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Whistleblowers inside the Department of Homeland Security have alleged that the majority of the security detail for former President Donald Trump were “not even Secret Service,” according to a Republican lawmaker.

Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri relayed these claims in a public letter to Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas on Friday outlining a series of security failures at Trump’s fateful Butler, Pennsylvania, rally.

“Whistleblowers who have direct knowledge of the event have approached my office. According to the allegations, the July 13 rally was considered to be a ‘loose’ security event,” Hawley wrote in the letter. “For example, detection canines were not used to monitor entry and detect threats in the usual manner. Individuals without proper designations were able to gain access to backstage areas.”

SECRET SERVICE ‘CHECK-THE-BOX’ SENATE BRIEFING LEAVES QUESTIONS: ‘INFURIATING’

Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., (left) and Homeland Security Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas (right). (Getty Images)

Other lapses in security protocol allegedly included a lack of personnel stationed around the security perimeter and an inadequetly enforced buffer zone around the podium.

Among the most troubling is the claim that the majority of personnel protecting the former president were not U.S. Secret Service (USSS) agents.

“Whistleblower allegations suggest the majority of DHS officials were not in fact USSS agents but instead drawn from the department’s Homeland Security Investigations (HSI),” Hawley wrote. “This is especially concerning given that HSI agents were unfamiliar with standard protocols typically used at these types of events, according to the allegations.”

SECRET SERVICE EQUITY DIRECTOR SAYS DEI AGENDA IS A ‘MISSION IMPERATIVE,’ THE ‘ULTIMATE GOAL’

The Missouri senator criticized the DHS for failing to provide information about the incident to Congress and “abruptly ending the only call with USSSS before most senators could even ask a question.”

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., previously detailed the Secret Service briefing given to senators on Wednesday about the recent assassination attempt against former President Trump, saying there had been “virtually no information” provided. 

“The director of the Secret Service did admit there were mistakes and gaffes,” Johnson said, referring to Kimberly Cheatle. But the briefing, which was given by a separate official, “was largely irrelevant,” according to Johnson. Only four senators were allowed to ask questions and there were no follow-ups, he said. 

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Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surrounded by security personnel after being shot in the ear at a campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Hawley’s letter demands answers to a series of questions relevant to the claims made by the whistleblowers, including the ratio of USSS to HSI agents and pre-rally security investigations.

Fox News Digital’s Julia Johnson contributed to this report.

Sen. Martin Heinrich, D-N.M., issued a statement on Friday calling on President Biden to drop out of the 2024 presidential race, becoming the 28th congressional Democrat to make such a call.

“Joe Biden is one of the most accomplished presidents in modern history. He has led our nation through unprecedented challenges with unwavering dedication and profound integrity. His years of service have made a lasting impact on the lives of countless Americans,” the senator said in a statement.

‘THEY’RE INCOMPETENT’: SEN MARSHALL BLASTS ‘WORTHLESS’ SECRET SERVICE BRIEFING ON TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Sen. Martin Heinrich called on Biden to drop out of the 2024 race.  (Getty Images)

“However, this moment in our nation’s history calls for a focus that is bigger than any one person. The return of Donald Trump to the White House poses an existential danger to our democracy,” he explained. “We must defeat him in November, and we need a candidate who can do that.”

SECRET SERVICE ‘CHECK-THE-BOX’ SENATE BRIEFING LEAVES QUESTIONS: ‘INFURIATING’

Biden has faced increasing pressure to end his campaign. (Mario Tama/Getty Images)

“While the decision to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is in the best interests of our country for him to step aside,” Heinrich said, noting that “passing the torch” would aid him in securing a legacy “as one of our nation’s greatest leaders.”

More than 10% of congressional Democrats have urged Biden to drop out of the race.

Sen. Jon Tester called on President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race.  (Getty Images)

Heinrich is up for re-election in New Mexico, which is considered “Solid Democratic,” according to non-partisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report. However, mounting concerns about Biden at the top of the Democratic ticket has renewed worry that more seats could be at risk in the House and Senate. 

JD VANCE BY THE NUMBERS: FIRST SPEECH SIGNALS HEAVY CAMPAIGN PRESENCE IN BATTLEGROUND RUST BELT

The New Mexico Democrat is the fifth Democratic lawmaker to call on Biden to drop out on Friday alone. 

Sen. JoTester, D-Mont., urged Biden to step down in a statement on Thursday night, becoming the second senator to do so. The Montana Democrat faces one of the most competitive races in the country as he looks to preserve his seat in a red state that has voted twice for former President Trump. 

Sen. Welch was the first Democrat senator to call on Biden to drop out of the race.  (Getty Images)

The first senator to call on Biden to exit the race was Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., who caucuses with Democrats. 

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Despite increasing public pressure to drop out, both Biden and his campaign have maintained that they intend to stay in the race. 

The White House has also categorically denied all reports that suggest the president is planning to end his campaign. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

With President Biden’s future uncertain, a majority of Democrats say the country would be in good hands if his vice president took over the White House. 

A new poll from the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that about 6 in 10 Democrats believe Vice President Kamala Harris would do a good job as president herself. About 2 in 10 Democrats don’t believe she would, and another 2 in 10 say they don’t know enough to say.

The survey comes as an increasing number of Democratic officials are publicly urging Biden to withdraw from the 2024 presidential election after his disastrous debate performance on June 27. Democratic officials are worried that voters don’t believe the 81-year-old president is capable of performing his duties, and many have suggested that Harris or another candidate would fare better against the Republican nominee, former President Trump. 

Recent polls show Democratic voters have soured on Biden as well. A Suffolk University/Boston Globe poll of Massachusetts residents found that 64% of likely Democratic or Democratic-leaning voters want someone other than Biden to face off against Trump. The AP-NORC national survey likewise found that 65% of Democrats say Biden should drop out of the race. 

BIDEN CAMPAIGN INSISTS HE’S ‘IN THIS RACE’ DESPITE MOUNTING DEMOCRAT CALLS TO RESIGN: LIVE UPDATES

Vice President Harris speaks at a campaign rally on June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas.  (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

While Harris is the focus of several insider discussions for a plan B ticket, the vice president has maintained strong public support for Biden and defended him from slings and arrows thrown by panicked party officials speaking anonymously to the press.

But if Harris, 59, were to replace Biden atop the ticket, Democratic voters would mostly be happy with the younger candidate — a woman of color who could champion the party’s message on abortion rights and a former state attorney general who could prosecute the case against Trump, a convicted felon in New York. 

65% OF DEMOCRATS SAY BIDEN SHOULD DROP OUT AFTER DEBATE DISASTER, POLL FINDS

President Biden and Vice President Harris. (Getty Images)

Harris could also motivate key Democratic constituencies to show up on Election Day, including women and Black adults, who were more likely than Americans overall to say Harris would do well as president. 

Americans outside the Democratic Party were more skeptical of how Harris would perform in the Oval Office. Only about 3 in 10 Americans say Harris would be a good president. Nearly half said Harris would not do a good job, and 2 in 10 say they don’t know enough to have an opinion. 

BIDEN RESPONDS TO ‘DISENCHANTMENT’ FROM BLACK VOTERS: ‘THEY KNOW WHERE MY HEART IS’

Former US President Donald Trump arrives to speak during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Thursday, July 18, 2024.  (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Harris’ favorability rating is similar to Biden’s, but the share of Americans who have an unfavorable opinion of her is somewhat lower. The poll showed that about 4 in 10 U.S. adults have a favorable opinion of Harris, while about half have an unfavorable opinion. There are more Americans with a negative view of Biden: approximately 6 in 10. About 1 in 10 Americans say they don’t know enough to have an opinion of Harris, whereas nearly everyone has an opinion on Biden.

About three-quarters of Democrats have a positive view of Harris, which is in line with how Democrats view Biden. Seven in 10 have a favorable view of him.

