Former President Donald Trump delivered the longest nomination acceptance speech in U.S. history, speaking for a record 93 minutes during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. Trump surpassed his previous record of 74 minutes set in 2016.
The address, a mix of prepared remarks and spontaneous deviations, was delivered amidst heightened security following a dramatic assassination attempt. Just days before, a 20-year-old gunman fired at Trump during a rally in Pennsylvania, grazing his right ear. Trump, the first major-party presidential nominee convicted of felonies, appeared with a white bandage over the injury, a symbol of solidarity for many attendees who wore similar bandages.
Trump began his speech with a solemn recounting of the attack, which resulted in one attendee’s death and two others being wounded. “I am not supposed to be here tonight,” he said, attributing his survival to “the grace of almighty God” and calling the incident a “providential moment.”
The speech soon transitioned to Trump’s characteristic style, including ad-libbed applause lines and digressions. This combination of seriousness and levity elicited mixed reactions from the audience, with engagement declining as the speech progressed.
Trump’s 93-minute speech was notably longer than those of other major political figures. According to The American Presidency Project, his address contained 12,219 words. The previous record holder, Trump’s 2016 speech, lasted 74 minutes, while his 2020 speech on the White House South Lawn lasted 70 minutes. By contrast, President Joe Biden’s 2020 acceptance speech was only 24 minutes long.
