Trump celebrated by former rivals Haley, DeSantis at Republican convention

Donald Trump was celebrated Tuesday astatine nan Republican National Convention by erstwhile rivals who conscionable months agone leveled harsh critiques astir him, a show of unity that contrasts pinch nan divisions progressively ripping done nan Democratic Party.

Nikki Haley, nan erstwhile U.N. ambassador who was Trump’s last challenger successful nan GOP primary, straight addressed her supporters aft taking nan shape to a operation of cheers and boos.

“My connection to them is simple: You don’t person to work together pinch Trump 100% of nan clip to ballot for him,” Haley said.

She was followed by Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, a onetime Trump state turned superior rival who has worked to rebuild his narration pinch nan erstwhile president since dropping retired of nan primary.

“Donald Trump has been demonized. He’s been sued. He’s been prosecuted. And he astir mislaid his life,” DeSantis told nan crowd. “We cannot fto him down. And we cannot fto America down.”

Such overtures are emblematic successful governmental conventions, wherever nan intent is often to bring a statement together aft bitter primaries. But nan Haley and DeSantis appearances were peculiarly notable fixed nan individual animosity that defined this year’s GOP title — overmuch of that being directed by Trump astatine Haley and DeSantis.

The displays of unity stood successful stark opposition to nan move facing Democrats, galore of whom are progressively uncertain that President Joe Biden is nan correct prime to return connected Trump successful nan November election.

DeSantis was erstwhile seen arsenic champion positioned to situation Trump’s position astatine nan apical of nan party. As a statesmanlike candidate, he was slow to knock Trump straight earlier yet accusing him of many times failing to travel done connected his promises.

Haley, meanwhile, painted Trump arsenic chaotic and suggested nan 78-year-old was excessively aged to service different term. Unlike DeSantis, she did not instantly endorse Trump aft she dropped out, alternatively waiting a fewer months to denote he had her vote.

Biden’s run resurrected Haley’s criticisms Tuesday. Austin Weatherford, a spokesperson for nan campaign, said successful a statement, “Ambassador Haley said it champion herself: personification who doesn’t respect our military, doesn’t cognize correct from wrong, and ‘surrounds himself successful chaos’ can’t beryllium president.”

Immigration was a cardinal taxable connected Tuesday

Several speakers spotlighted immigration, a cardinal constituent of erstwhile Trump ’s governmental marque that helped endear him to nan GOP guidelines erstwhile he began his first run successful 2015.

Trump has criticized nan unprecedented number of migrants entering nan state illegally done nan U.S. separator pinch Mexico. The numbers of unauthorized crossings person fallen abruptly aft Biden issued a norm suspending galore asylum claims astatine nan border.

At rallies and different run events, Trump has pointed to examples of migrants who committed heinous crimes and has blamed migration for nan trafficking of narcotics for illustration fentanyl, moreover though national information suggests galore group smuggling fentanyl crossed nan separator are U.S. citizens. He has vowed to transportation retired nan largest deportation cognition successful U.S. history.

Trump’s anti-immigrant rhetoric has besides strayed into talking points not backed by evidence, including unfounded claims that migrants are entering nan state to ballot successful nan 2024 election.

Rep. Steve Scalise of Louisiana, nan House mostly leader, made that connection successful his remarks, declaring, “Biden and Harris want illegals to ballot now that they’ve opened up nan border.”

The convention’s programming has featured group nan run has referred to arsenic “everyday Americans.” On Tuesday, they included group who had mislaid loved ones to fentanyl overdoses aliases successful convulsive crimes linked by authorities to immigrants successful nan U.S. illegally.

Among nan speakers was Michael Morin, whose sister was Rachel Morin, a Maryland female whom prosecutors opportunity was killed and raped by a fugitive from El Salvador.

“Joe Biden and his designated ‘border czar’ Kamala Harris opened our borders to him and others for illustration him, empowering them to victimize nan innocent,” Morin told nan audience.

Peer-reviewed world studies person mostly recovered nary nexus betwixt migration and convulsive crime, though conclusions alteration based connected nan information examined.

The caller effort connected Trump’s life lingers complete convention

Trump’s endurance of an attempted assassination Saturday astatine a rally successful Pennsylvania was connected nan minds of galore wrong nan hall. One of nan delegates successful nan crowd could beryllium seen pinch a folded achromatic portion of insubstantial complete his receptor — an evident tribute to nan bandage Trump wore erstwhile he entered nan hallway Monday to a roaring crowd.

Trump was again wearing a bandage erstwhile he arrived Tuesday night, appearing moreover earlier successful nan arena than he did nan nighttime before. Trump entered a fewer minutes aft his recently chosen moving mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance.

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Scalise, who was injured successful a politically motivated shooting successful 2017 while he was practicing for a kindness shot game, said of his ain acquisition erstwhile he touched connected Trump’s attack.

“While I was fighting for my life, Donald Trump was 1 of nan first to travel to console my family astatine nan hospital. That’s nan benignant of leader he is. Courageous nether fire, compassionate towards others,” Scalise said.

In nan aftermath of Saturday’s effort connected Trump’s life, location was a heightened attraction connected information astatine nan convention, which drew thousands of group to downtown Milwaukee, including a number of high-profile elected officials.

A man equipped pinch an AK-47 pistol and wearing a skis disguise was taken into custody Monday, nan convention’s first day, adjacent nan Fiserv Forum wherever nan normal is being held, a national rule enforcement charismatic said Tuesday. The charismatic was not authorized to publically talk specifications of nan ongoing investigation and said to The Associated Press connected information of anonymity.

On Tuesday, 5 Ohio constabulary officers who were successful Wisconsin for nan normal changeable a man who was successful a weapon conflict adjacent nan convention, sidesplitting him, Milwaukee’s constabulary main said.

There’s increasing anticipation for Trump’s speech

Trump and Vance were expected to look successful nan hallway each nighttime of nan convention. Vance is slated to speak Wednesday and Trump will speak Thursday.

Trump, who has agelong decried rivals pinch harsh connection and talked astir prosecuting opponents if he wins a 2nd term, seemed poised to present a much toned-down speech. His eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., said successful an Axios question and reply extracurricular nan RNC that he spent 3 aliases 4 hours going done his father’s normal reside pinch him, “trying to de-escalate immoderate of that rhetoric.”

“I deliberation it lasts,” nan younger Trump said of nan alteration successful his father’s rhetoric. “There are events that alteration you for a mates minutes, and location are events that alteration you permanently.”

But location were besides hints successful Tuesday’s programming of immoderate of Trump’s aged grievances, including respective references to Trump’s disproven theories of predetermination fraud. One of nan primetime speakers, Madeline Brame, railed against Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg, whose agency prosecuted Trump for illegally orchestrating a hush money strategy to power nan 2016 election. That made Trump nan first erstwhile president convicted of a felony crime.

Brame accused Bragg of having mishandled nan cases against nan group accused of sidesplitting her son. Of Trump, she said, “He’s been a unfortunate of nan aforesaid corrupt strategy that I person been and my family has been.”

Then she echoed a type of a statement he has delivered astatine his rallies for years.

“They’re aft us,” she said. “He’s conscionable opinionated successful nan way.”

Swenson reported from Minneapolis. Fernando reported from Chicago. Associated Press writers Steve Peoples, Jill Colvin, Meg Kinnard, Farnoush Amiri, Bill Barrow and Thomas Beaumont successful Milwaukee and Michael Balsamo successful Chicago contributed to this report.