Everyone supporting Trump: Haley and DeSantis push for GOP unity at RNC

Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis were Donald Trump's two strongest opponents in the 2024 Republican primaries. Despite the bellicose rhetoric heard during the process, both spoke at the Republican National Convention and gave a strong endorsement to the former president while warning about the dangers of a new term for Joe Biden. 

The arrival of both to the RNC podium was quite similar since, at first, they were not going to deliver a speech, something that changed in the last days. 

However, despite their differences with the former president, they focused on unifying the party behind Trump. After listening to them, Congressman Byron Donald assured the party was "completely unified." 

"A unified Republican Party is essential"

The first to take the stage was Haley, whose speech was one of the most anticipated of the night, given that she was the last Republican to drop out of the primaries, even facing Trump head-on. With the intention of clearing doubts from the beginning, and after being received with almost total applause by those present, she assured that "Donald Trump has my strong endorsement." 

Although she acknowledged that she does not agree on everything with the former president, who smiled from a distance, the former governor of South Carolina said she was happy to defend him in the name of unity. 

"We should acknowledge that there are some Americans who don't agree with Donald Trump 100% of the time. I happen to know some of them and I want to speak to them tonight. My message to them is simple: you don't have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him. Take it from me. I have not always agreed with President Trump. We agree more often than we disagree," she said.

At the same time, she highlighted the need for Republicans to remain united to defeat the current president, assuring that a vote for Biden is really a vote for Kamala Harris. 

"President Trump asked me to speak to this convention in the name of unity. For the sake of our nation, we have to go with Donald Trump. I'm here tonight because we have a country to save. And a unified Republican Party is essential to saving it", she added. 

"Life was more affordable when Donald Trump was president."

Cheered on, Governor DeSantis was even harsher against the country Joe Biden is leaving after four years in the White House. 

He began by highlighting his six years in Florida and referred to the margin by which he won re-election in 2022, the widest since 1982. "For decades, my home state saw elections determined by razor thin margins. Today, due to bold leadership, the Democratic Party lies in ruins. The left is in retreat. Florida is a solid Republican state," he noted. 

As for Biden, he asserted that America cannot tolerate another four years of a "weekend at Bernie's presidency," eliciting laughter from Trump. 

He also referenced the stamina of the current president, painting him as weak in an increasingly dangerous world. "Our enemies do not confine their designs to between 10 am and 4 pm. We need – we need a commander in chief who can lead 24 hours a day and 7 days a week," the governor continued. 

"Joe Biden has failed this nation. As a veteran, I was appalled when 13 of our service members were killed in Afghanistan due to Joe Biden's dereliction of duty. As a citizen, as a husband and as a father, I am alarmed that the current president of the United States lacks the capability to discharge the duties of his office," he added. 

"My fellow Republicans, let's send Joe Biden back to his basement and let's send Donald Trump back to the White House. Life was more affordable when Donald Trump was president. Our border was safer under the Trump administration, and our country was respected when Donald Trump was our commander in chief," DeSantis concluded.