Donald Trump enters Republican convention hall with a bandaged ear and gets a hero’s welcome

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Milwaukee — Two days after surviving an attempted assassination, former President Donald Trump appeared triumphantly at the Republican National Convention’s opening night with a bandage over his right ear, the latest compelling scene in a presidential campaign already defined by dramatic turns. Delegates cheered wildly when Trump appeared onscreen backstage and then emerged in the arena, visibly emotional, as musician Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA.” That was hours after the convention had formally nominated the former president to head the Republican ticket in November against President Joe Biden. Trump, accompanied by a wall of Secret Service agents, did notmore

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Biden, Trump call for unity in aftermath of Trump assassination attempt

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The White House — President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump on Monday made high-profile appearances, each man acknowledging in his own way how the weekend assassination attempt against Trump has reshaped both of their presidential campaigns. Trump briefly appeared on stage at the Republican National Convention late Monday, a white bandage taped over his right ear where a bullet clipped him Saturday as he addressed a Pennsylvania rally. On Monday, the Biden administration announced a separate, independent investigation into the shooting, as the Federal Bureau of Investigation leads the main inquiry. The stark differences between the two main presidentialmore

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Biden says ‘bull’s-eye’ reference to Trump was a mistake

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WASHINGTON — U.S. President Joe Biden said on Monday he made a mistake when he told supporters to put rival Donald Trump in a “bull’s-eye” in an effort to focus attention on his rival’s behavior but said Trump regularly employed rhetoric that was inflammatory. “It was a mistake to use the word,” Biden said in an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt. “I meant focus on it, focus on what he’s doing,” Biden said. On July 8, Biden, 81, spoke to some of his biggest donors and said they needed to shift the election campaign’s focus from him and his poor debatemore

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Trump receives enough delegate votes to officially be Republicans’ nominee

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MILWAUKEE — The top of Republicans’ presidential ticket came together suddenly Monday, as Donald Trump swept a majority of votes from national convention delegates and announced Ohio Senator JD Vance as his vice presidential running mate.  After receiving the votes of enough delegates to clinch the nomination, former President Trump will lead the GOP in a third consecutive election. The winner in 2016, he lost to current President Joe Biden in 2020. He will face Biden again in November.  Trump has been the presumptive nominee for months. But it was the vote of RNC delegates in Milwaukee that made it officialmore

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New Biden TV interview to air as campaign gingerly advances after Trump attack

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WASHINGTON — President Joe Biden was sitting for yet another high-stakes interview at another key moment for his candidacy as his reelection team gingerly determines how to resume full-blown campaigning after the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump.  Biden was being interviewed by Lester Holt of NBC News, a session set to air on the network Monday evening. The interview, scheduled before the attempt on Trump’s life at a rally in Pennsylvania, is part of Biden’s broader strategy to prove his fitness for office after angst grew among Democrats because of his disastrous June 27 debate performance.  The Biden campaignmore

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Who is JD Vance? Things to know about Trump’s running mate

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COLUMBUS, Ohio — Former President Donald Trump on Monday chose U.S. Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio to be his running mate as he looks to return to the White House. Here are some things to know about Vance, a 39-year-old Republican now in his first term in the Senate: Vance rose to prominence with memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Vance was born and raised in Middletown, Ohio. He joined the Marines and served in Iraq, and later earned degrees from Ohio State University and Yale Law School. He also worked as a venture capitalist in Silicon Valley. Vance made a name for himselfmore

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Biden orders Secret Service to protect RFK Jr. after Trump assassination attempt

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Washington — President Joe Biden has directed the U.S. Secret Service to protect independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the Homeland Security secretary said Monday. Kennedy is a longshot to win Electoral College votes, much less the presidency. But his campaign events have drawn large crowds of supporters and people interested in his message. Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said Biden had directed the protection for Kennedy “both prior to and after the events of this past weekend.” The Secret Service is legally required to protect major party presidential and vice-presidential candidates andmore

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Trump rally shooting becomes hot topic on China’s social media

