Bandaged Trump steals show on first night of GOP convention with surprise appearance with Vance

Two days after being wounded by an assassin’s bullet, a bandage-sporting Donald Trump stole the show on the first night of the Republican nominating convention by making a cameo with his new running mate J.D. Vance that sent the crowd into a frenzy.

Trump’s appearance Monday night of convention in Milwaukee, his first since the assassination attempt Saturday, triggered chants from delegates of “fight,” the very word the president shouted as he pumped his fist in the air after being grazed by a bullet. 

His right ear bandaged, Trump entered the convention to applause and the song "God Bless the USA," which was sung live by Lee Greenwood, who introduced the former president as the "next president of the United States." Trump normally enters his rally to a recorded version of the patriotic song. 

The former president's attendance marks his first public appearance since the upper part of his right ear was pierced by a bullet during an assassination attempt on Saturday afternoon. He appeared alongside his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, in their first joint appearance since announcing the presidential ticket.

Trump claimed in a Truth Social post after the shooting that there was a lot of bleeding from the gunshot wound, but that he was doing okay.

"I knew immediately that something was wrong in that I heard a whizzing sound, shots, and immediately felt the bullet ripping through the skin," Trump wrote in the post. "Much bleeding took place, so I realized then what was happening."

Trump is not expected to speak at the convention until Wednesday, and his appearance so early is considered unusual for presidential contenders. The former president said his speech on Wednesday will be about unity, and that he rewrote his original speech that deeply criticized President Joe Biden's policies. 

“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” Trump told the Washington Examiner on Sunday. “Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches. Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.”

The former president also said the assassination attempt has changed his approach to the presidential election campaign.

Misty Severi is an evening news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.