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Harris is also better-known among Democrats than other potential candidates, including California Gov. Gavin Newsom or Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer. About one-third of Democrats say Newsom would make a good president, and half don’t know enough to say. About one-quarter of Democrats say Whitmer would do well, and about two-thirds don’t know enough to say.

The AP poll of 1,253 adults was conducted July 11-15, 2024, using a sample drawn from NORC’s probability-based AmeriSpeak Panel, which is designed to be representative of the U.S. population. The margin of sampling error for all respondents is plus or minus 3.8 percentage points.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Speaker Mike Johnson is expressing confidence that Republicans have enough momentum to win the White House in November – no matter who the Democratic presidential candidate is.

“As President Trump has said, he was, they had sort of prepared in the mindset that they would run against Biden, but it doesn’t matter. I mean, if they put Kamala Harris at the top of the ticket, she’s the co-owner of all the policies, it’s not any better,” the Louisiana Republican told Fox News Digital in a Thursday interview.

“It doesn’t matter who they run. Anybody that they would put in that place – this election is not about personalities, it’s about policies and what it means to people.”

It comes as Democratic pressure continues to build on President Biden to drop his re-election bid.

CONGRESSIONAL BYPASS: MANY DEMOCRATS ELUSIVE ON BIDEN ISSUE

Speaker Mike Johnson said he’s confident Donald Trump could beat whomever Democrats run as their presidential candidate. (Getty Images)

The 81-year-old president is facing calls to duck out of the race after his disastrous debate performance last month. It’s brought out concerns that Biden may not have the physical or mental stamina to run for office nor hold it for another four-year term.

Johnson, who has long accused Biden of not having the mental acuity to hold office, would not say whether the president should leave office right now. But he pointed out that even senior Democrats are apparently moving behind the scenes to push Biden off the 2024 ticket.

“Look, it’s for him to determine. They’re in real turmoil. On the other side, you hear in the last 24 hours, I’m told that [Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, former Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries] have all pretty well indicated that he – told him, I guess, or at least implied publicly that he should… not run for re-election,” Johnson said. 

ADAM SCHIFF CALLS ON BIDEN TO EXIT PRESIDENTIAL RACE AS DEM CONFIDENCE DWINDLES

President Biden and former President Trump debate at CNN Studios on June 27, 2024, in Atlanta. (Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)

The trio of top Democrats has made no public indication that they’re pushing Biden to get out of the race, and a White House spokesperson told Fox News on Wednesday after conversations with Schumer and Jeffries, “The president told both leaders he is the nominee of the party, he plans to win, and looks forward to working with both of them to pass his 100 days agenda to help working families.”

Meanwhile, there are 20 congressional Democrats publicly calling on Biden to step aside, including Rep. Adam Schiff, D-Calif., a top Pelosi ally.

SECRET SERVICE DIRECTOR AGREES TO TESTIFY AT HOUSE HEARING ON TRUMP ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Vice President Kamala Harris is increasingly being viewed as a likely successor to the president, despite similarly struggling with her approval numbers. However, some Republicans have privately expressed concerns that a younger candidate could fare better against Trump.

Johnson said he believes that Trump, on the other hand, is seeing a fresh sense of unity and support ever since the attempt on his life last weekend at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where one rally attendee was killed and two others critically injured.

Vice President Kamala Harris speaks at a campaign rally on June 28, 2024, in Las Vegas. (Bizuayehu Tesfaye/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)

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“I have done events in 144 cities, in 31 states, they told me, in the last seven months, and there is something happening out there in the country right now. And I think post the failed assassination attempt, there’s even a greater energy out there,” Johnson said.

“People feel it personally, and they know what President Trump has had to go through. He has a sympathy factor on top of all the energy that was already there. I think we’re headed for a really strong November for the party.”

Fox News Digital reached out to the Biden campaign for comment but did not hear back by press time.

Kai Trump, the eldest grandchild of former President Trump and daughter of Donald Trump Jr., made the decision to speak at the Republican National Convention after her grandfather survived a brush with death last week.

“She called me on Monday and just said, ‘You know, I feel really strongly about this, I want to speak at the convention,'” said Trump Jr., who appeared alongside Kai on “The Story With Martha MacCallum” Thursday. “I’m like, are you sure? That’s not an easy first speech venue, and she’s like, ‘I’m sure.’”

During her appearance on “The Story,” Kai reflected on her speech, which was one of the highlights of a packed Wednesday night at the convention in Milwaukee, as well as her relationship with her grandfather.

KAI TRUMP, TRUMP’S ELDEST GRANDCHILD, APPLAUDS ‘CARING AND LOVING’ GRANDFATHER AT RNC: ‘HE WILL FIGHT’

Kai Trump, daughter of Donald Trump Jr., speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

“I spend a lot of time with him,” she said. “I see him every single weekend at the golf course.”

The former president’s granddaughter argued that the image of Trump in the media is not “really him,” arguing that to her, he’s just a “normal grandpa.”

“He gives us whatever we want, he’s always looking out for us, he always wants to know how we’re doing,” she said. “So it’s frustrating when you see people putting him as an image that he’s not.”

Kai Trump spoke about her grandfather at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, July 17, 2024. (Reuters/Jeenah Moon)

WHO IS KAI TRUMP? DONALD TRUMP’S ELDEST GRANDCHILD WHO SPOKE AT 2024 RNC

Kai also reflected on the terrifying moments after she received news that her grandfather was the target of an assassination attempt, recounting that it took roughly 90 minutes to find out he was OK. Nevertheless, she expressed pride in how her grandfather handled the moment.

“It was very heartbreaking… such a sad moment,” she said, adding that she had “never seen anything like” the iconic scene of Trump getting up and pumping his fist in the aftermath of the shot that grazed his ear.

“I thought it was amazing and so strong, and you can’t fake that in the moment at all,” she said of the scene. “That means he truly cares, and he’s fighting for America.”

Former President Trump, golfer Brooks Koepka and Kai Trump play golf at Trump National Doral Miami club on Oct. 27, 2022. (Giorgio Viera/AFP via Getty Images)

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As for her plans now, Kai said she hopes to one day be a professional golfer.

“That’s really my goal, and I’m working every day toward that,” she said.

MILWAUKEE — The Rev. Lorenzo Sewell, who will deliver a speech to Republicans at the RNC on Thursday night, spoke to Fox News Digital about why Black voters are gravitating toward former President Trump despite some denials from Democrats.

“The increase is happening,” Sewell said about the shift in Black voters toward Trump despite some Democrats, including Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson this week, downplaying the shift.

“When President Donald Trump came to our church last month, you could see Black people there. We know the increase is happening beyond a shadow of a doubt, because in my church, I saw with my own eyes rappers, preachers, teachers, those who aren’t necessarily affiliated with the church, come and listen to President Donald Trump. So, we know it’s happening.”

A USA Today/Suffolk University poll released last month found that support for Biden among Black voters has dropped roughly 20 percentage points in the swing states of Michigan and Pennsylvania since the last election. 

FOCUS GROUP HOST SHOCKED AFTER HALF OF BLACK VOTERS SAY THEY ARE VOTING TRUMP: ‘I DIDN’T SEE THAT COMING’

Lorenzo Sewell, pastor of 180 Church, will speak at the RNC on Thursday. (Getty Images)

Fox News polling showed that Biden led Trump by 64 points with Black voters in July 2020. Today, Biden’s lead has shrunk to 42.

When asked by Fox News Digital what makes Trump different from previous GOP presidential candidates who couldn’t resonate with Black voters, Sewell said, “He’s not a typical politician.”

“He was willing to come to a community that most Republicans would not come to. President Donald Trump, I think him being a New Yorker, I think it serves him well, right? Him having that cultural awareness and cultural intelligence, where in cities like mine, Detroit, where it’s so polarizing in terms of the Black and white vote.”

