Key points from Donald Trump’s 93-minute Republican National Convention speech | US News

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Bandaged and sombre, Donald Trump embarked on a long speech in which he talked about his attempted assassination for the first time before laying out his sweeping populist agenda.

Speaking as the raucous four-day Republican National Convention drew to a close, the former president discussed a range of topics in front of a rapt audience.

It came as his rival President Biden faces mounting pressure to step aside amid concerns over his age.

Here are some of the key points from the Republican Party nominee’s speech.

Trump on the attempt on his life

“If I had not moved my head at that very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark,” Mr Trump said.

“And I would not be here tonight. We would not be together.”

He added: “There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side.”

He said this was the first – and last – time he would discuss the matter because it is “too painful”.

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‘It can only be a bullet’: Trump recalls assassination attempt

‘We must heal’

Mr Trump seemed to strike a new tone in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, perhaps sensing political opportunity.

“The discord and division in our society must be healed. We must heal it quickly. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny.”

He said he was running to be president of all of the US, not half of it.

Deportation promise

He also outlined what he says would be the largest deportation operation in American history.

He repeatedly accused people crossing the US-Mexico border illegally of staging an “invasion”.

Trump spoke of how he was almost killed on Saturday. Pic: Mike Segar/Reuters
Image:
Trump spoke about how he was almost killed on Saturday. Pic: Mike Segar/Reuters


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America first foreign policy

Mr Trump also teased how his administration would look out at the world around it, hinting at new tariffs on trade.

He insisted he would bring car manufacturing back to the US and hit out at China for building “large factories” in Mexico.

On North Korea, Trump said he “gets along well” with its Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un, adding: “I think he misses me”.

False claims over 2020 election

Among the familiar themes in the speech was a repetition of his claim that the 2020 election was stolen from him – despite no evidence.

Mr Trump suggested “we must not criminalise dissent or demonise political disagreement,” even as he has long called for prosecutions of his opponents.

What didn’t he talk about? Abortion and January 6

Despite speaking for just under 93 minutes, the longest convention speech in modern history, there were a number of elephants in the room.

Mr Trump failed to discuss abortion rights, an issue that has been seized on by President Biden and Democrats following the Supreme Court’s decision to strike down Roe v Wade two years ago.

He also did not mention the insurrection at the US Capitol and barely mentioned Mr Biden at all.



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