Donald Trump has chosen 39-year-old United States (US) Senator James D. Vance on Monday, July 15, as his running mate for vice
“As Vice President, J.D. will continue to fight for our Constitution, stand with our Troops, and will do everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform.
The convention, spanning four days at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum, commenced two days after Trump survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania. It also followed a significant legal victory for Trump when a federal judge dismissed one of his criminal cases.
Trump is set to formally accept the party’s nomination in a primetime speech on Thursday, July 18, and will contest Democratic President Joe Biden in the November 5 election.
The Republican candidate, aged 78, and Biden, aged 81, are engaged in a closely contested election rematch, as indicated by opinion polls.
Trump persistently asserts, without evidence, that his defeat to Biden in 2020 was due to extensive fraud. He has also not pledged to accept the election results if he were to lose.
Following the assassination attempt, Trump announced that he is modifying his acceptance speech to focus more on national unity rather than emphasizing his contrasts with Biden.
“This is an opportunity to unite the entire country, even the world,” Trump said.
“The speech will be very different, very different from what it would have been two days ago.”
The bullet from the attempted assassin grazed Trump’s right ear but caused no serious injury.
Trump remarked that following the judge’s decision to dismiss the documents case, he believes his other pending prosecutions should also be dismissed. He is currently facing trial in two cases, one in federal court in Washington and another in Georgia, related to his efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election.
Both cases could be affected by a July 1 US Supreme Court ruling granting him immunity for many of his actions as president.
In September, Trump is scheduled to be sentenced in New York for attempting to conceal a payment to porn star Stormy Daniels shortly before his 2016 election victory.
“This dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida should be only the beginning, swiftly followed by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts,” Trump stated on his Truth Social platform on Monday, July 15.
He also referred to the prosecutions of numerous supporters who participated in storming the US Capitol on January 6, 2021.
