2024-07-29 15:15:26
After the attempt on his life, Donald Trump wanted to unite the country. He has now moved away from that: “I have not changed,” said the former president.
Donald Trump rode down the golden escalator of his New York skyscraper, announced his candidacy for US president and immediately went into attack mode: Mexican migrants are rapists, he ranted at his first appearance in 2015. Since then, the now 78-year-old has pushed the boundaries of what can be said politically and insulted everyone who got in his way.
But then Trump survived an attempt on his life. The image of his blood-smeared face, his fist raised defiantly in the air, went around the world. In his first interview afterward, the former president appeared to be a changed man. Trump was in his private plane on the way to Milwaukee to be celebrated as a leader by the Republicans. A large white bandage on his ear bore witness to the shots fired at him.
The people of America may have different political views, but he is running to bridge these differences and unite the country, he told the New York Post reporter who was flying with him. The near-death experience breathed new life into Trump, said Senator Lindsey Graham, who was also traveling with him. Trump’s new optimism is incredible, emphasized the long-time ally of the ex-president.
That was two weeks ago. Since then, Joe Biden has withdrawn and made way for Kamala Harris. Trump’s comfortable lead in the polls has shrunk – and the former president has once again thrown his appeal for national unity overboard.
US expert Laura von Daniels recently told t-online that Trump had fallen back into old patterns. “It was only at the beginning that he acted like a wolf who had eaten chalk. The attacks on Harris are now below the belt.”
Donald Trump made this clear on Saturday evening in a speech at a hockey rink in Minnesota. “They all say: I think he changed two weeks ago. Something affected him,” said the former president, as reported by the New York Times. But then he admitted to the cheering crowd, in front of thousands of people: “No, I haven’t changed. Maybe I’ve gotten worse. Because I’m angry about the incompetence that I experience every day.”
Trump then turned his attention to his opponent. Kamala Harris is “evil,” “disturbed,” and “sick,” he said. He then made fun of her laughter and demeanor. “We have a brand new victim,” he said. “And frankly, she’s a left-wing madwoman.”
In his 90-minute speech, Donald Trump addressed several issues that have preoccupied him throughout the election campaign, including protectionist trade policies, a crackdown on immigration, mass deportations and the lie that there was widespread electoral fraud in 2020 that worked against him.
But Trump has not yet fully adapted to his new opponent. In Minnesota, he repeatedly imitated Joe Biden in a derogatory manner, imitating the president’s gait and speech. Suddenly, however, he stopped doing so. “I don’t want to waste any more time on this. I told you he wouldn’t make it,” Trump shouted gleefully to the crowd.