Donald Trump, even if he didn’t fully appreciate it at the time, with adrenaline coursing through his veins, created a historic image of defiance just seconds after being repeatedly shot at.
He scrambled to his feet, right ear and cheek bloodied, dishevelled and without his shoes, and pumped his fist to the skies, conjuring cries of “USA, USA” from his supporters.
Even in awful circumstances, the former president demonstrated why he is considered the ultimate political performance artist. It is a picture for the ages.
In the 24 hours since the shooting, Team Trump is insisting the show will go on. The venue for this resilience tour will be the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
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Trump rally victim ‘died a hero’
On his Truth Social platform, Trump wrote that he was going to delay his trip to the RNC but decided that he could not “allow” a “shooter,” or “potential assassin”, to disrupt his plans.
Even before the weekend’s attempted assassination, the RNC was a big deal. It happens once every four years and is where the party will confirm Donald Trump as its nominee and Trump will announce his vice presidential pick from a presumed shortlist of three candidates; North Dakota governor Doug Burgum, Ohio Senator JD Vance and Florida senator Marco Rubio.
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President Biden speaks of shooting at Trump rally
The convention, which will be held at the Fiserv Forum, home to the Milwaukee Bucks Basketball team, is now taking place under drastically different circumstances. Some speakers have been told not to alter their speeches because organisers don’t want them to be repetitive and want to avoid Saturday’s shooting being the sole focus.
Trump’s motorcade arrived at his hotel in Milwaukee in the early evening on Sunday. The entrance to the hotel was guarded by police instructing guests to walk through airport-style scanners and the lobby was swarming with Secret Service agents, local police and Homeland Security investigations agents.
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A history of US presidential assassinations
A black curtain was drawn across one back entrance to the hotel, obscuring the view from other guests and Donald Trump was whisked from his motorcade into a lift and directly up to his suite. It was a departure from his usual arrival at these sort of events, where he would normally wave to supporters in the lobby.
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A short while later his son, Eric, arrived but remained schtum when asked by reporters how his dad was doing.
Two party delegates having a drink in the Trump hotel bar told me they had been “extremely distressed” watching events unfold at the Pennsylvania rally.
“I was horrified, disgusted, sickened,” one woman said. “I regularly go to Trump rallies and feel very safe. I probably would go again but I want the Secret Service to start using drones to identify any threats.”
Secret Service police said they had not adjusted their security plans in Milwaukee in light of the shooting and that there would be no changes to the security perimeter. But there was, palpably, more anxiety among law enforcement officers on the ground.
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Donald Trump will be closely guarded throughout the week and won’t access the venue via public entrances. He is expected to appear at the convention as soon as Monday and will make a speech on Thursday evening.
The theme for Wednesday’s proceedings at the RNC is “Make America Strong Again”.
The Trump campaign calls Joe Biden “the weakest commander-in-chief in our country’s history”.
That image of Donald Trump, pumping his fist and shouting “fight, fight, fight” will only serve to help them in conveying his strongman image.