Former President Donald Trump is set to accept the Republican nomination for president on Thursday, making it his third consecutive nomination by the party.
Trump will be the first major party candidate since Franklin D. Roosevelt to accept three consecutive party nominations. Richard Nixon had also accepted three Republican nominations, but not in a row.
His acceptance of the nomination will conclude the Republican National Convention this week. This address to delegates will be his first speech since surviving an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally last Saturday.
In an interview with the New York Post, Trump mentioned that the attempt on his life prompted him to rewrite his acceptance speech.
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“I had prepared a very harsh speech, highlighting the corrupt nature of the administration,” he stated. “But I decided to discard it.”
Trump expressed his desire to unify the country, acknowledging the current division. He questioned the possibility of achieving unity among the people.
It remains uncertain how aggressively Trump will address Biden in his speech on Thursday, especially after their recent phone conversation following the assassination attempt. President Biden, who tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, is facing calls from several Democratic lawmakers to withdraw from the race.
Throughout the convention’s first three nights, Trump has been present wearing a large white bandage over his right ear, claiming to have been shot there.
Some attendees at the convention have also been observed with white bandages on their ears as a show of support for Trump.
