Trump makes unity pitch

The former president sought to paint a dire picture of the world under his successor Biden, telling the Republican National Convention that the planet is “teetering on the edge of World War III”…reports Asian Lite News

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump promised Thursday to bring an end to raging international crises and restore American prestige on the world stage, saying he could “stop wars with a telephone call.”

The former president sought to paint a dire picture of the world under his successor Joe Biden, telling the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee that the planet is “teetering on the edge of World War III.”

“We will restore peace, stability and harmony all throughout the world,” Trump said, without giving any detail on how he might do that.

“Under our leadership the United States will be respected again. No nation will question our power, no enemy will doubt our might, our borders will be totally secure.”

Trump placed the blame for conflicts around the world squarely on Biden — even those with roots stretching back far before the Democrat took office.

“There is an international crisis the likes of which the world has seldom been part of… war is now raging in Europe, in the Middle East, a growing specter of conflict hangs over Taiwan, Korea, the Philippines and all of Asia,” he said.

He vowed to change all that if he is elected to a second term in the White House.

“I will end every single international crisis that the current administration has created, including the horrible war with Russia and Ukraine,” Trump said. But “to achieve this future, we must first rescue our nation from failed and even incompetent leadership.”

He also said he wanted Americans held abroad to be released — or else.

“The entire world, I tell you this: we want our hostages back and they better be back before I assume office or you will be paying a very big price,” said Trump — again failing to give any specifics.

He pledged to build a version of Israel’s Iron Dome missile defense system for the United States, ignoring the fact that the system is designed for short-range threats and would be ill-suited to defending against intercontinental missiles that are the main danger to the country.

And he suggested that Kim Jong Un — the reclusive North Korean dictator whom he met in person during his presidency, and whose country possesses a nuclear arsenal — longed to see him back in the White House.

“I get along with him, he’d like to see me back too. I think he misses me, if you want to know,” Trump said.

For Donald Trump, the campaign to return to the White House is a family affair.

His sons Donald Jr. and Eric have been ubiquitous at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, flanking their father at almost all his public appearances.

During Trump’s first term in office between 2017 and 2021, they helped him make key decisions, and they now work to ensure the party leadership is comprised of loyal allies.

Most recently, their input helped tip Trump toward picking Ohio Senator J.D. Vance as his running mate, a new addition to the inner circle.

“He couldn’t choose one of his sons or daughters or daughter-in-law, that just wouldn’t work, of course,” Natasha Lindstaedt, a political scientist at the University of Essex, told AFP.

“J.D. Vance and Don Jr. are very close. So he chose someone that maybe reminds him of his son or is close to his son,” she said.

A notable absence on the campaign trail this year, however, has been former first lady Melania Trump, who has been all but invisible throughout Trump’s rallies and protracted court appearances.

In a marked break from precedent, Melania has been largely absent in recent months from her husband’s political life, with the notable exception of a fiery statement after an attempted assassination attempt on him on Saturday.

Prior to that, however, she had spoken sparingly and not accompanied her husband during court appearances in a case that saw him convicted of covering up hush money payments made to porn star Stormy Daniels, who alleged she had a sexual encounter with the real estate tycoon.

“She’s a complete enigma,” Lindstaedt said, adding that the former model did not “play the typical role” of a former first lady.

“Although she seemed to share similar views to Trump on a lot of issues, not on all, but on a lot of issues, she has a very conservative world view, she doesn’t seem to care that much what people think and kind of does her own thing.”

The rest of Trump’s family has offered the former president a way to soften his image in the aftermath of the recent convictions and other legal woes.

His eldest granddaughter, 17-year-old Kai Trump, spoke at the RNC Wednesday night to describe the “very caring and loving” patriarch.

“He’s just a normal grandpa, he gives us candy and soda when our parents aren’t looking,” she said.

The teenage daughter of Donald Jr. spoke of their shared love of golf, even when the former president tries to psych her out when playing against her.

“I don’t let him get to me, but I have to remind him I’m a Trump, too,” she said.

Like wagons hitched to their father’s train, Donald Jr., Eric and Ivanka have been pulled along to success, along with their friends and families.

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