Trump: 'I Had God on My Side'; 'We Would Not Be Here Together

 Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump delivered an emotional call for peace, prosperity, and a return of the American dream in his official acceptance speech Thursday night at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

"The discord and division in our society must be healed," Trump said in an acceptance speech live on Newsmax and the free Newsmax2 streaming platform. "As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart.

"I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America.

"So tonight, with faith and devotion, I proudly accept your nomination for president of the United States."

Buildup to Trump

Before Trump spoke, Kid Rock delivered a musical introduction, shouting Trump's "fight! fight! fight!" and "Trump! Trump! Trump!" and offering up a mix of his hits, including "American Bada**."

Next, UFC founder Dana White introduced Trump, and the crowd heard the familiar notes of Lee Greenwood's "God Bless The U.S.A."

"President Trump is literally putting his life on the line for something bigger than himself," White said. "And he's willing to risk it all because he loves this country. And I know he wants what's best for the American people — all American people. I know he's running for president to save our American dream."

Gratitude

Within his convention speech, Trump referred back to his weekend brush with a would-be assassin's bullet at a rally in Pennsylvania.

"Let me begin this evening by expressing my gratitude to the American people for your outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt at my rally on Saturday," Trump said.

He wanted Republicans, his supporters, detractors, and open-minded voters to take note that he is willing take a bullet for them. And he recounted the event, he said, so many people have asked.

"I will tell you exactly what happened, and you'll never hear it from me a second time, because it's actually too painful to tell," he said.

"Despite such a heinous attack, we unite this evening more determined than ever. Our resolve is unbroken, and our purpose is unchanged — to deliver a government that serves the American people," Trump said.

"Everything I have to give, with all of the energy and fight in my heart and soul, I pledge to our nation tonight: This election should be about the issues facing our country and how to make America successful, safe, free, and great again."

Hulk Hogan, Hype-Man

There were, even before the speech, other moments sure to be memorable to those at the convention hall. Among them, famed wrestler Hulk Hogan came out as a hype man, delivering an impassioned speech and doing his trademark move, ripping off his top, to reveal a Trump-Vance campaign shirt.

"Even though you guys are real Americans, you better get ready, because when Donald J. Trump becomes the president of the United States, all the real Americans are going to be nicknamed Trumpites because all the Trumpites are going to be running wild for four years," Hogan said. "So with the power of Donald J. Trump in all the Trumpites running wild, America is going to get back on track.

"And like Donald J. Trump said, America is going to be great again.

"After everything that's happened to our country over the past four years and everything that happened last weekend, I can no longer stay silent," he added. "I'm here tonight because I want the world to know that Donald Trump is a real American hero. And I'm proud to support my hero as the next president of this United States."

Eric Mack ✉

Eric Mack has been a writer and editor at Newsmax since 2016. He is a 1998 Syracuse University journalism graduate and a New York Press Association award-winning writer.

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