WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — People had the opportunity to look at former President Donald Trump's ear for the first time after an assassination attempt earlier this month.
The bandage covering his right ear was removed during his appearance at a conservative group's summit in West Palm Beach on Friday. For about an hour, the current Republican nominee for president attacked Vice President Kamala Harris while talking about various issues related to religion and evangelical voters.
"With your vote I will defend religious liberty in all of its forms," Trump said. "I will protect Christians in our schools and in our military and our government and our workplaces and our hospitals and our public square. I will also protect other religions... and we will bring our country back together one nation under god."
Trump criticized the vice president for being liberal during her time in the United States Senate.
"Harris will appoint hundreds of extreme far-left judges to forcibly impose crazy San Francisco liberal values on Americans nationwide," he said. "...She will appoint hardcore Marxists to the Supreme Court to shred our constitution and all of our religious liberties. She will try as hard as she can to add as many justices to the Supreme Court."
He also called her a "bum" in the speech and said he didn't care to learn how to pronounce his likely opponent's name.
"I couldn't care less if I mispronounce it," he said.
The former president then criticized Harris for missing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to a joint session of Congress. He also brought up his administration's actions related to Israel like the moving of the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem and a peace agreement between Israel and the United Arab Emirates.
Trump then repeated his critiques of Jews, who traditionally vote for Democratic candidates due to some members' views against Israel. Critics have argued this is antisemitic because it argues people have a dual loyalty to Israel and the United States while arguing there is only one way to be Jewish.
"How do they vote for Democrats?" Trump said he asked the prime minister at a meeting on Friday. "Everything is negative. They want to stop you from having victory. How does a Jewish person vote for a Democrat?"
The former president, who met with the Israeli prime minister early in the day, didn't give many details on his meeting other than Netanyahu suggested the voting trend is merely a habit.
The campaign of Vice President Harris, who met with Netanyahu privately on Thursday, called the speech "strange" in a statement posted to X. She criticized the former president bragging about overturning Roe v. Wade, insulting American's faith and lying about the 2020 election.
"Americans can do better than the bitter, bizarre and backward-looking delusions of criminal Donald Trump," spokesperson James Signer said in a written release. "Vice President Kamala Harris offers a vision for America's future focused on freedom, opportunity and security."
The former president spoke on the first night of a three-day event, which features dozens of speakers, called "The Believers Summit" in West Palm Beach. A conservative group called Turning Point Action hosted the event.
WPTV's Ethan Stein spoke with a Turning Point spokesperson, who said the goal was to target church leaders and encourage them to argue for their beliefs in the political realm. He said about 3,500 will attend and they're happy with the turnout since it’s their first time exclusively having a faith event at the convention center.
Normally, the group hosts a summit for younger conservatives at the venue. The event features conservative commentators like former Sports Center anchor Sage Steele and evangelical
leaders.
White House advisor Peter Navarro, who was released from federal prison after being sentenced for contempt of Congress, spoke at the event about political persecution. Former Housing and Urban Development Secretary Dr. Ben Carson spoke about a stronger church presence in daily American life. Republican National Chairman Michael Whatley attacked Vice President Kamala Harris for her record in public.
Former President Trump also declared "victory" over President Joe Biden during Friday night's speech. He also committed to appoint more conservative judges to the federal bench.
WPTV's Ethan Stein heard multiple applause and cheers from the crowd throughout his speech. But, a few boos rang out while the former president said he supported some exceptions for abortion, like pregnancy resulting from a rape or if the heath of a mother is at risk.
Trump, who heard the crowd's reaction, said the goal is to win elections.
