothing fundamentally changes" for Trump if Biden drops out.
Trump's family was in attendance, with son Eric rousing the crowd into a chant of "fight, fight, fight!"
Trump's wife Melania, who has been mostly absent throughout the campaign, arrived to applause but did not speak -- a remarkable break with US political convention at such events.
With AFP
"We will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country," Trump said at the Republican convention in Milwaukee.
It was his first speech since a 20-year-old man shot at him, causing a slight injury to one ear, but killing a bystander, during a rally last weekend.
"I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America," Trump said, still sporting a bandage over his ear.
Trump -- expected to speak for around 90 minutes -- took the stage to chants of "USA" from crowd members, of which have talked of him in divine terms.
Warm-up acts included shirt-ripping 1980s wrestling icon Hulk Hogan and conspiracy theorist and far-right media guru Tucker Carlson, who described Trump's survival as a historic moment.
At the assassination attempt, Trump became "leader of a nation," Carlson said.
Trump, 78, has put behind him a torrent of scandals, his unprecedented attempt to overturn his 2020 election loss to Biden, and his 34 felony convictions in May at a New York criminal trial.
Now, with Republicans more united behind him than ever, he is increasingly bullish about a shock return to power.
On Friday, Biden, 81, looked close to being forced by his own Democratic Party to withdraw and make way for Vice President Kamala Harris or another candidate, as fears spiral that his faltering physical health will lead to a loss in November.
Senior Trump advisor Jason Miller told AFP that "nothing fundamentally changes" for Trump if Biden drops out.
Trump's family was in attendance, with son Eric rousing the crowd into a chant of "fight, fight, fight!"
Trump's wife Melania, who has been mostly absent throughout the campaign, arrived to applause but did not speak -- a remarkable break with US political convention at such events.
With AFP
This Is Beirut
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