Written on his face: Trump a changed man after assassination attempt

Viewers taken aback by Trump's appearance at RNC Convention: Eyes and smile reveal a man whose brush with death has had a dramatic effect on him

The moment he appeared on camera on the floor of the RNC Convention on Monday evening, viewers could see that former President Donald Trump had been deeply affected by his close brush with death just 48 hours earlier, and likely forever changed.

He stood alone at first, before walking onto the floor, and the smile that spread across his face was almost a wistful smile.

Wiped from his face was all pride and quickness, replaced by a softness, humility, and deep humanity.

His posture was not fundamentally different, nor was the way he held his head.

Yet in his countenance, his movements and the entire force field around him, there was something entirely different — a softness that we have never seen before on him.

As the sound of applause rose up from the crowd of Republican delegates at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Trump seemed close to tears — though anyone writing such a thing could easily be accused of projection as what could be perceived by the senses was not enough to prove the truth of this statement. All that could be said was that something about his face, something indescribable, had passed over it.

Sky News Australia viewers commented on all of it beneath a YouTube video of Trump’s appearance.

“President Trump looked like he was on the verge of tears a few times…” wrote one person.

“You can tell the attempt on his life changed him,” wrote another. “He has a completely new aura surrounding him. He looks so grateful to be alive.”

On Facebook, on a page run by a long-time supporter of President Trump who goes by the name An0maly, several people said they noticed the change in Trump and wrote that they became emotional seeing him enter the arena just two days after he was shot at the rally in Butler, Pennsylvania.

“Trump looked very beautifully humbled tonight,” wrote one person. “His energy was softer with gratitude.”

“I was surprised by all of my tears,” wrote another.

Trump climbed up the steps and stood to face the crowd from the stage, pumping his fist more in solidarity than defiance before turning and walking over to shake the hands of Tucker Carlson, Rep. Byron Donalds of Florida, his sons Don Jr. and Eric and then his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance, who stood to his left, just slightly taller, genial, relaxed and smiling. Trump savored the applause, not as the showman, but as a man who has been given a great gift by a higher power.

To me, the change in Trump is so extraordinary that it is almost a metamorphosis — a total change in the appearance and perhaps the entire spirit of the man — and reminds me of a passage from the Bible about suffering, and how God uses it to polish us and bring us to perfection, so that we can be better reflections of Him. I cannot now locate this verse, but will add it later if I can find it. But I did find this from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah and will leave it here without further comment:

Isaiah 48:10

“Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver;

I have tested you in the furnace of affliction.”

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