USA Signal of unity: former rivals bolster Trump at party convention
Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis, once fierce political opponents of Donald Trump, have demonstratively backed the presidential candidate at the Republican National Convention and called for unity. "Donald Trump has my full support," said Haley.
17.07.2024, 16:49
SDA
She was greeted with a mixture of cheers and boos - but the audience applauded euphorically when Haley backed Trump right at the start. With the support of their former top rivals, the Republicans are increasingly closing their own ranks - in contrast to the Democrats, where there is an internal revolt against frontrunner Joe Biden.
Trump personally listened to the speeches of his former rivals at the party conference. The 78-year-old once again wore a white bandage on his right ear following the assassination attempt at the weekend. He appeared much fitter on the second day of the party spectacle than on the first, raising his fist in the air several times and pointing his finger at the cheering crowd. The crowd jostled in front of the grandstand to get a close-up view.
For Trump, the demonstrative public support of his former rivals at the party conference is a great success. Both DeSantis and Haley had already announced their support beforehand. However, their appearance at the party conference in Milwaukee is likely to send out a special signal - as a sign of new unity within the party, following fierce internal battles in recent months.
"We have a country to save"
Haley addressed Trump sceptics in her speech. "We should recognize that there are some Americans who do not agree one hundred percent with Donald Trump. I happen to know some of them, and I want to speak to them tonight," she said. The former governor of the US state of South Carolina said that she was one of them. But she emphasized: "I'm here tonight because we have a country to save, and a united Republican Party is essential to saving it."
Trump's former US ambassador to the United Nations had fought a weeks-long duel with Trump in the internal Republican primaries for the presidential candidacy, but had no chance and ultimately conceded defeat. Immediately after her withdrawal, Haley demonstratively refrained from expressing her support for Trump.
Haley had questioned Trump's mental fitness for the presidency during the pre-election campaign. Trump, on the other hand, showered the daughter of Indian immigrants with racist comments. The relationship between Trump and Haley was considered so bad that Democratic US President Biden sought her support after Haley's withdrawal and praised her courage in standing up to Trump. Parallel to Haley's appearance, Biden's campaign team mockingly recalled that the 52-year-old had previously rated Trump as unsuitable for the highest office in the land.
The criticism from back then was far removed during her appearance. Instead, Haley even praised Trump's foreign policy. Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin did not attack Ukraine during Trump's presidency because he knew that the Republican was strong, she shouted to the crowd. During the pre-election campaign, she had accused Trump of being particularly close to Putin or North Korea's ruler Kim Jong Un.
"Let's send Joe Biden back to his basement"
DeSantis was also aiming for his party's presidential candidacy, but had already dropped out of the race after the primary in Iowa in January. Unlike Haley, he immediately voiced his support for Trump at the time. However, the relationship between Trump and the governor from Florida was still considered to be troubled - they had also clashed violently during the pre-election campaign. "Let's send Joe Biden back to his basement and Donald Trump back to the White House," said DeSantis to great cheers in Milwaukee.
At the party conference, it once again became particularly clear how much Trump has the entire party in his grip. "Everyone is rallying around the same person. It's very reassuring to see this unity," said delegate Bill Swenson from the state of Nebraska.
Trump was officially nominated as his party's presidential candidate at the beginning of the convention on Monday and, as things stand, will run against Democratic incumbent Biden in the presidential election in November. Trump's nomination was a formality, as he had already won the necessary delegate votes in the primaries. He will give his big speech in Germany on Friday night.
"Trump Vance" signs already in use
Trump is entering the race with senator and bestselling author J.D. Vance as his vice presidential candidate. The 39-year-old was cheered in Milwaukee. As he entered the hall, the country song "America First" was playing. People held up signs with the words "Trump - Vance". The Trump loyalist and firebrand Vance is said to get on particularly well with Trump's son Don Jr. During a stage rehearsal, the two joked with each other on a familiar basis. Trump's wife Melania and daughter Ivanka, on the other hand, have not yet appeared in public.
The ex-president was injured in the ear in an assassination attempt at the weekend during a campaign event. One Trump supporter was killed and two others were injured. The shooter was shot dead. The incident was an escalation in the already heated US election campaign.
Chaos among the Democrats
While the Republicans are demonstrating unity in Milwaukee, trouble is brewing ahead of the Democratic nomination convention in August. In the midst of the discussion about Biden's age and fitness, the top of his party is pushing ahead with plans to nominate the 81-year-old as a presidential candidate virtually before the party convention in Chicago. There is criticism of this approach among Democrats in Congress. Biden is currently under massive pressure from within his own ranks due to regular missteps and embarrassing blunders. Various party colleagues have called on him to withdraw from the presidential race in recent weeks.
