Trump travels from Bedminster to Milwaukee after shocking shooting

MILWAUKEE — A day after surviving an assassination attempt, former President Donald Trump traveled to the host city of his convention on Sunday, planning to nominate a running mate and accept the Republican Party’s official nomination.

Trump said on Truth Social that he had originally planned to delay his trip to Wisconsin by two days because of Saturday’s shooting. But he later changed his mind and landed in the state Sunday night.

“(I) simply decided that I could not allow a ‘shooter,’ or a potential assassin, to force a change of schedule, or anything else,” Trump said.

Thanking people for their prayers, Trump said in a previous message on Truth Social that “it was God alone who prevented the unthinkable from happening.”

Even before this stunning attack, Trump and top Republican officials had a big week ahead of them. Trump and his aides have said they hope to name his running mate at the convention, possibly Monday, and the finalists include Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Trump is also expected to receive the Republican Party’s presidential nomination for the third time after defeating his opponents in this year’s Republican primaries.

Many of the former president’s family members will also travel to Milwaukee for the convention, still reeling from the shooting. It’s not yet known whether former first lady Melania Trump will deliver a speech, but she will attend the festivities with her husband.

The former first lady urged Americans on Sunday to “rise above the hatred, the vitriol and the simplistic ideas that fuel violence. We all want a world where respect is paramount, family is first and love transcends.”

Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s son, is set to speak at this year’s Republican convention. He responded to the shooting in a post on X, specifically criticizing President Joe Biden for his comments about Trump’s promise to be a “dictator” and for frequently calling the former president a threat to American democracy.

Trump spent the first half of Sunday at his home and golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, recovering from a gunshot wound to the ear. In the hours since his injury, Trump has spoken with several world leaders, including Biden and new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer.

“We pray for the recovery of those who were injured and hold in our hearts the memory of the citizen who was so horribly killed. At this time, it is more important than ever that we stand united and show our true character as Americans, by remaining strong and determined and not allowing evil to win,” Trump said Sunday morning.