‘Division in our society must be healed’: Trump gives call for unity in first speech after assassination bid on life

US presidential candidate Donald Trump gave a ‘unity’ call in his address as said that he was “running for full America and not just half of America”. 

Trump said, “The discord and division in our society must be healed, we must heal it quickly... I am running to be President for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America.” 

The Republican candidate was addressing the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee.

“In an age where our politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are fellow citizens, we are one nation under God, indivisible with liberty and justice for all,” Trump told the gathering in Milwaukee accepting the Republican Party’s nomination for the Presidential polls due later this year. 

“We must not criminalise dissent and demonise political disagreement, which is what has been happening at a level that nobody has ever seen before. In that spirit, the Democrat party should immediately stop weaponising the justice system and labelling their political opponent as the enemy of democracy,” he said, adding “In fact, I am the one saving democracy for the people of our country.” 

The 78-year-old hopes to build momentum toward a November victory over US President Joe Biden and a second term in the White House. “We will have an incredible victory, and we will begin the four greatest years in the history of our country,” Trump said in his speech since the assassination attempt causing an injury to his right ear, while killing a bystander, during a rally last week. 

“The assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life. So many people have asked me what happened, and therefore, I’ll tell you what happened, and you’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s too painful,” Trump said. 

“I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” Trump told the packed convention hall as thousands of people listened in silence about the assassination attempt that he survived. “There was blood pouring everywhere, yet, in a certain way I felt very safe because I had God on my side.” 

The former US president appealed to the gathering for ‘partnership and support. “Tonight, I ask for your partnership, for your support, and I am humbly asking for your vote. Every day, I will strive to honour the trust you have placed in me, and I will never let you down… will press forward, and together, we will win, win, win.” 

He also highlighted global achievements during his tenure as the president. “There was peace in Europe and the Middle East. Under President Bush, Russia invaded Georgia. Under President Obama, Russia took Crimea. Under the current administration, Russia is after all of Ukraine. Under President Trump, Russia took nothing. We defeated 100 per cent of ISIS in Syria and Iraq, something that was going to take five years, and I did it in two months,” he said. 

“Now China is circling Taiwan, and Russian warships and nuclear submarines are operating 60 miles off our coasts in Cuba, and the media doesn’t want to talk about it,” Trump added. 

With our victory in November, the years of war, weakness and chaos will be over, he said in a stern warning to the adversaries of the United States. 

“We will replenish our military, and build an Iron Dome Missile Defense System to ensure that no enemy can strike our homeland... We will unleash the power of American innovation… America is on the cusp of a new Golden Age, but we must have the courage to seize it,” said Trump. 

Melania Trump, who has been mostly absent throughout the former US President’s campaign was seen to applause but did not speak. 

Trump's address comes when team Biden is in full crisis mode as pressure from within the incumbent's Democratic Party builds for him to end his reelection bid.