Republican National Convention: Did Trump Genuinely Call for Unity?

Editorial

16:00 JST, July 20, 2024

Did the terrifying experience of being the target of an assassination attempt and narrowly escaping death lead former U.S. President Donald Trump to call for unity among the people of the United States?

Trump delivered his acceptance speech for the presidential nomination at the Republican National Convention.

Taking the stage with a bandage on his right ear, Trump said, “The discord and division in our society must be healed.” He added, “I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America.”

After the assassination attempt, Trump completely rewrote the speech he had prepared. He also publicly spoke about the details of the shooting for the first time since the incident. Expressing shock, he said, “It’s actually too painful to tell” for a second time.

Trump harshly criticized the Democrats for particular policies, such as those related to border control and diplomacy, but refrained from making personal attacks on U.S. President Joe Biden and other figures.

Trump has not acknowledged his defeat in the previous presidential election and has stated publicly that he will retaliate against his political opponents.

Whether he is trying to change his strategy based on a genuine recognition that extreme divisiveness invites serious consequences needs to be seen through his future actions. At the very least, Trump is likely aiming to attract unaffiliated voters and moderate Republicans who have distanced themselves from him.

There is no doubt that the assassination attempt has enabled the Republican Party to close ranks.

At the convention, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley, who ran against Trump for the party’s presidential nomination, expressed her endorsement of Trump, saying, “You don’t have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him.”

Many rivals have acted on the assumption that it would be more beneficial to show a cooperative stance than to make an enemy of Trump. Meanwhile, the party’s heavyweights, such as former President George W. Bush, former Vice President Dick Cheney and former Vice President Mike Pence, did not attend the convention.

While Trump has called for unity with words, it is impossible to dispel suspicions that he plans to form an administration consisting mainly of people holding views that are similar to his, without listening to different opinions.

For the vice presidential nominee, Trump picked Sen. JD Vance, a staunch follower with an “America First” vision that emphasizes white working-class voters. “We will make sure our allies share in the burden of securing world peace,” Vance said in his speech at the party convention.

Does Vance lack understanding of the fact that an alliance is not an act of charity toward an ally but in the United States’ own interest?

Trump’s campaign slogan is “Make America Great Again.” As he heads into the November presidential election, Trump should scrutinize his foreign and security policies to ensure they live up to that slogan.

(From The Yomiuri Shimbun, July 20, 2024)