'A lot different': Donald Trump rewrites his RNC speech after assassination attempt

Former US President Donald Trump has rewritten his speech for the Republican National Convention (RNC), due to start on Monday (Jul 15). The assassination attempt on the Republican leader has had a profound impact as he is expected to focus on bringing the nation together instead of the usual rambling about his rival, Joe Biden's policies.

Trump said he wanted to take advantage of the historic moment to deliver the message of unity instead of his previous plan of exciting the voter base.

“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” Trump said in an interview with theWashington Examiner.

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"The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would've been two days ago.It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance," he added.

Trump has already landed in Milwaukee for the convention but is not scheduled to speak until Thursday (Jul 18) night.

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'Reality is setting'

The former president reflected on the events post the assassination attempt, stating that people from different walks of life and political views had reached out to him.

“That reality is just setting in,” he said. “I rarely look away from the crowd. Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”

On Sunday morning, Trump posted a heartfelt message on his Truth Social handle where he said 'God alone' protected him from death.

"It was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening. We will fear not, but instead remain resilient in our faith and defiant in the face of wickedness. Our love goes out to the other victims and their families," Trump wrote.

TheFederal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) have identified the shooter as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks from Bethel, Pennsylvania. He was neutralised by the United States Secret Service agents, shortly after he fired the multiple rounds that grazed Trump's right ear while killing one civilian and injuring another.

Crooks was a registered Republican, according to state voter records but also donated to the Democrats after Biden came to power. His motive for the incident remains unknown at this stage.

(With inputs from agencies)