Just days after a near-fatal assassination attempt, former President Donald Trump made a surprising and emotional entrance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday. Sporting a white bandage on his right ear—a vivid reminder of the recent peril he had faced—Trump captivated attendees as he stepped into the arena. Scheduled to deliver his main address later in the week, his early appearance set a powerful tone for the event.

The former president’s presence was a deeply moving moment for many, including CBS host Gayle King. She admitted to being genuinely moved by Trump’s entrance. “I felt the emotion sitting in my bedroom coming through the TV screen,” King shared with her co-host Tony Dokoupil during a broadcast. “I can’t imagine what it was like on the floor.”

Dokoupil, who was at the event, described the atmosphere as “electric” similar to a pop concert filled with an intense mix of concern and elation from the audience. “I was in the box directly next to the president’s: it was electric there for the Trump faithful.”

“People were notably hushed at the first sight of the former president, then cheering, then chanting, including ‘Fight, fight,’ the words that Trump himself seemed to say moments after he was wounded on Saturday,” Dokoupil explained.

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Trump’s appearance, marked by a stark white bandage, not only conveyed the gravity of Saturday’s events but also his demeanor. Although somber, the 2024 frontrunner exuded a powerful message of perseverance. Country artist Lee Greenwood introduced the former president before performing a live rendition of “God Bless The USA” as Trump made his entrance.

A visibly emotional Trump entered to chants of “We love Trump” and “USA,” stopping to shake hands with members of his family, as well as key allies such as Tucker Carlson and Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), before taking his position next to his new running mate, Senator J.D. Vance (R-OH).

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“Prayer works. This nation based on faith, prayer works,” Greenwood said while introducing the former president. “Because he was sure as Donald Trump turned his head just slightly that the bullet missed him just enough to save his life to be the next President of the United States. We have believed for so long that God will make some changes in this country, and he’s about to make a change in the current administration and send them home.” 

“Thank you everybody for being here tonight. Tonight we make the decision on what’s right for America. more prosperity, less gas prices, less food prices, help for our veterans, and God bless our military wherever they are in this United States. And abroad, there would be no war if there wasn’t anyone. President Trump was president, and he would have been president of the United States, Donald J. Trump.”

Cheers continued well into the next speaker’s address, who took a step back as the crowd continued to chant “We love Trump!” The former president is set to deliver his main address on Thursday. He reportedly scrapped his initial address in favor of a new one in the wake of the assassination attempt.

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