BIDEN CAMPAIGN ‘RATTLED’ AS PRESIDENT ‘HEMORRHAGES VOTES’ IN BLACK COMMUNITY TO TRUMP, SAYS REP. HUNT

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is rushed offstage during a rally on July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)

“He’s willing to jump in and willing to get his hands dirty, and he’s willing to have a plan, right? When you look at the Platinum Plan and you look at [what] President Donald J. Trump did regarding that plan in terms of making sure that Black entrepreneurs had resources, Black churches got resources,” Sewell continued. “That’s why I believe he resonates, and if we were to be honest, back in the day, everyone wanted to be Donald Trump, right? Let’s keep it real, right? So, I believe that’s some of the reasons why he resonates.”

Sewell, who grew up amid drugs and gang violence in a home where his father went to prison and brother was murdered, told Fox News Digital that he attended the RNC to speak up for “forgotten” people in Michigan that are “disenfranchised” and “marginalized” and explained that he hopes Black voters watch the RNC and look up information about the Republican Party.

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Attendees are shown during the third day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 17, 2024. (Reuters/Andrew Kelly)

“I would just Google the Republican Party. Look at 170 years ago how patriots stood up to stop slavery,” Sewell said. “I would just Google Black Republicans, and I would look at some of the greatest leaders in our culture, in our context, people like Thomas Sowell and others that were willing to stand up, even patriots during post-Reconstruction where Black Americans were Republican.

“When you think about Frederick Douglass and how he advised Abraham Lincoln, that’s what I would do. I would take the time to do a quick five-minute Google search about Black Republicans and see that Black people have always been Republicans. It’s the Democrats that have these identity politics and try to confuse Black America into thinking that Black people don’t vote Republican. We always have, and Donald Trump, he’s bringing the Black vote back again.”

Welcome to Fox News’ Politics newsletter with the latest political news from Washington D.C. and updates from the 2024 campaign trail. 

TRUMP TAKES THE STAGE: Don’t miss it as Former President Trump delivers his acceptance speech tonight at 10 p.m. ET on Fox News Channel. Follow along for more updates.

What’s happening…

-Biden seems to forget the name of his Defense Secretary

-Speaker Johnson weighs in on Secret Service Director’s surprise RNC visit

-Democrat delegation privately discussing Biden’s replacement

Biden’s still standing…for now

MILWAUKEE – President Biden’s re-election campaign is pushing back against a slew of reports in the past 24 hours that the president has become more receptive in the last couple of days to hearing arguments about why he should drop his 2024 re-election run.

“Our campaign is not working through any scenarios where President Biden is not at the top of the ticket. He is and will be the Democratic nominee,” Biden principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks told reporters at a news conference Thursday morning near the site of the Republican National Convention.

Fulks emphasized that “the president has said it several times. He’s staying in this race” and “we look forward to him accepting the [nomination of the] delegates in Chicago and continuing with this race to talk about what’s at stake.”…Read more

President Biden’s disastrous debate performance “changed people’s calculations about how candid they would be” about his cognitive issues, according to Olivia Nuzzi. ((Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) | (Photo by ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images) | Photo by Justin Sullivan/Getty Images))

White House

GAZA ‘GIMMICK’: Biden’s ‘national embarrassment’ ends as $230 million Gaza pier ceases operation …Read more

BAD WITH NAMES?: Biden seems to forget the name of Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin in interview …Read more

‘SO DEPRESSING’: Joy Behar believes President Biden will drop out of the race …Read more

‘NANCY, TAKE THE WHEEL’: ‘Walls closing in’ on Biden, ex-Clinton aide Paul Begala warns …Read more

‘STRENGTH AND WEAKNESS’: Biden’s record will likely drag down longtime Senate Dem: McCormick …Read more

Capitol Hill

OPEN SECRET: Mike Johnson weighs in on Secret Service director’s surprise RNC appearance …Read more

Tales from the Campaign Trail

‘FAILURE OF LEADERSHIP’: NY Times columnist says Dems need to push Biden out, compares him to elderly parent …Read more

‘COMPLETELY CORRUPT’: Charlamagne claims SCOTUS could overturn election in favor of Trump …Read more

MIDWEST STATE OF MIND: JD Vance’s first speech signals heavy Rust Belt campaign presence …Read more

‘DRAMATICALLY’ CHANGED: Alina Habba takes on major role in Trump campaign, dishes on his highly anticipated RNC speech …Read more

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., speaking during the second day of the Republican National Convention on Tuesday, July 16, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

Convention Chatter

‘PAINFUL EXPERIENCE’: Democratic delegates discussing Biden resignation possibilities in private chats: report …Read more

‘CAN’T HIDE’: Blackburn slams Secret Service chief for ‘celebrating’ at RNC after Trump assassination attempt …Read more

TRUMP SPOTLIGHTS BIDEN TURMOIL:  Former President Trump’s campaign is contrasting with what they call a “unified” GOP at the Republican National Convention …Read more

‘CHAOS’ IN CHICAGO: Dems will showcase ‘dysfunction’ at August gathering, Illinois congressman predicts …Read more

Across America

TERROR RETURNS: ISIS attacks ramp up in Iraq and Syria …Read more

WHAT’S IN HERE?: Watch police comb through Trump shooter’s van that sources say hid explosive devices …Read more

HERO’S WAKE: Trump shooting victim Corey Comperatore’s casket escorted by firefighters …Read more

‘TOO REAL’: Trump shooter used gaming site that features chilling assassination game …Read more

PREPARED FOR AMBUSH: Secret Service source reveals shocking twist in would-be Trump assassin’s deadly plan …Read more

MISSED TARGET: SWAT expert explains how Secret Service could have prevented Trump attempted assassination …Read more

LGBT KOREANS: South Korea’s top court issues landmark ruling recognizing some rights for same-sex couples …Read more

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Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more on FoxNews.com.

Former President Donald Trump showed off a chart on immigration during the Republican National Convention Thursday night that he credits with literally saving his life last Saturday

“Less than four years ago, I handed this administration the strongest border in American history, but you can see on the chart that saved my life… that was the chart that saved my life,” Trump said as the chart was put up on the screen behind him.

During Trump’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania last week, Trump pivoted to point to the same chart when shots rang out, striking the former president in the right ear. Many have credited Trump turning to the chart, which shows the number of illegal immigrants entering the country, for saving his life, noting that the former president turned to look at it just as he was hit with the bullet.

TRUMP GETS THUNDEROUS, STANDING OVATION AS HE ENTERS STAGE FOR RNC SPEECH

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump, refers to charts about immigration while speaking during the Republican National Convention, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/Julia Nikhinson)

Trump told the audience how proud he was of the chart, noting that it showed a dive in illegal crossings under his administration before a spike in crossings over the last few years.

“Oh there it is, that’s pretty good, wow,” Trump said after noticing the chart was now on the screen at the RNC. “Last time I put up that chart I never really got to look at it. Without this chart, I would not be here today.”

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump gives his acceptance speech as the turnout coat and helmet of former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at his rally last week, is displayed along with the chart that was being shown at the rally, on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 18, 2024.  (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

HULK HOGAN ENDORSES TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT AT RNC: ‘LET TRUMP-A-MANIA MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN’

Trump was injured in the attack, which claimed the life of Pennsylvania firefighter Corey Comperatore and injured two other rally attendees, David Dutch and James Copenhaver.

Trump paid tribute to them as well during his remarks Thursday, calling those injured men “great warriors.”

Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

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“Tragically, the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore, and seriously wounded two other great warriors. David Dutch and James Copenhaver. I spoke to all three families of these tremendous people — our love and prayers are with them, and always will be,” Trump said. 

“Corey, a highly respected former fire chief… was accompanied by his wife Helen… and two precious daughters. He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets… what a fine man he was,” Trump added.

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Sen. Roger Marshall, R-Kan., said the Secret Service’s briefing to senators on the assassination attempt against former President Trump was “completely worthless.” 

He claimed in an interview with Fox News Digital that the information provided to lawmakers on the shooting could be summed up “in two minutes.” 

