Donald Trump will address a celebratory Republican convention in Milwaukee on Thursday, where he is expected to formally accept the presidential nomination and bring to a close a four-day event that has underscored his total dominance of the party.
The former president, 78, will deliver his primetime speech while riding a wave of momentum that has grown since Joe Biden’s disastrous debate performance last month and some more recent court rulings in his favour.
It is also his first speech since he survived an assassination attempt at a rally on Saturday, which left him bloodied after a gunman shot in his direction as he delivered remarks on an outdoor stage.
Lara Trump told the BBC’s US news partner CBS that her father-in-law was affected by his “near death experience” and that will be reflected in his address. She said Americans may see a “different version” of him on Thursday.
The convention in Wisconsin has been a family affair for the Trumps, with Lara Trump among the broad mix of relatives to have spoken or appeared in the arena’s VIP box. The messaging has been consistent, with an apparent campaign effort to present a softer Trump with repeated anecdotes presenting him as a family man and unifying figure.
That has not gone unnoticed by critics, with some senior Democrats pushing back on this message. “In recent days, they’ve been trying to portray themselves as the party of unity,” Vice-President Kamala Harris said of the convention on Thursday.
“You cannot claim you stand for unity if you are pushing an agenda that deprives whole groups of Americans of basic freedoms, opportunity and dignity,” she said.
After he takes the stage on Thursday night, the former president will share his vision to “usher in a new golden age for America”, according to the party. It will cap off a week of speeches from Republican politicians, including Trump’s former primary rivals, delegates and governors.
Trump told the Washington Examiner newspaper on Sunday that he decided to rewrite his speech in the wake of the assassination attempt, switching from attacks on President Joe Biden’s policies to a message of unity. “It’s going to be a whole different speech now,” he said.
“This is a chance to bring the whole country, even the whole world, together. The speech will be a lot different, a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago,” he added.
One rally attendee was killed in the Saturday shooting and two were badly injured. Trump was shot in the ear.
He has received repeated praise from Republican attendees this week, including some who greeted in the him in the convention centre with tears in their eyes, and others wearing fake ear bandages to express solidarity after the shooting.
A unity message from Trump would be a departure from the strong rhetoric he’s often used on the campaign trail, where he has railed against “communists, Marxist, fascists and the radical left thugs”.
Even with this altered message, he is still likely, as his running mate Ohio Senator JD Vance did on Wednesday night, to criticise President Biden and his record.
Mr Vance assailed “career politicians” like Mr Biden in his speech.
Several other high-profile names are expected to take the stage on Thursday, including Eric Trump, the former president’s son, former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, and Trump’s former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
Trump will be introduced by his friend, Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Wrestler Hulk Hogan will also speak ahead of Trump formally accepting his third consecutive Republican nomination.
Trump’s wife Melania and daughter Ivanka are also set to appear at the convention for the first time.
The evening session of the convention is expected to begin at around 17:45 CST (23:45 BST), with Trump’s speech lasting until potentially 22:30 CST.
President Biden, meanwhile, has had to pause campaign stops in Las Vegas, Nevada, after testing positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday. He is experiencing mild symptoms, the White House said.
Mr Biden is under increasing pressure to step aside after reports emerged on Wednesday that both Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries privately urged him to end his re-election campaign.
Polls indicate Mr Biden is trailing the former president in several crucial swing states.
