Victory in the war of Donald's ear: Trump cheered to the rafters

DONALD TRUMP was acclaimed as a messianic hero by tearful supporters when he appeared at the Republican convention in Milwaukee with a bandaged ear after the assassination attempt.

- Jitendra Joshi

Before taking a seat next to his newly- anointed running mate, Ohio senator JD Vance, Mr Trump basked in the adulation of the 2,500-strong crowd, which chanted “Fight! Fight! Fight!” and pumped their fists, evoking his own response after he was grazed by a bullet on Saturday in Pennsylvania.

The former president, 78, was accompanied by an unusually large Secret Service escort, even though all the delegates would have passed through smothering security checks.

It was another reminder of how the assassination attempt has upended the 2024 presidential race, with the beleaguered President Joe Biden thrown further onto the defensive.

The unscheduled appearance came after Mr Trump was confirmed as the Republican nominee in a celebratory roll call of state delegates at the convention. As he entered the Fiserv Forum, he was heralded by musician Lee Greenwood, who sang “God bless the USA” before exclaiming: “Is there any doubt who’s going to be the next president of the United States? Prayer works.” The former president claims that divine intervention saved him in Pennsylvania and will also help save America on November 5.