Donald Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination for president on Thursday night, a mere five days after surviving an assassination attempt at his Butler, Pennsylvania, rally. The former president delivered a record-setting 93-minute speech at Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in which he poignantly recounted what happened in Butler and called for unity in the GOP and beyond.
On Friday’s show, Megyn reflected on Trump’s remarks and how they closed out a very memorable and “enthusiastic” Republican National Convention.
Trump’s Speech
As Megyn noted, Thursday night was historic on several fronts. “We witnessed history as former President Donald Trump officially accepted the Republican nomination for a third time and, for the first time since Saturday, publicly spoke about the attempt on his life,” she said. “It was a riveting moment. I mean, you could hear a pin drop in that room when he started telling this story.”
Much has been made all week about a seemingly softer and more reflective version of Trump at the convention, and that was very much encapsulated in his re-telling of what happened in Butler and honoring of deceased rally goer Corey Comperatore. “He spoke in a different kind of voice, it was quieter with a softer tone,” Megyn noted. “He told us exactly how it felt on his end and said it would be the only time that he would share his recollections of that moment.”
Many in the crowd were in tears as the GOP nominee recounted the “painful” story. He said that while there was “blood pouring everywhere,” he felt “very safe” in the moment – in part because of the Secret Service and in part because “I had God on my side.” Trump reiterated that he believes he would be dead if not for the grace of God.
But the speech touched on much more than the events of the last five days. In addition to discussing immigration, energy independence, foreign policy, radical gender ideology, and gas prices, Trump made it clear that he does not wish to be president for “half of America.”
Instead, he said he “extend[s] a hand of loyalty and friendship” to every American – a unifying theme that had been on display throughout the convention with unexpected speakers like rapper Amber Rose, Teamsters president Sean O’Brien, and even former Trump opponents Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis alongside Gold Star families and ‘everyday’ Americans from all backgrounds.
At one point, Trump shared how he came up with his popular “no tax on tips” policy proposal, saying that it was a conversation with a waitress at a restaurant in one of his buildings that sparked the idea. In another funny moment, he sheepishly admitted that Franklin Graham had asked him to clean up his language and he was working to do so.
The Takeaway
Megyn said she has been covering presidential politics and nominating conventions since 2004 and something felt different this time around. “I’ve never seen the Republicans this enthusiastic. Never,” she said.
While the left may be criticizing the length of Trump’s speech or even his mention of God, Megyn said there is no denying this was a very successful RNC. “The average viewer sitting at home was probably not sitting there for 90 minutes on Thursday watching every minute of that speech,” she said. “They are probably just going to see the highlights of Trump – and they are funny, and they are clever, and they are very compelling.”
But it was not just Trump who provided the entertainment value. “They have gotten clips all week of Kid Rock and Hulk Hogan that are fun,” Megyn said. “The Republicans are having a good time.” And then there was the ‘big tent’ messaging. “And J.D. Vance, and Vivek Ramaswamy, and others were out there saying, ‘You are part of our party,'” she added.
That is represented, she noted, in the outreach Trump and the GOP at large is doing in working class, black, and Hispanic communities. “It’s just not your grandfather’s Republican Party,” she concluded. “I just thought it was a very, very well done convention and that is what I think people at home are going to take away.”
You can check out Megyn’s full analysis by tuning in to episode 842 on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you like to listen. And don’t forget that you can catch The Megyn Kelly Show live on SiriusXM’s Triumph (channel 111) weekdays from 12pm to 2pm ET.