Trump Wears Ear Bandage on Second Day... Attends Republican National Convention

Former U.S. President Donald Trump, who was shot during a campaign event, appeared at the site on the second day of the Republican National Convention on the 16th (local time) with a bandage on his ear. It is known that former President Trump will attend the event throughout the convention period alongside vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance.

[Image source=AFP Yonhap News]

According to CNN’s live broadcast, former President Trump entered the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the convention was held, around 8 p.m. that day (10 a.m. on the 17th Korean time). The convention focused on crime, immigration policies, and other issues under the theme “Make America Safe Once Again.”

Like the previous day, former President Trump headed to the VIP red box with a bandage still on his right ear. Wearing a blue tie, he raised his fist and applauded the party members with a more confident expression than the somewhat emotional one the day before. He then sat next to Vice Presidential candidate Vance, who had entered the venue a few minutes earlier.

As former President Trump took his seat, a video criticizing President Joe Biden for undermining border security and allowing dangerous individuals into the United States was shown at the convention site. The narration in the video included statements such as, “Former President Trump kept our borders safe and kept our families safe,” and “He will do so again.” Following this, Senator Ted Cruz, a 2016 primary rival, took the podium and shouted, “God bless former President Trump,” delivering a speech that former President Trump listened to attentively.

CNN reported that former President Trump plans to attend the convention site every night until the final day alongside Vice Presidential candidate Vance. Vance will take the podium the next day for his official speech. Former President Trump will also deliver his acceptance speech on the final night, the 18th. The two are scheduled to hold their first joint campaign rally this weekend in Michigan after the convention.

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

On the second day of the convention, the prime-time speaker lineup notably included several rivals who had once criticized former President Trump. Notable figures include former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who competed in this year’s primary race. Haley, who endured until the end of the primary race, was previously blacklisted by the Trump camp and was not invited to the convention, but was added to the speaker list after the assassination attempt on former President Trump on the 13th.

The first primary rival to take the stage that evening was entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy. He dropped out early in the primary but has publicly supported former President Trump since. He was once mentioned as a potential vice presidential candidate. He began his speech jokingly, saying, “Around this time last year, I was a U.S. presidential candidate,” and “Most of you would know my name by now. Thank you.”

Ramaswamy, a fervent Trump supporter, emphasized the importance of the rule of law and that he is the child of a legal immigrant to the U.S., predicting, “We will close the southern border on day one.” He distinguished between legal and illegal immigrants, underscoring the need for a tough policy on illegal immigration advocated by former President Trump. He also said, “For decades, the media has tried to convince people that the Republican Party doesn’t care about the Black community. But we do care.”

The convention also scheduled closing speeches from former President Trump’s daughter-in-law Lara Trump and others. Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee, is the first member of the Trump family to take the podium. The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) analyzed this as a signal of former President Trump’s strong control over the party.

Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr., former President Trump’s eldest son, confirmed in an Axios-hosted discussion that “Dad has changed after the shooting,” and that there will be significant changes in the content of the acceptance speech on the 18th.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.