Former President Donald Trump improvised large portions of his speech at the Republican National Convention, including when he mentioned President Joe Biden, mocked “Crazy Nancy Pelosi” and criticized Democrats for “cheating” in the election.
Trump addressed the Milwaukee convention just five days after he was nearly assassinated at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, and devoted the top of his speech to that night’s recount.
The speech was supposed to be unifying, sober and policy-laden, but the newly minted Republican nominee couldn’t resist adding a few of his own indirect traits.
He called COVID-19 the “China virus,” spontaneously mentioned Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, and said political platforms are “long, boring and meaningless.”
One of the jokes that landed the best was not the one about the prompter, who was positioned in such a way that the entire press section could read it.
Donald Trump kisses Melania Trump on stage after accepting his party’s nomination
Donald Trump is joined on stage by his wife Melania, members of his family and Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance.
Former President Donald Trump improvised large portions of his speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday night
Trump’s teleprompter remained motionless as he was tougher on Democrats than planned, while the Republican candidate also improvised a series of jokes.
During his 92-minute speech, Trump showed the graphic that had been on screen when Thomas Matthew Crooks pointed a gun at his face on Saturday.
“The last time I posted that chart, I never got a chance to look at it,” he said in an off-the-cuff comment.
The crowd laughed and applauded.
“But without the chart, I wouldn’t be here today.”
One of the former president’s favorite jokes, which has generated controversy in the past, also does not appear in the prompter.
He spoke of the “great, late Hannibal Lecter.”
“He’d love to take you out to dinner,” Trump said.
Before Trump called attention to his new running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, the Republican candidate digressed into how he recruited UFC CEO Dana White to introduce him.
From there, he singled out Kid Rock’s performance and praised Hulk Hogan, who removed his shirt to expose a tank top Trump-Vance earlier in the night.
He announced his son Eric’s speech and named more speakers before finally turning back to the prompter and Vance.
As he continued, he mentioned the name of Nevada Senate candidate Sam Brown, highlighting how the wounded warrior paid “the ultimate price,” language typically used for those killed in action.
Trump also misused the term “Star Wars” when he talked about how the United States, under a second Trump term, should have an Iron Dome-type missile defense system like Israel.
“Spaceship,” the Republican candidate told the crowd, while that entire portion of the speech was missing from the prompter.
Moreover, when discussing foreign policy, he strayed further from his prepared remarks about North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un.
“It’s nice to get along with someone who has a lot of nuclear weapons,” Trump said. “I guess I’m weirded out.”
Overall, the additions to the speech resulted in Trump speaking an hour and two minutes later than the campaign had originally planned.
He set the record for the longest speech ever delivered at a convention.
And for those watching from the East Coast, the speech stretched into the next day.