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The Independent UK
The Independent UK
National
Katie Hawkinson

Trump kids gather to see their father formally named as Republican nominee - days after their dad was shot

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Three of Donald Trump’s children are at the Republican National Convention to support their father just days after he survived an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

Eric Trump, Tiffany Trump and Donald Trump Jr stood together in the floor of the convention in Milwaukee as their father received enough votes to become the GOP nominee Monday afternoon. Eric Trump awarded his father the delegates from Florida during the ceremony.

The show of support comes two days after Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, opened fire at Trump’s Pennsylvania rally. Secret Service agents killed Crooks soon after the shots rang out. Trump was struck in the ear, while one attendee was killed and another two were injured.

“I mean, obviously it was a pretty somber moment,” Donald Trump Jr. told CNN moments after his father received the nomination. “I was with my kids on a Saturday evening, and I get this news that he’s been shot, but I couldn’t get ahold of anyone. He was in lockdown at the hospital, took about 90 minutes.”

From left to right, Tiffany Trump, Eric Trump, Lara Trump and Donald Trump Jr. attend the Republican National Convention (Getty Images)

“I told him, ‘You’re the biggest bad a** I know,’” the former president’s oldest son continued.

Eric Trump also told CNN his father had “half his ear” blown off in the shooting.

“I'm really proud of him,” Eric Trump said. “I've never been more proud as a child, as a son — he's a remarkable human being.”

Melania Trump, despite her notable absence from the campaign trail and her husband’s hush money trial, is expected to make an appearance at the convention this week, CNN reported. After the attempt on her husband’s life, she issued a statement calling for unity in the country.

“When I watched that violent bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realized my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change,” the former first lady said. “I am thinking of you, now, my fellow Americans,” she continued. “We have always been a unique union. America, the fabric of our gentle nation is tattered, but our courage and common sense must ascend and bring us back together as one.”

Trump himself has also spoken out about the shooting, calling it a “miracle” that he survived.

“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” he told the New York Post. “I’m supposed to be dead.”

The former president said the attempt on his life inspired him to change his speech at the convention, scheduled for Thursday.

“I had all prepared an extremely tough speech, really good, all about the corrupt, horrible administration,” Trump said. “But I threw it away.”

“I want to try to unite our country,” he continued.

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