Trump’s primary rivals praise him in prime-time convention speeches

Former President Trump’s two biggest primary rivals threw their support behind him Tuesday in key speeches at the Republican National Convention.

Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley shelved their criticisms of Mr. Trump for prime speaking slots on Day 2 of the convention.

Their appearances were meant to convey unity, although Ms. Haley, who attacked Mr. Trump the hardest during the GOP primary, was initially booed by some of the delegates when she stepped onto the stage.

She quickly won over the convention crowd by announcing, “Let me make one thing clear, Donald Trump has my strong endorsement.”

Ms. Haley, who served as U.S. ambassador to the United Nations under Mr. Trump, urged the party to acknowledge those who don’t always agree with the former president, including her.

“We must not only be a unified party, we must also expand our party. We are so much better when we are bigger, we are stronger when we welcome people in our party who have different backgrounds and experiences.”

Ms. Haley said she has not always agreed with Mr. Trump “but we agreed more often than we disagreed.”

“I’m here tonight because we have a country to save and a unified Republican Party is essential for saving her,” Ms. Haley said.

Mr. DeSantis was once considered the biggest threat to Mr. Trump’s reelection bid and earned insulting nicknames from the former president, including Ron DeSanctimonious.

He fired fewer primary barbs at Mr. Trump than Ms. Haley did, is far more conservative, and ended his primary challenge earlier. When he stepped onto the convention stage after Ms. Haley, he was greeted with raucous applause and immediately called on the party to return Mr. Trump to the White House.

He attacked Mr. Biden, 81, as an ineffective and aging leader, “just a figurehead,” and a “tool for imposing a leftist agenda.”

Mr. DeSantis said Mr. Trump, 78,  would reverse the damage, “and we have a responsibility to make it happen.”

Mr. Trump sat stone-faced during Ms. Haley’s speech but lit up with smiles and nods of approval during Mr. DeSantis’ performance.

Mr. DeSantis and Mr. Trump were tied in some early 2023 polling and Mr. DeSantis was at one point leading him in New Hampshire, a key early voting state.

But Mr. DeSantis’ prospects dimmed as the campaign heated up and Mr. Trump pulled far ahead in the polls. Despite pumping all of his efforts and campaign cash into Iowa, Mr. DeSantis lost the Jan. 15 caucus, placing a distant second to Mr. Trump.

Mr. DeSantis tried to frame Mr. Trump as a has-been leader who would energize the Democratic base and ensure a second term for President Biden.

“We don’t need any more presidents that have lost the zip on their fastball,” Mr. DeSantis said in 2023.

Ms. Haley took on Mr. Trump directly and aggressively in her bid for the GOP nomination, calling him “unhinged,” a narcissist, a liar, “just toxic” and in mental decline. On the campaign trail, she told voters Mr. Trump lacks moral clarity, cannot win a general election and will be a drag on down-ticket Republicans.

Ms. Haley attracted Democrats who voted for her to keep Mr. Trump off the general election ballot and she also won over many Never-Trump Republicans as well as independents and GOP voters who are unenthusiastic about the former president.

Her appearance at the RNC is meant to symbolize party unity. She was announced as an RNC speaker on Sunday, a day after Mr. Trump survived an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally.