Trump Makes First Public Appearance at Republican Convention Following Shooting Incident

Former President Donald Trump made his first public appearance since being shot in the ear at the Republican National Convention on Monday, slowly walking through the crowd and into a box.

The scene was dramatic: Trump’s ear was covered with a white bandage, and he pumped his fist and waved as Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA.” The Milwaukee crowd chanted “we love Trump” and “fight, fight, fight,” echoing Trump’s own rallying cry to his supporters after Secret Service agents whisked him off the stage on Saturday. 

Trump was accompanied by his newly-announced running mate, [Running Mate’s name]. The two sat together as several speakers detailed their economic struggles and explained their support for Trump’s campaign.

The image of Trump standing and raising his fist moments after the shooting has galvanized the GOP convention and given Trump’s candidacy a surge of momentum heading into the November elections. 

Trump’s appearance came just hours after GOP convention delegates officially nominated him as the party’s presidential candidate. This also coincided with a major legal victory for Trump, as U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon dismissed the federal classified documents case against him.

“Even in the most perilous moment, his instinct was to stand and to fight,” South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem told the convention hall before Trump arrived. “Donald J. Trump is our man in the arena.”

The attempt on Trump’s life, a deeply disturbing incident, has shaken a nation already deeply divided politically. President Biden and others have called for a de-escalation of divisive political rhetoric, a plea largely ignored by speakers during the convention’s first day.