Donald Trump has been officially named as the Republican presidential nominee, just days after surviving an assassination attempt. The former president was confirmed as the party’s choice for the November election at the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee.
Trump, 78, is expected to announce his running mate at the event, with Ohio Senator JD Vance rumoured to be the frontrunner.
The announcement comes after a gunman, identified as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at Trump during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday. Trump was struck on the ear but still attended the RNC, a four-day event that started on Monday.
Having clinched a majority of convention delegates earlier in the year, Trump easily brushed aside rivals such as South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley and Florida Governor Ron DeSantis. Despite being the presumptive nominee for months, he officially became the party’s standard-bearer after Monday’s roll call, where delegates voted for him.
The leader of each state announced their results, solidifying Trump’s position to battle the Democratic candidate, likely to be incumbent President Joe Biden, in the upcoming election.
Most delegates were already bound to support Trump, with at least 2,268 of them committed before the RNC began. Although at least 150 delegates were technically “unbound,” many had already indicated their support for Trump prior to the convention.
Biden Expected to Stand Still
Despite increasing pressure and scrutiny over his mental fitness and ability to perform the job, President Joe Biden is still expected to receive the Democratic presidential nomination. Biden condemned the violence against Trump and affirmed his intent to run for re-election.
The Democratic National Convention is set for 19 August, with Biden needing to be nominated by 7 August to comply with Ohio state law requirements.
