Trump to accept GOP nomination in first major speech since assassination attempt

Former President Donald Trump will accept the Republican nomination for president on Thursday, marking the third consecutive election cycle he has received the party's nomination.

Trump will become the first major party candidate since Franklin D. Roosevelt to accept three consecutive party nominations. Richard Nixon also accepted three Republican nominations, but not consecutively.

Trump will accept the nomination to close out this week's Republican National Convention. The address to delegates will mark his first speech since Saturday's assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally.

In an interview with the New York Post, Trump said the assassination attempt caused him to rewrite his acceptance speech.

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“I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration,” he said. “But I threw it away.”

Trump added, “I want to try to unite our country. But I don’t know if that’s possible. People are very divided.”

It's unknown how much Trump will go after Biden on Thursday, days after the two spoke on the phone following the assassination attempt. President Biden, who was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday, has faced pressure from numerous Democratic lawmakers to drop out of the race.

Trump has been in attendance for all three nights of the convention so far. He has worn a large white bandage over his right ear after he said he was shot in the ear.

Some RNC attendees have also been spotted wearing white bandages over their ears as a sign of solidarity with Trump.