Trump says he wants to ‘bring the country together’ with convention speech

Donald Trump said he has rewritten his speech for the Republican National Convention to focus on uniting the country in the wake of an assassination attempt on the former US president.

Mr Trump arrived in Milwaukee for the convention on Sunday evening, just a day after a gunman opened fire at a campaign rally in Butler.

In his first interview since the incident, Mr Trump told US outlet The Washington Examiner the speech he is set to make on Thursday will be “a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago”.

“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” he told the paper.

“Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches. Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.

“It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance.”

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he was “appalled” by the attack on the former US president and spoke to him on Sunday afternoon.

The PA news agency understands Sir Keir condemned the violence, expressed his condolences for the victims and their families, and wished Mr Trump and those injured a quick recovery.

Writing on Truth Social earlier on Sunday, Mr Trump thanked well-wishers and said “it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening”.

“We will fear not, but instead remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness.”

He added: “Our love goes out to the other victims and their families.

“We pray for the recovery of those who were wounded, and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed.

“In this moment, it is more important than ever that we stand united, and show our true character as Americans, remaining strong and determined, and not allowing evil to win.

“I truly love our country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our great nation this week from Wisconsin. DJT”

His wife, former US first lady Melania Trump, said: “When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realised my life, and Barron’s (the couple’s son) life, were on the brink of devastating change.”

Mrs Trump said she was “grateful to the brave secret service agents and law enforcement officials who risked their own lives”.

US President Joe Biden, addressing his country on Sunday evening, said he has directed the head of the Secret Service to review all security measures for the Republican National Convention, scheduled to begin on Monday.

“There is no place in America for this kind of violence — for any violence. Ever. Period. No exception. We can’t allow this violence to be normalised,” he said.

“Here in America we need to get out of our silos, where we only listen to those with whom we agree, where misinformation is rampant, where foreign actors fan the flames of our division to shape the outcomes consistent with their interests, not ours.”

Photographs have shown the bloodied former US president defiantly pumping his fist in the air after shots were fired at a rally for his election campaign.

Mr Trump said on his Truth Social media platform that a bullet had “pierced” his ear before he was dragged to the ground by Secret Service agents.

He told The Washington Examiner if he had not turned his head away from the crowd to look at a screen showing data he was using in his speech, “we would not be talking today”.

“That reality is just setting in,” he added.

One person at the rally was killed and two other spectators were critically injured, authorities said. All were identified as men.

The dead man has been named as Corey Comperatore, a former fire chief.

Pennsylvania governor Josh Shapiro said: “Corey died a hero. Corey dove on his family to protect them last night.”

The suspected gunman, who attacked from an “elevated position” outside the rally venue, was fatally shot.

Mr Trump was showing a chart of border crossing numbers when bangs started ringing out after 6.10pm local time.

The former president could be seen grimacing and reaching with his right hand towards the side of his head before blood appeared on his face.

He ducked and was surrounded by Secret Service agents, before rising to his feet and pumping his fist in the air, to cheers from the crowd.

The FBI named 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, as the gunman.

A motive has not yet been identified, but authorities are treating the shooting as an assassination attempt.

It was the most serious attempt to assassinate a US president or presidential candidate since Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.