Trump makes dramatic appearance at RNC just days after being shot during assassination attempt

Donald Trump made his first public appearance since an assassination attempt at a campaign rally when he appeared at the Republican National Convention on Monday night.

The former president walked into the Fiserv Forum with a white bandage covering his right ear, grazed by a bullet fired by a 20-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle.

Trump’s surprise appearance came just hours after he formally clinched the Republican Party’s presidential nomination and announced Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate.

Shortly after 9 pm, the former president was spotted in the hallway before walking out to the convention floor and pumping his fist while Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA” from a nearby stage.

Trump shook the hands of Tucker Carlson, his children and a host of others as he made his way to the stands. He stood with Vance, Carlson, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Congressman Byron Donalds as the crowd chanted “USA” and gave him a standing ovation.

On Saturday, a 20-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15-style rifle fired several rounds toward a campaign rally stage in Pennsylvania, nearly killing the former president while he was minutes into his remarks.

Trump initially planned to delay his appearance at the convention until later this week, before he is scheduled to deliver remarks in a closing address to formally accept the party’s nomination.

But on his Truth Social on Sunday, he said he “cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force a change to scheduling, or anything else.” Trump arrived in Wisconsin on Sunday night.

A bullet fired by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooke grazed Trump’s ear, and blood streamed from the former president’s head and streaked across his face as his Secret Service