Trump goes off-teleprompter to name-check Biden and ‘crazy Nancy Pelosi’ while slamming Democrats for ‘cheating’ at elections
Former President Donald Trump improvised large parts of his speech at the Republican National Convention, calling out President Joe Biden, mocking “crazy Nancy Pelosi” and criticizing Democrats for “cheating” in the election.
Trump spoke at the party convention in Milwaukee, just five days after he was nearly assassinated at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. He spent the beginning of his speech recounting his experience of the evening.
The speech was supposed to be unifying, sober and politically oriented, but the newly minted GOP candidate couldn’t resist adding some of his signature remarks.
He called COVID the “Chinese virus,” spontaneously brought up Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and noted that political platforms are “long-winded, boring and meaningless.”
One of the jokes that scored the most was not on the autocue. It was placed so that the entire press department could read it.
Donald Trump kisses Melania Trump on stage after accepting his party’s nomination
Former President Donald Trump improvised large parts of his speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night
Trump’s teleprompter would remain silent as he was tougher on Democrats than planned, with the Republican nominee also improvising a number of jokes
During his 92-minute speech, Trump displayed the graph that was on the screen when Thomas Matthew Crooks pointed a gun at Trump’s face on Saturday.
“The last time I put that graph online, I never really looked at it,” he said casually.
The crowd laughed and cheered.
“But without the graph, I wouldn’t be here today.”
Nor did he respond to the prompter, one of the ex-president’s favorite dad jokes, which has caused a stir in the past.
He spoke of the ‘late, great Hannibal Lecter.’
“He would like to invite you to dinner,” Trump said.
Before Trump turned the spotlight on his new running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, the GOP candidate went all out about how he recruited UFC CEO Dana White to introduce him.
He then commented on Kid Rock’s performance and gave a shout-out to Hulk Hogan, who had taken off his shirt earlier in the evening to reveal a tank top with Trump-Vance on it.
He called out the address of Eric, the singer’s son, and named more speakers before finally returning to the prompter and Vance.
As he continued, he mentioned the name of Sam Brown, a candidate for the Nevada Senate, saying that the wounded soldier had paid “the ultimate price,” a term normally used for those killed in action.
Trump also botched the term “Star Wars” when he said the US, under a second Trump term, should get an iron-dome missile shield like Israel.
“Spaceship,” the Republican candidate told the crowd, with that entire portion of the speech missing from the prompter.
Even when discussing foreign policy, he delved deeper into the issue and delved deeper into the issue of North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
“It’s nice to be around someone who has a lot of nukes,” Trump mused. “I think he misses me.”
All in all, the additions to the speech caused Trump to enter the speech an hour and two minutes later than the campaign had originally predicted.
He set the record for the longest speech ever given at a convention.
And for those watching from the East Coast, the speech lasted into the next day.