However, “that took them an hour to explain to us.” 

SECRET SERVICE ‘CHECK-THE-BOX’ SENATE BRIEFING LEAVES QUESTIONS: ‘INFURIATING’

Sen. Roger Marshall criticized a briefing from the Secret Service to senators regarding the assassination attempt against Trump.  (Getty Images)

Senators received the briefing on Wednesday, just days after the shooting took place at a Trump rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, that left Trump bloodied, with his right ear wounded, one spectator dead, and two others in the hospital.

“Even though the Secret Service administrator takes accountability for the problem, she never says there was a mass failure,” Marshall pointed out. 

JD VANCE BY THE NUMBERS: FIRST SPEECH SIGNALS HEAVY CAMPAIGN PRESENCE IN BATTLEGROUND RUST BELT

Republican candidate Donald Trump is seen with blood on his face surrounded by Secret Service agents as he is taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show Inc. in Butler, Pennsylvania, July 13, 2024.   (Rebecca Droke/AFP via Getty Images)

“What we’ve discovered is that there is a huge, cultural issue within the Secret Service,” he alleged. “They’re more focused on [Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion] than they are focused on their mission and hiring people to do the job.” 

According to the Kansas Republican, agency and department briefings have featured fewer questions under Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. It “seems like there’s less questions each time,” he said. 

FLASHBACK: A LOOK AT DONALD TRUMP’S REMARKS AT THE 2016, 2020 REPUBLICAN CONVENTIONS

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is covered by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

During the agency’s briefing, only four senators were permitted to ask questions, another senator told Fox News Digital. 

The information was so minimal that Marshall remarked there wasn’t anything “that wasn’t said on the news the day before.”

CHUCK SCHUMER PUSHED TO DELAY DNC AS CONCERNS PERSIST OVER BIDEN’S CANDIDACY

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle is expected to take a proactive role in addressing security issues in the wake of the attempted assassination of former President Trump on Saturday. (United States Secret Service)

The Republican senator went as far as to suggest Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle may not even truly know “the details of the investigation.”

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“The director had very minimal comments, and she turned it over to the assistant director, who then described the investigation,” Marshall said.

Whether the assassination attempt was being taken seriously, he said, “I think they’d like to take it seriously, but they’re incompetent.”

Secret Service spokesman Anthony Guglielmi told Fox News Digital in a statement Thursday: “Continuity of operations is paramount during a critical incident and U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has no intentions to step down.”

“She deeply respects members of Congress and is fiercely committed to transparency in leading the Secret Service through the internal investigation and strengthening the agency through lessons learned in these important internal and external reviews.”

Former President Donald Trump addressed the Republican National Convention on Thursday in Milwaukee, his first speech since the assassination attempt last week — and it had a number of major moments.

Trump pays tribute to fallen firefighter.

Trump paid tribute to firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed in last week’s assassination attempt on Trump, calling the Pennsylvania father a “fine man.”

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump touches the turnout coat of former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at his rally, on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 18, 2024.  (REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)

“Tragically, the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore, and seriously wounded two other great warriors.. David Dutch and James Copenhaver. I spoke to all three families of these tremendous people—our love and prayers are with them, and always will be,” Trump said. ” Corey, a highly respected former fire chief… was accompanied by his wife Helen… and two precious daughters. He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets… what a fine man he was.”

Trump then walked over and kissed Comperatore’s firefighting helmet which was placed with his turnout coat on the stage next to the former president as a tribute before asking for a moment of silence.

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for others,” Trump said. “This is the spirit that forged America in her darkest hours, and this is the love that will lead America back to the summit of human achievement and greatness.”

Trump retells assassination attempt

At the beginning of the speech, Trump retold in great detail the assassination attempt against him. A somber Trump told the crowd his version of events.

“In order to see the chart, I started to turn to my right, and was ready to begin a further turn, which I’m lucky I didn’t, when I heard a loud whizzing sound and felt something hit me, really hard, on my right ear,” Trump recalled. “I said to myself, ‘Wow, what was that—it can only be a bullet,’—and moved my right hand to my ear, brought it down, and my hand was covered with blood, just blood all over the place. I immediately knew it was very serious, that we were under attack, and in one movement, proceeded to drop to the ground.”

“There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way I felt very safe, because I had God on my side,” Trump continued. “The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had not moved my head at the very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be with you tonight.”

Republican presidential candidate and former president, Donald Trump, speaks during the final day of the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)

Despite shots ringing out at the crowded rally, attendees did not “run for the exits or stampede,” Trump noted, but instead “tens of thousands of people stood by and didn’t move an inch. In fact, many of them bravely, but automatically, stood up looking for where the sniper would be, and then began pointing at him.”

Because of this, Trump said, “many lives were saved.”

“But that isn’t the reason they didn’t move—the reason is that they knew I was in serious trouble, they saw all of the blood, and thought I was dead, and they just didn’t want to leave me, and you can see that love written all over their faces,” he said.

“I am not supposed to be here tonight,” Trump said, as the crowd shouted back, “Yes you are.”

Trump pays tribute to Melania

Trump took a moment out of his speech to pay tribute to his wife Melania, saying he was “deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife.”

He then referred to her letter to America, in which she called for unity in the wake of the assassination attempt against her husband.

“I am thinking of you, now, my fellow Americans,” she wrote. “Dawn is here again. Let us reunite. Now.”

The former president praised the letter.

“And Melania, thank you very much. You also did something really beautiful. A letter to America calling for national unity. And it really took the Republican Party by surprise. I will tell you, it was beautiful,’ he said.

“Some very serious people said that we should take that letter and put it as part of the Republican platform. That would be an honor, wouldn’t it?”

Trump shows illegal immigration chart that he believes saved his life

Former US President Donald Trump arrives to speak during the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Thursday, July 18, 2024. The RNC chairman warned against complacency when his party concludes its official nominating jamboree this week with polls predicting ex-President Donald Trump prevailing over President Joe Biden in the November election.   (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Trump displayed a chart showing the number of illegal immigrant crossings into the U.S. that had been on display during his speech in Butler, Pa., and that crucially he turned his head to look at as a gunman opened fire.

” Last time I put up that chart, I never really got to look at it,” he said to laughs from the crowd. “But without that chart, I would not be here today.”

“I said ‘you got to see this chart’. I was so proud of it. And by the time I got to there, I never got to see it that day. But I’m seeing it now, and I was very proud.”

Trump uses Biden’s name

Trump went off script and used President Biden’s name once, and quickly said he wouldn’t do it again.

“If you took the ten worst presidents in the history of the United States, think of it, the ten worst and added them all up…they will not have done the damage that Biden has done.”

“I’m only going to use the term once. Biden. I’m not going to use the name anymore. Just one time.”

Hunter Biden has asked for criminal cases against him in Delaware and California to be thrown out of court, citing the dismissal of a case involving former President Trump and arguing that Special Counsel David Weiss was illegally appointed.

Biden’s lawyers are requesting that both federal cases be thrown out. He was convicted last month on three felony charges related to a handgun purchase in 2018, and a case in California about alleged federal tax crimes is ongoing. 

Biden’s attorneys are arguing that Special Counsel David Weiss was illegally appointed because he was not Senate-confirmed as special counsel. This is the same issue that resulted in the case against Trump over the handling of classified documents thrown out. Both men were prosecuted by special counsel appointed by Attorney General Merrick Garland.

JACK SMITH APPEALS JUDGE’S DECISION TO TOSS TRUMP’S CLASSIFIED DOCUMENTS CASE IN FLORIDA

Hunter Biden was found guilty on all counts by a Delaware jury.  (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)

In the Trump case, Judge Aileen Cannon found that the appointment of Special Counsel Jack Smith was unconstitutional because he was appointed by Garland and not confirmed by the Senate, violating the Constitution’s Appointments Clause. The Department of Justice said this week it is appealing that ruling. A spokesperson for Smith had previously said that “the dismissal of the case deviates from the uniform conclusion of all previous courts to have considered the issue that the Attorney General is statutorily authorized to appoint a Special Counsel,” and that the Justice Department has authorized the Special Counsel to appeal the court’s order.

