Former US President Donald Trump, who survived an assassination attempt last weekend, said that our planet is on the “edge of World War III.” He then claimed he could end “every single international crisis,” including the ongoing Russia-Ukraine conflict and Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
At the Republican National Convention (RNC) 2024, which came to a close on Thursday night, Trump formally accepted the party’s nomination.
“Our planet is teetering on the edge of World War III… this will be a war like no other,” Trump said while addressing his supporters at the event.
“I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created – including the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine, which would have never happened if I was president, and the war caused by the attack on Israel, which never would have happened if I were president,” he added.
He also said he wanted Americans held abroad to be released — or else.
“The entire world, I tell you this: we want our hostages back and they better be back before I assume office or you will be paying a very big price,” said Trump — again failing to give any specifics.
The 78-year-old started his keynote address at the 2024 GOP convention, describing how he narrowly survived an attempt on his life, noting he could only be there “by the grace of Almighty God.”
He asserted that this was the only time he would recount the July 13 incident because it was too painful to recall.
Remembering the incident, he explained that he heard a “loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me really, really hard on my right ear”.
“I said to myself, ‘Wow, what was that? It can only be a bullet’,” he added.
While Trump was speaking, a few photographs of the former president from the July 13 incident were displayed on screens behind him.
During his speech, he even lauded the Secret Service agents, who rushed to his side, and then paid tribute to the volunteer firefighter, Corey Comperatore, who was killed, reports said.
Trump also stressed that he was “running to be president for all of America, not half of America because there is no victory in winning for half of America”.
The assassination attempt on Trump came just months ahead of the high-on-stakes US presidential elections slated for November 5, 2024.
The Democratic National Convention is expected to take place next month in Chicago, with US President Joe Biden, who tested positive for COVID-19 a few days ago, still the frontrunner to retain the nomination.
