What to Expect From Trump’s Speech Tonight

MILWAUKEE—Former President Donald Trump’s acceptance speech this evening will put the capstone on the series of emotional, historic events that preceded it, delegates and a political scientist say.

His campaign staff confirmed to The Epoch Times that the former president is writing his own remarks, a departure from the norm.

The speech, which will formalize his nomination as the Republicans’ presidential candidate, promises to be one of the most important he has made since entering political life in 2015. It is set for just after 9 p.m. CT. His running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), accepted the party’s nomination for vice president on July 17.

Just days ago, the 78-year-old former president survived an assassination attempt, then jumped headlong into one of the most extraordinary political gatherings that political scientist Susan MacManus has ever seen.

“I’ve been covering conventions since 1992, and I’ve never seen the energy among Republicans that I’ve seen at this conference—never,” Ms. MacManus told The Epoch Times on July 18, the final day of the Republican National Convention.

She said a combination of factors had coalesced support for former President Trump, turning the ideal of “unity” into an apparent reality for the party faithful. She believes he will reinforce that notion during his speech, emphasize his policies, and compare his record to that of the incumbent, President Joe Biden.

Robin Medeiros, 63, an alternate delegate from Pennsylvania, told The Epoch Times that she has frequently volunteered for political campaigns over the years but has never seen “everyone really unifying and just coming together as one.”

“I feel it. It’s so incredible. You walk into that convention, and you just feel it,” she said.

Ms. Medeiros and others said support for former President Trump, his policies, and his performance as president during 2017-21 had already been strong. But the criminal prosecutions he has faced and the attempt to take his life multiplied that effect.

Immediately after being shot at a Pennsylvania rally on July 13, former President Trump rose to his feet. As blood trickled down his face, he pumped his fist in the air and shouted, “Fight!”—a chant repeated dozens of times since the GOP convention began on July 15.

That moment reflected his grit—and amplified respect for him, Ms. Medeiros said.

“He wanted to let everybody know that he’s still there and still fighting for them,” she said.

“It’s just a positive thing, and he’s showing his strength, and he’s showing that he’s there for us still, even though he had just been shot.”

As the nation watches his acceptance speech, Ms. MacManus said people are expecting the former president to appear presidential and strong and to again emphasize the party’s unification.

The former president has also benefited from the current uncertainty inside the Democratic Party, according to Ms. MacManus. President Biden has rebuffed calls for him to step aside that started after a poor debate performance at the end of June.

Convention-goers realize that “if Biden steps down, the whole strategy and everything else changes in a heartbeat,” Ms. MacManus said. That’s why they say they know they cannot afford to become complacent about the former president’s chances of winning the Nov. 5 election.

Asked what she expects from the 45th president’s speech, Ms. Medeiros said, “I think he’s going to wrap it all up and say, you know, we just need to stick together, and we’re going to win this thing.”

“The air is so electrified here, and everyone is so positive—and we’re all going to walk away still feeling that.”