In the Hunter Biden case, circumstances are different because Weiss was Senate confirmed as U.S. attorney in Delaware, but Biden’s attorneys are arguing that since Trump’s case was dismissed, so should theirs.

CLASSIFIED DOCS CASE DISMISSAL MEANS ‘GREATEST’ LEGAL ‘THREAT’ TO TRUMP IS ‘GONE’: EXPERTS

“Based on these new legal developments, Mr. Biden moves to dismiss the indictment because the Special Counsel who initiated this prosecution was appointed in violation of the Appointments Clause as well,” the request says.

“The Attorney General relied upon the exact same authority to appoint the Special Counsel in both the Trump and Biden matters, and both appointments are invalid for the same reason,” the lawyers said.

It means that President Biden’s son is trying to get cases thrown out using a ruling that helped Biden’s presidential rival, and a ruling that is currently being challenged by the Department of Justice.

CLARENCE THOMAS SWIPES AT SPECIAL COUNSEL JACK SMITH’S APPOINTMENT IN SCOTUS IMMUNITY CASE

Former President Trump (Donald Trump 2024 campaign)

While the recent decision from Cannon in the Trump case may be persuasive, it is also not binding because it took place in a different federal jurisdiction. But if the motion to dismiss is decided in Biden’s favor, it also benefits Trump, as his team will have another argument to make as they make the case that the Smith appointment was unlawful.

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Biden’s team has requested an Aug. 5 hearing for the motion.

Fox News’ Bill Mears, Lee Ross, David Spunt, Jake Gibson, Brooke Singman and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Firefighter Corey Comperatore’s gear will be placed on the stage during former President Trump’s speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday.

Sources told Fox News that Comperatore’s fire helmet and jacket are being shipped to Milwaukee by his family and will be placed on the stage of the convention just before Trump’s remarks.

Comperatore, a 50-year-old Sarver, Pennsylvania, resident and volunteer firefighter, was killed while shielding his family from gunfire on Saturday when a would-be assassin opened fire on Trump during a rally in Butler. Trump and two others, 74-year-old James Copenhaver and 57-year-old David Dutch, were also wounded in the shooting.

TRUMP SHOOTING FUNDRAISER FOR COREY COMPERATORE RAISES MORE THAN $1M FOR SLAIN FIREFIGHTER’S FAMILY

A memorial for volunteer firefighter Corey Comperatore, an attendee killed by gunfire at a campaign rally of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump on Saturday, is displayed at the Buffalo Township Fire Company 27 in Pennsylvania on July 14, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

Comperatore’s wife, Helen Comperatore, told the New York Post that they were close to celebrating their 29th wedding anniversary when they went to the event.

“He’s my hero,” Helen Comperatore said, who went on to describe her husband’s last words as gun fire erupted at the event. “He just said, ‘Get down!’ That was the last thing he said.”

“Me and the kids were all there as a family,” she added. “He was just excited. It was going to be a nice day with the family.”

Former Buffalo Township Fire Chief Corey Comperatore is shown with his daughters in an undated family photo. (Helen Comperatore/Facebook)

TRUMP RALLY VICTIM IDENTIFIED AS COREY COMPERATORE, ‘HERO’ SHIELDED WIFE AND GIRLS FROM BULLETS

Corey Comperatore served as a fire chief for the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company. The department set up a memorial with Comperatore’s uniform outside the firehouse to honor him in the days after his death, describing him as a “brother, son, husband, father and friend.”

Helen Comperatore said President Biden reached out to her after the incident but that she “didn’t want to talk to him.”

Corey Comperatore (Allyson Comperatore/Facebook)

“I didn’t talk to Biden,” she said. “My husband was a devout Republican, and he would not have wanted me to talk to him.” 

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“I don’t have any ill-will towards Joe Biden,” she added. “I’m not one of those people that gets involved in politics. I support Trump, that’s who I’m voting for, but I don’t have ill-will towards Biden.”

Former President Donald Trump paid tribute to firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the attempt on Trump’s life during a Pennsylvania rally last weekend.

“Tragically, the shooter claimed the life of one of our fellow Americans, Corey Comperatore, and seriously wounded two other great warriors… David Dutch and James Copenhaver. I spoke to all three families of these tremendous people—our love and prayers are with them, and always will be,” Trump said. 

“Corey, a highly respected former fire chief… was accompanied by his wife Helen… and two precious daughters,” he continued. “He lost his life selflessly acting as a human shield to protect them from flying bullets… what a fine man he was.”

Trump then walked over to Comperatore’s firefighting jacket and helmet, which were sent to the convention by the family and were placed next to Trump on the stage, asking for a moment of silence for the Pennsylvania father. 

TRUMP GETS THUNDEROUS, STANDING OVATION AS HE ENTERS STAGE FOR RNC SPEECH

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump touches the turnout coat of former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at his rally, on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 18, 2024.  (REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)

“There is no greater love than to lay down one’s life for others,” Trump said, noting that Comperatore was killed while shielding his family from the incoming bullets. “This is the spirit that forged America in her darkest hours, and this is the love that will lead America back to the summit of human achievement and greatness.”

Comperatore, a 50-year-old resident of Sarver, Pennsylvania, served as a fire chief for the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Company. Before sending the gear to Milwaukee to join Trump onstage, the firehouse honored him by hanging the coat and helmet outside the building after his death. 

A turnout coat and helmet are pictured onstage as a picture of Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trumps attempted assassination is shown during his speech on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 18, 2024.  (REUTERS/Jeenah Moon)

HULK HOGAN ENDORSES TRUMP FOR PRESIDENT AT RNC: ‘LET TRUMP-A-MANIA MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN’

Trump officially accepted the Republican nomination for the presidency before his remarks Thursday, signing the paperwork with former First Lady Melania Trump by his side. 

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump kisses the helmet of Corey Comperatore during the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

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His remarks cap off the party’s four-day convention, which started Monday with Trump announcing Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate.

MILWAUKEE – Five days after surviving an assassination attempt, former President Trump pleaded for national unity as he formally accepted the GOP presidential nomination during the culminating moment of the 2024 Republican National Convention.

“I am running to be president for all of America, not half of America, because there is no victory in winning for half of America,” Trump emphasized as he addressed the thousands of delegates, party officials and activists packed into Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum and to the national audience of Americans watching the convention from home.

“The discord and division in our society must be healed. As Americans, we are bound together by a single fate and a shared destiny. We rise together. Or we fall apart,” the former president noted.

The shooting, at Trump’s rally Saturday in western Pennsylvania where one spectator was killed, along with the gunman, instantly impacted the tone and message of the convention, and as Trump has acknowledged, altered his convention address.

MCCARTHY SAYS TRUMP SHOWING ‘REAL LEADERSHIP’ TO THE WORLD AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump arrives for the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

“Let me begin this evening by expressing my gratitude to the American people for your outpouring of love and support following the assassination attempt at my rally on Saturday,” Trump said. “As you already know, the assassin’s bullet came within a quarter of an inch of taking my life.” 

The former president and GOP presidential nominee said that “so many people have asked me what happened, and therefore, I’ll tell you what happened.” 

“You’ll never hear it from me a second time, because it’s too painful to tell,” he said. 

Trump recounted the shooting, saying he knew “we were under attack.”  

Trump praised the “very brave Secret Service agents who rushed to the stage and pounced on top of me for protection.” 

“There was blood pouring everywhere, and yet, in a certain way, I felt very safe, because I had God on my side,” Trump said. “The amazing thing is that prior to the shot, if I had NOT moved my head at the very last instant, the assassin’s bullet would have perfectly hit its mark, and I would not be with you tonight.” 

