Before Donald Trump Jr. addressed the crowd at the Republican National Convention Wednesday, he gave the microphone to someone special.
Kai Trump, his daughter and the 17-year-old granddaughter of former President Donald Trump took the stage to clear up some misconceptions about the man she calls her “grandpa.” The teen, who is the eldest daughter of Trump Jr. and his ex-wife, Vanessa Trump, delivered a touching and sometimes humorous speech that belied it being her first time speaking publicly.
“I’m speaking today to share the side of my grandpa that people don’t often see,” she said. “To me, he’s just a normal grandpa. He gives us candy and soda when our parents aren’t looking. He always wants to know how we’re doing in school.”
“When I made the high honor roll, he printed it out to show his friends how proud he was of me,” she added, as a beaming Trump looked on. “He calls me during the middle of the school day to ask how my golf game is going, and tells me all about his. But then I have to remind him that I’m in school and I’ll have to call him back later.”
“When we play golf together, if I’m not his team, he’ll try to get inside of my head. And he’s always surprised that I don’t let him get to me. But I have to remind him I’m a Trump, too,” she said.
Brilliant move for @DonaldJTrumpJr to have his daughter speak
The adoring look on Trump’s face was a perfect counterpoint to the smears of him
Bravo Kai
Well Done pic.twitter.com/o0YQZb6Fdk— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) July 18, 2024
She shared her feelings about the assassination attempt on Trump.
“On Saturday, I was shocked when I heard that he had been shot, and I just wanted to know if he was okay. It was heartbreaking that someone would do that to another person,” she said.
She stated that “a lot of people have put my grandfather through hell,” but noted to applause that “he’s still standing.”
“Grandpa, you are such an inspiration and I love you,” she said. “The media makes my grandpa seem like a different person, but I know him for who he is. He’s very caring and loving. He truly wants the best for this country, and he will fight every single day to make America great again.”
“Even when he’s going through all these court cases, he always asks me how I’m doing. He always encourages me to push myself to be the most successful person I can be,” she told the crowd. “Obviously, he sets the bar pretty high, but who knows, maybe one day I’ll catch him.”