Trump’s close aide Shalabh Kumar told NDTV that Donald Trump is set to become the 47th President of the United States unless a miracle happens for the Democrats. The Chicago businessman emphasised that the failed assassination attempt means it is game, set, match for Trump in the November election.
Mr. Kumar, chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition, said, “This particular incident, the assassination attempt, has practically sealed the election campaign. It’s almost over. It’s very challenging for the Democrats at this point to figure out what to do. There’s such a disconnect in voters’ minds. Two weeks before this, you had this debate between Trump and Biden, where everybody, including President Biden, admits it was a really bad night for him. He just looked lost. He seemed nowhere; couldn’t answer any questions. Sleepy Joe as he was known.”
“On the contrary we have a strong and combative man. He doesn’t look like a 78-year-old man. After he got shot in his right ear, if he had looked straight the bullet would have gone straight into his head. He gets up and has a fighting spirit, says fight, fight, fight. That’s what Americans love to see in their presidents. As things stand now, unless the Democrats come up with a different candidate, they still have a month to go, this election is over,” the prominent Indian-American businessman said.
When asked about the Democratic Party reconsidering its presidential nomination, he said he hoped there would be a last minute change, which would make the contest more exciting. He said they still have a month to decide.
“I’m still betting that President Barack Obama will persuade his wife, Michelle Obama, to step forward at the last minute. Then there will be a real contest. I would probably say then it will be a contest between Trump and Michelle Obama. There’s no contest between Trump and Joe Biden. There’s no contest between Trump and Kamala Harris. Behind the scenes, everybody on the Democrat side wants Michelle Obama to be persuaded to be the Democratic nominee. A good contest is always a good thing,” said the man who was involved in Ronald Reagan’s re-election campaign in 1984.
“They’ll have to do something different. I hope Obama will convince Michelle to step forward. Then the real fight will be there. They’ll have to find someone else,” the businessman said.
Asked how fund raising was going after the assassination attempt, Mr Kumar said there had been a dramatic increase.
“Money is being poured out. The donor class is seeing that DJT (Donald John Trump) is coming back as the 47th president. I’m sure you know what Elon Musk has done. $45 million a month leading up to the election. Peter Thiel. Big people are stepping in and funding the campaign. Fundraising has increased dramatically since the assassination attempt,” said the businessman, who is not only a financial supporter but has been urging people to get out to vote as Trump gears up for a second contest with Joe Biden.
Donald Trump won the formal nomination as the Republican presidential candidate on Monday and picked a right-wing loyalist, J.D. Vance, as his vice-presidential pick, kicking off a triumphant party convention in the wake of a failed assassination attempt over the weekend.
He said, “We have 6 million Hindu Americans in our country, of which 3.3 million are registered voters. Hindu Americans, Indian Americans, they like to declare themselves independent. They keep moving back and forth. In 2008, 2012 they were predominantly in favor of the Democrats. And in 2016 we changed it quite a bit, especially in the battleground states. Then in 2020, they moved back to the Democrats. Maybe they are neutral. Hindu Americans, they decide practically at the last minute who they are going to vote for. Maybe on the day of the election itself. They are not committed to any particular party.”
The 78-year-old former president was wounded but survived. It was a brazen attack that shocked a nation caught in a deeply polarized state ahead of the November election.
“The country is divided. However, even before the debate, and especially after the debate, the country was pulling toward Trump,” he said.
While Trump was speaking, there were several explosions. He grabbed his ear, blood was clearly visible on his ear and cheek, then he fell to the floor, at which point Secret Service agents came to the podium, surrounded him and took him to a nearby vehicle.
Iconic images of a bloodied Trump waving his fist after the shooting are already bolstering Republicans’ hopes that voters will unite behind him for a landslide victory in November.
He asserted, “The campaign after the assassination attempt has become a different campaign. It’s completely different. The excitement is at its peak among the delegates and the grassroots people, the MAGA crowd. As everybody can realize, at this point, unless a miracle happens for the Democrats, he is the 47th president of the United States and we’re all very happy about that.”