“I am not supposed to be here tonight. I stand before you in this arena only by the grace of almighty God. Many people say it was a providential moment,” Trump said. 

But the crowd chanted: “Yes you are. Yes you are.” 

And he acknowledged that “none of us knows God’s plan, or where life’s adventure will take us. But if the events of last Saturday make anything clear, it is that every single moment we have on earth is a gift from God. We have to make the most of every day for the people and country we love.”

EMOTIONAL TRIBUTE TO COREY COMPERATORE DURING RNC SPEECH: ‘SPIRIT THAT FORGED AMERICA’

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump embraces the turnout coat and helmet of former Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department chief Corey Comperatore, who was killed at his rally last week, as he gives his acceptance speech on Day 4 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 18, 2024.  (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

Trump also pointed to the helmet and firefighting jacket of Corey Comperatore, the former fire chief killed at the rally, which were placed on the stage by the former president. And he asked the audience to observe a moment of silence.

He said he has raised more than $6 million in recent days for Comperatore’s family, and the families of the two men who were seriously wounded in the shooting. 

The former president also took time to thank his wife, former first lady Melania Trump. 

“On this journey, I am deeply honored to be joined by my amazing wife, Melania,” Trump told the crowd in Milwaukee during an emotional speech.

He then referred to her letter to America, in which she called for unity in the wake of the assassination attempt against her husband.

“I am thinking of you, now, my fellow Americans,” she wrote. “Dawn is here again. Let us reunite. Now.”

The former president praised the letter.

“And Melania, thank you very much. You also did something really beautiful. A letter to America calling for national unity. And it really took the Republican Party by surprise. I will tell you, it was beautiful,’ he said.

“Some very serious people said that we should take that letter and put it as part of the Republican platform. That would be an honor, wouldn’t it?”

The former president also thanked his family, especially his children and grandchildren. 

Former US President Donald Trump arrives to the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, on Wednesday, July 17, 2024. The RNC chairman warned against complacency when his party concludes its official nominating jamboree this week with polls predicting ex-President Donald Trump prevailing over President Joe Biden in the November election.   (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

But in the wake of his brush with death, the former president called for a lowering of the temperature in a political climate seared with heated rhetoric from both the right and the left.

“In an age when our politics too often divide us, now is the time to remember that we are all fellow citizens—we are one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all,” Trump stressed.

“We must not criminalize dissent or demonize political disagreement. In that spirit, the Democrat Party should immediately stop weaponizing the Justice System and labeling their political opponent as an enemy of democracy, especially since that is not true,” Trump claimed.

Making a pitch “to every citizen, whether you are young or old, man or woman, Democrat, Republican, or Independent, black or white, Asian or Hispanic,” Trump repeatedly criticized the administration of the Democratic incumbent in the White House, but only mentioned President Biden’s name once. 

“They will not have done the damage that Biden has done, only going to use the term once,” Trump said. “Biden. I’m not going to use the name anymore. Just one time.” 

Republican presidential nominee and former U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Republican vice presidential nominee J.D. Vance next to Eric Trump, on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S., July 16, 2024.  (REUTERS/Brian Snyder)

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Pointing to inflation, the crisis at the nation’s southern border with Mexico, and the ongoing wars in Ukraine and in Gaza, Trump argued that “it is time for a change. We simply cannot sustain four more years of this administration.”

Trump reminded his supporters that the MAGA movement “has never been about me, it has always been about you.” 

“It has always been about the hardworking, patriotic citizens of America,” he said. 

Trump was joined on the podium following his address by his family and by his running mate Sen. JD Vance, and the senator from Ohio’s family.

The former president announced on Monday as the convention kicked off that the 39-year-old Vance, a one-time Trump critic who has transformed into a leading America First disciple, would serve as his running mate.

“I am thrilled to have a new friend and partner fighting by my side: the next Vice President of the United States, the current Senator from Ohio, J.D. Vance, and his incredible wife, Usha,” Trump said minutes earlier as he gave a shout-out during his address to his running mate.

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Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, gestures to Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump during the Republican National Convention Thursday, July 18, 2024, in Milwaukee.  (AP Photo/Matt Rourke)

Republicans used their convention as a venue to reunite the party and energize delegates and activists ahead of the final stretch of the campaign in Trump’s 2024 election rematch with Biden.

The push for party unity was on display throughout the convention and included former GOP presidential rivals Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley – who both battled Trump in a contentious primary season – delivering speeches from the podium in support of the former president.

The Biden campaign took aim at Trump, Vance, and Republicans as the GOP convention wrapped up.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump is surround by U.S. Secret Service agents at a campaign rally, Saturday, July 13, 2024, in Butler, Pa. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

“Over the course of the last four days Republicans have offered their vision for the country. And now it’s never been more clear that Americans will face a stark choice, a contrasting vision for this country,” Biden principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks emphasized.

“The Biden-Harris ticket who’s focused on uniting the country, creating opportunity for everyone, and lowering costs or the Trump-Vance one – with a harmful agenda of taking away Americans’ rights, hurting the middle class, and making life more expensive – all while benefiting the ultra-rich and greedy corporations benefit,” Fulks argued.

Trump’s convention address comes less than two months after he was convicted of 34 felony counts in the first criminal trial of a former or current president in the nation’s history. But the Supreme Court ruled on the issue of presidential immunity–a question stemming from charges brought against Trump by Special Counsel Jack Smith. The high court ruled that a president is immune from “official acts.” Trump is using that Supreme Court precedent in an effort to overturn the verdict and appeal. 

A judge delayed Trump’s possible sentencing until September. 

Last month, though, Biden severely stumbled with a disastrous debate performance against Trump, which has led to a rising chorus of calls from within the Democratic Party for the president to end his 2024 re-election bid and bow out of the race.

President Joe Biden waves as he walks down the steps of Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware, Wednesday, July 17, 2024. Biden is returning to his home in Rehoboth Beach, Del., to self-isolate after testing positive for COVID-19. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh) (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

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Reports over the past 24 hours indicated that top Democrats – including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – have had frank conversations with Biden about him ending his campaign.

And as Trump delivered his convention address, speculation was rampant that the president could bow out of the 2024 election within days.

But Biden campaign spokesman TJ Ducklo told Fox News Digital those reports are “entirely inaccurate.” 

And another Biden aide tells Fox News Digital that Biden “is more committed than ever to winning this election.” 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub.

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., called on President Biden to exit the presidential race on Thursday night with the blessing of Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., making him the second Senate Democrat to do so. 

“Montanans have put their trust in me to do what is right, and it is a responsibility I take seriously. I have worked with President Biden when it has made Montana stronger, and I’ve never been afraid to stand up to him when he is wrong,” he said in a statement to Fox News Digital. “And while I appreciate his commitment to public service and our country, I believe President Biden should not seek re-election to another term.”

Tester told Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., about his plan ahead of time. Schumer then told him to do what he thought was best, a source with knowledge of the situation told Fox News Digital. 

SECRET SERVICE ‘CHECK-THE-BOX’ SENATE BRIEFING LEAVES QUESTIONS: ‘INFURIATING’

Sen. Jon Tester, D-Mont., has called on President Biden to drop out of the 2024 race.  (Getty Images)

The Montana senator is in one of the most competitive races in 2024 as he attempts to keep his seat in a state that has voted twice in favor of former President Trump. 

Tester’s race is rated a “Toss Up” by non-partisan political handicapper the Cook Political Report. It is accompanied in the category by three other competitive races in Ohio, Nevada, and Michigan. 

He will face off against the Republican Senate candidate in Montana, former Navy SEAL Tim Sheehy, in November. 

The senator recently told Fox News Digital that his internal polling showed him “kicking his a–,” but would not reveal the data. 

JD VANCE BY THE NUMBERS: FIRST SPEECH SIGNALS HEAVY CAMPAIGN PRESENCE IN BATTLEGROUND RUST BELT

Tester is in one of the most competitive races in the country. (Anna Moneymaker)

He also pushed back on the idea that his race was competitive, claiming, “My race isn’t in a precarious place.”