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Taipei, Taiwan — The shooting at a rally for former President Donald Trump in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday quickly became a trending topic on China’s social media platforms Sunday. The Chinese foreign ministry released a statement on its website Sunday, indicating that the country is closely following the incident involving Trump. “President Xi Jinping has expressed sympathies to former President Trump,” the Chinese foreign ministry said in its statement. The FBI said Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, was the suspect in the attempted assassination of Trump. As of noon, Beijing time Sunday, the Weibo entry “Trumpmore

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A defiant Trump equals a defiant base

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A defiant former President Donald Trump will attend the full Republican National Convention, just days after he survived an assassination attempt. VOA’s Senior Washington Correspondent Carolyn Presutti is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and tells us how his supporters, after Saturday’s shock, are now energized. …

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GOP convention protests are on despite shooting at Trump rally

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MILWAUKEE — Activists gathering in Milwaukee for the start of the Republican National Convention say the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump won’t affect their long-standing plans to demonstrate outside the convention site this week. A diverse range of organizations and activists is expected outside the downtown Fiserv Forum. The largest expected demonstration was slated to start Monday morning. The Coalition to March on the RNC, comprised largely of local groups, planned to protest for access to abortion rights, for immigrant rights, and against the war in Gaza among other issues. “The shooting has nothing to do with us,” saidmore

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Biden, in somber Oval Office address, calls for unity, peace after Trump shooting

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President Joe Biden on Sunday summoned the gravitas of the Oval Office to entreat Americans to unify and shun political violence after a stunning attempt on the life of rival Donald Trump a day earlier. Trump, en route to the political convention where he is expected to clinch the Republican presidential nomination, made similar calls – in a sign both men fear trouble ahead as the November election looms. VOA’s Anita Powell reports from the White House. …

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Biden condemns political violence, calls for unity after Trump assassination attempt

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White House — President Joe Biden on Sunday condemned political violence and called for national unity after an assassination attempt on his rival and presidential challenger, former President Donald Trump. Biden also urged Americans to not jump to conclusions as law enforcement investigates the Saturday shooting at a rally in the swing state of Pennsylvania.  “There is no place in America for this kind of violence – or any violence for that matter,” Biden said, flanked by his vice president and attorney general. “An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for, as a nation, everything. It’s not who wemore

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US searches for motive in Trump assassination attempt 

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Washington — Multiple U.S. law enforcement agencies ramped up their search for answers Sunday, less than a day after a would-be assassin got close enough to shoot and injure former President Donald Trump at a campaign rally in rural Pennsylvania. The FBI early Sunday named the alleged shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, a resident of Bethel Park, Pennsylvania, located about 80 kilometers north of the rally site in Butler. Crooks was shot and killed by U.S. Secret Service agents shortly after firing multiple rounds at Trump. But already new evidence suggests the incident could have been worse. Law enforcement officialsmore

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Fears of unrest in convention host Milwaukee after Trump assassination attempt

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The U.S. Republican Party is expected to formally nominate Donald Trump for president this week, days after he survived an assassination attempt at a political rally. Already tight security is expected to be heightened in Milwaukee, which is hosting the Republican National Convention. VOA’s Jorge Agobian and William Gallo spoke with convention delegates and Milwaukee residents, who are concerned about the possibility of more unrest. …

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FBI leads investigation into Trump assassination attempt at campaign rally

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washington — Former U.S. President Donald Trump said late Saturday that a bullet clipped his right ear after shots were fired in his direction at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania and the nation’s top law enforcement agency said it had taken the lead in the investigation. “This evening, we had what we are calling an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump. It’s still an active crime scene,” Kevin Rojek, special agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, said during a press conference. The shooter is dead, one rally attendee was killed and two other spectators were injured, accordingmore

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Older voters could be a sweet spot for Biden in November 

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U.S. President Joe Biden’s halting performance at last month’s presidential debate triggered questions about the president’s age and ability to serve another four years. One group of voters that might empathize with the president’s plight are older people. Historically, people over 65 are the most reliable bloc of voters in presidential elections. VOA’s Dora Mekouar reports. VOA footage by Adam Greenbaum. …

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