Earlier this month, Sen. Peter Welch, D-Vt., became the first Democrat in the upper chamber to call on Biden to drop out. “For the good of the country, I’m calling on President Biden to withdraw from the race,” he penned in an op-ed for the Washington Post. 

Tester is the 22nd Congressional Democrat to call on Biden to step down, joining Reps. Adam Schiff from California, Earl Blumenauer from Oregon, Ed Case from Hawaii, Angie Craig from Minnesota, Lloyd Doggett from Texas, Raul Grijalva from Arizona, Jim Himes from Connecticut, Mike Levin from California, Seth Moulton from Massachusetts, Scott Peters from California, Brittany Pettersen from Colorado, Mike Quigley from Illinois, Pat Ryan from New York, Brad Schneider from Illinois, Hillary Scholten from Michigan, Mikie Sherrill from New Jersey, Adam Smith from Washington, Eric Sorensen from Illinois, and Greg Stanton from Arizona.

Senate Democrats recently held a special meeting with senior Biden campaign advisers at the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee (DSCC). 

FLASHBACK: A LOOK AT DONALD TRUMP’S REMARKS AT THE 2016, 2020 REPUBLICAN CONVENTIONS

Sen. Welch was the first Democrat senator to call on Biden to drop out of the race.  (Getty Images)

Notably, Tester did not attend the meeting. He told Fox News Digital he was meeting with aerospace and defense company Northrop Grumman instead to discuss the “Sentinel project,” likely in reference to its work for the U.S. Air Force’s LGM-35A Sentinel weapon system. 

After the discussion, Democratic senators noted they still had some concerns. “Some of my concerns are allayed. Some others have been deepened,” explained Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., afterward.

Biden’s debate performance was widely criticized.  (Getty Images)

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Tester made a statement just over a week after Biden’s poor debate performance against Trump last month, saying, “President Biden has got to prove to the American people – including me – that he’s up to the job for another four years.”

His call on Biden to leave the race comes only 10 days after his first statement asking the president to prove himself. 

Get the latest updates from the 2024 campaign trail, exclusive interviews and more at our Fox News Digital election hub

People close to President Biden are “furious” that a pressure campaign calling for him to step aside is picking up speed, according to reports. 

Biden is self-isolating in Rehoboth, Delaware, after testing positive for COVID-19. 

“Lots of anger toward some donors for talking of $ drying up if he doesn’t quit, toward what they see as muted support from Pres. Obama, and toward Dem leaders who one source says are ‘hiding’ behind statements,” CBS News reporter Robert Costa posted on X. “If they want him out, they’ll have to push, source adds.”

TRUMP CAMPAIGN ON BIDEN TURMOIL: ‘DEMOCRATS CAN’T EVEN FIGURE OUT WHO THEIR NOMINEE SHOULD BE’

President Biden and former President Trump. ( Win McNamee/Getty Images/Michael M. Santiago/Getty Images)

Costa added that Biden feels “disrespected” but that no one has figured out “an effective way to quiet this drift of nervous Democrats away from Biden and know many Dems want Biden to just break at some point soon.”

Multiple Democrats have come out in recent weeks to call for Biden to exit the race amid questions about his health. 

Sources told Fox News that Biden’s COVID-19 diagnosis has forced him to slow down for a period of reflection. 

Pundits and Democratic Party members have been calling on Biden to abandon his re-election due to concerns about his mental fitness for the presidency and cognitive ability.  (Jacquelyn Martin/AP/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

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Democratic House and Senate members sense there’s a shift in Biden’s thinking that he will remain at the top of the ticket, the source said.

Former President Trump arrived at the final night of the 2024 Republican National Convention and walked out to AC/DC’s “Back In Black” to a rowdy crowd.

Former first lady Melania Trump, Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, among other Trump family members, are expected in the family box tonight as the former president takes the stage for the highly anticipated speech.

Also sharing the box with the Trump family is country music star Jason Aldean and his wife, Brittany Aldean.

DONALD TRUMP PRAISED BY STARS AS ‘A WARRIOR,’ MAN ‘WILLING TO GIVE HIS LIFE’ AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Former President Trump and Jason Aldean (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

The Aldean duo has been vocal Trump supporters for years. After the assassination attempt on Trump last weekend, Aldean posted to Instagram to show his support and well-wishes for “45”.

“This is what a Warrior looks like!,” Aldean wrote in his caption attached to a photograph of Trump with blood on his face and a stiff arm raised to the crowd of campaign rally attendees in Butler, Pennsylvania. “@realdonaldtrump we are thinking about u and praying for you and your family. God has a bigger plan for you, my friend, and I think we all know what that is by now.”

The “She’s Country” singer concluded, “My heart goes out to the victims’ families as well. They are the ones left to pick up the pieces of this cowardly act.”

Volunteer firefighter, Corey Comperatore, 50, died during the assassination attempt, shielding his family from bullets and two others were injured at the rally.

Brittany Aldean shared the same photograph to her own account and wrote, “They done messed up now.”

JASON ALDEAN’S ‘TRY THAT IN A SMALL TOWN’ SOARS TO NO. 1 ON BILLBOARD HOT 100; WIFE BRITTANY CELEBRATES

“What a sad day in history, but what a fighter he is,” she wrote. “TRUMP 2024.”

In November 2023, the five-time Grammy Award nominee made headlines when he released a song titled “Try That In A Small Town,” which was featured on his “Highway Desperado” album.

JASON ALDEAN IS ‘PROUD’ OF AMERICA EVEN THOUGH ‘SOMETIMES IT GETS A LITTLE SIDEWAYS’

Controversy surrounded the song as the video was debuted to fans featuring burning buildings and rioters lighting police cars on fire. Aldean released the video years after violent protests and looting ensued in the months following the death of George Floyd by police in Minnesota.

Country Music Television pulled the video amid backlash.

The song reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem offered her support for Aldean and his song at the time after much backlash, saying she was “shocked” by the attempt to “cancel” him. She invited him to play in the Mount Rushmore State anytime.

Aldean is expected to perform tomorrow night in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Delegates and guests attending the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Wisconsin are making predictions about President Biden’s political future amid reports he is closer to exiting the 2024 presidential race.

Fox News Digital spoke with multiple RNC attendees outside Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, the site of the convention, and most felt Biden would ultimately drop his re-election bid but that it would matter little when the votes are finally counted.

“I think [former President] Trump’s going to mop the floor with anybody they put up,” one attendee said, adding that it seemed Biden was “on the way out the door.”

ALINA HABBA TAKES ON MAJOR ROLE IN TRUMP CAMPAIGN, DISHES ON HIS HIGHLY ANTICIPATED RNC SPEECH

A delegate attending the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee speaks with Fox News Digital on July 18, 2024. (Fox News Digital/Brandon Gillespie)

“I don’t think it really matters. I think whoever they have, their bench is kind of shallow and weak right now.”

Another attendee told Fox he felt vindicated after predicting months earlier Biden wasn’t going to end up being the Democrat presidential nominee.

“I think Saturday may have changed things slightly, but I doubt it,” he said, referencing the failed assassination attempt against Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania. “The globalists have a mission. They don’t care anymore about Joe Biden. … I don’t think it matters who they run. I don’t think they have a shot to win a legitimate election at this point.” 

TRUMP TO FORMALLY ACCEPT REPUBLICAN PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION IN SPEECH ALTERED AFTER ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT

Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump is surrounded by Secret Service agents after a gunman opened fire during a campaign rally on Saturday. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)

Others also predicted Biden would drop out, but some expressed hope he would stay in the race or thought that Democrats couldn’t afford to dump him from the ticket so close to the election.

“They bet with him, and they keep telling us how far ahead in the polls he is, so they need to keep backing him all the way. I think it’d be disastrous if they change right now,” she said.

“I think he understands, and his compatriots understand, he needs to drop out. So, I think he will. I have no idea who they’re going to put up, you know, to replace him. I would hope it wouldn’t be Kamala, but I have no idea,” another said.

TRUMP WON’T USE WORD ‘BIDEN’ ONCE IN GOP CONVENTION SPEECH: SOURCES

President Biden (Ting Shen/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

One attendee said it would be “totally fine” if Vice President Harris became the nominee or even California Gov. Gavin Newsom or former first lady Michelle Obama. “The people, I think, are waking up to know that that’s just not the party of the people anymore. So, it doesn’t matter.”

The attendees also unanimously praised Trump’s vice presidential running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, after his Wednesday convention speech, calling him “empathetic,” “high energy” and “relatable.”

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Reuters reported Thursday that Biden is now “soul-searching” about the future of his candidacy, citing sources familiar with the matter, while NBC News reported a source close to the president as saying, “We’re close to the end.”

The reports come after previous reporting from the Washington Post that former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told Biden he would lose and push the House of Representatives further under Republican control. The Post also reported that former President Obama told his allies that Biden needed to reconsider his candidacy.

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Florida Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene told Fox News Digital that if President Biden bows out of the presidential race and is replaced ahead of the Democratic National Convention, the new candidate would likely have little impact on former President Donald Trump’s shot at winning back the White House this November.

“I definitely think we’re going to see [Democrats] try to push him out, and we’ll see who they replace them with. I think that’s important for Republicans to understand the moment that this is happening. We have the momentum right now this week at our convention, but this race isn’t over [until] November,” Greene said from the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. 

“There could be a total change if they replace Joe Biden with a new candidate. But we have the right policies. We have the right plans in place for Republicans [to] win,” she added. 

During the RNC this week, Democrats have increasingly called on Biden to drop out of the race, with California Rep. Adam Schiff joining the chorus of traditional allies calling on the president to pass the mantle ahead of the race against former President Trump. 

TRUMP CAMPAIGN ON BIDEN TURMOIL: ‘DEMOCRATS CAN’T EVEN FIGURE OUT WHO THEIR NOMINEE SHOULD BE’

Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia takes the stage at the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 15, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

“While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden’s alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch,” said Schiff. 

President Biden (Hannah Beier/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

Greene continued in her comment to Fox Digital that if Biden bows out and is replaced with another Democrat, it would likely not affect Trump’s run, arguing the Biden administration’s record puts a stain on whoever would join the race. 

“No matter who they put at the top of the ticket, that candidate has to run with the job record that Joe Biden and Kamala Harris have brought the several past years because Democrats are fully aligned behind those policies,” Greene said.

BIDEN CAMPAIGN INSISTS PRESIDENT IS ‘STAYING IN THIS RACE’

Former President Trump survived an assassination attempt on Saturday during a Pennsylvania rally. (Trump Campaign Office / Handout/Anadolu via Getty Images)

“I think America really came to one mindset and got resolved behind President Trump and behind the Republican Party after seeing him almost assassinated on Saturday. It’s a moment that everyone will always remember where they were when that happened, similar to 9/11. Everyone remembers where they were when that happened. I also think people are just really fed up with the border invasion that’s happening every day. The fact that people can’t afford food, can’t afford rent and inflation is really crippling a lot of people,” she said. 

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President Biden has faced intense calls for him to step aside. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden has so far brushed off the calls for him to bow out, but reports are circulating that he’s increasingly considering calling it quits with the 2024 campaign. 

“Our campaign is not working through any scenarios where President Biden is not at the top of the ticket. He is and will be the Democratic nominee,” Biden principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks told reporters at a news conference Thursday morning near the site of the Republican National Convention.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump and vice presidential nominee JD Vance applaud on Day 2 of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 16, 2024. (REUTERS/Mike Segar)

The president said in a recent interview with BET that he would drop out if a doctor told him he had a medical condition. 

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“If I had some medical condition that emerged, if somebody, if doctors came to me and said, you got this problem and that problem,” Biden said in an excerpt of the interview that was released Wednesday. 

Biden is currently quarantined in his home in Delaware after being diagnosed with COVID-19 on Wednesday afternoon.

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MILWAUKEE — Former President Trump will refer several times to the “current administration” or the “current leadership” in his address to the Republican National Convention, but highly placed sources say the former president will not use the word “Biden” once.

Trump on Thursday will formally accept the GOP presidential nomination during the closing night and culminating moment of the 2024 convention.

The former president’s speech to the party faithful inside Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum and to a national television audience is likely to be north of an hour, sources told Fox News’ Bret Baier, the network’s chief political anchor and executive editor of “Special Report with Bret Baier.”

TRUMP CAMPAIGN WEIGHS IN ON BIDEN TURMOIL

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump is shown on the third day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 17, 2024. (REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein)

Trump’s speech comes just five days after he survived an assassination attempt. The shooting at Trump’s rally on Saturday in western Pennsylvania, where one spectator was killed, along with the gunman, instantly affected the tone and message of the convention and altered the former president’s address.

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According to sources, the speech will “lay out the case for the ticket” and will focus on unity in part of the speech in the wake of his brush with death last weekend.

In an email to supporters on the eve of his address, Trump said, “I will lay out my vision to UNITE OUR COUNTRY AND MAKE IT GREATER THAN EVER BEFORE!”

A bloodied former President Trump gestures to the crowd after multiple shots rang out during his campaign rally in Butler, Pa., on July 13, 2024. (Reuters/Brendan McDermid)

A push for party unity was on display during the first three days of the convention, with former GOP presidential rivals Gov. Ron DeSantis of Florida and former U.N. ambassador and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley – who battled Trump in a contentious primary season – delivered speeches from the podium in support of the former president.

Republicans are using the convention as a venue to reunite the party and energize delegates and activists ahead of the final stretch of the campaign in Trump’s 2024 election rematch with President Biden.

Trump’s speech comes as Biden’s campaign is pushing back against a slew of reports in the past 24 hours that the president has become more receptive in the last couple of days to hearing arguments about why he should drop his 2024 re-election run.

“We don’t know who the nominee will be at this point,” a source in Trump’s political orbit told Fox News.

Hours earlier, the Trump campaign contrasted what it calls a “unified” GOP at the convention with the latest turmoil surrounding Biden’s re-election bid.

“When you look at what we’ve done with this convention, we’ve demonstrated to the American people that not only is the Republican Party unified, but we have a unifying vision for the entire country with President Trump’s agenda and plan for America well established,” a Trump campaign official said.

Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump applauds alongside vice presidential nominee JD Vance during the second day of the Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on July 16, 2024. (Reuters/Elizabeth Frantz)

“At the same time, the Democrats can’t even figure out who their nominee should be,” the official argued.

Following his disastrous debate performance last month against Trump, the 81-year-old Biden has been facing questions about whether he has the physical and mental abilities to serve another four years in the most demanding job in the world.

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Politically, Biden’s been pushing back against a rising chorus of calls to end his campaign from elected Democrats, who are deeply concerned about the possibility of the party not only losing the White House but both houses of Congress in the fall election.

Reports over the past 24 hours indicated that top Democrats – including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi – have had frank conversations with Biden about him ending his campaign.

President Biden waves as he walks down the steps of Air Force One at Dover Air Force Base in Delaware on July 17, 2024. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)

And a Washington Post report on Thursday suggested that former President Obama has told allies in recent days that Biden’s path to victory has been vastly reduced, and he thinks the president needs to seriously reconsider his decision to keep running.

“Our campaign is not working through any scenarios where President Biden is not at the top of the ticket. He is and will be the Democratic nominee,” Biden principal deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks told reporters at a news conference on Thursday morning near the site of the Republican National Convention.

And ahead of Trump’s speech, Fulks said that “over the course of the last four days, Republicans have offered their vision for the country. And now it’s never been more clear that Americans will face a stark choice, a contrasting vision for this country.”

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