CAROLINE GRAHAM meets Trump true believers in Milwaukee: 'He's our own very American messiah - and his victory is now pre-ordained'

For Nebraska delegate Fanchon Blythe, 63, a mother of four, seeing Donald Trump in the flesh was proof of divine intervention. 

'The hand of God came down and protected him from that bullet. I believe he was saved for a reason,' she said as tears rolled down her cheeks.

'When that bullet hit his ear, his first reaction was to stand up and fight. I believe God has sent him to save our country and fight for my children's future and my grandchildren's future.'

There is no doubt that Trump's die-hard supporters now regard him as a deity.

At last week's Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, $75 Trump bibles were on sale next to T-shirts embossed with the now iconic image of Trump raising his fist, face bloodied, with the American flag behind him.

For Ms Blythe, who is on the party's powerful national committee, it is the fusion of faith and politics which she believes will send Trump back to the White House.

She said: 'There have been lies and lies told against Trump, but he has unified Republicans like never before. We are sick and tired of illegal immigrants pouring over our borders, about inflation, wokeness in schools, of the Left trying to tell us what a woman is.'

Many remarked how Trump's demeanour initially changed after the assassination attempt.

Lawyer Jennifer McGrath from Nevada, who attended the event with her mother Millicent, 89, said: 'You can't fail to be changed when someone tries to take your life. By the time he made his acceptance speech, he was back to the man we know – but there was a deeper understanding there.

'He's changed on a spiritual level. He is more thoughtful, more willing to represent not just Republican Americans but all Americans.' Donald Trump Jr. told me: 'My father stood up to a bullet and I have never been more proud of him. He has unified the country. I believe in God's plan.'

Singer Lee Greenwood's song God Bless The USA has become Trump's anthem. He's in no doubt his victory is pre-ordained. 'This is a man who's fulfilling his destiny. His first instinct when shot was to stand up, show that he was OK and shout 'Fight! Fight! Fight!'

'No-one is going to mess with America with a man like that at the helm who has shown toughness in the face of evil.'

Nancy Burton, a delegate from Atlanta, Georgia, wearing a dress with Trump's image on it, said: 'People are calling him a messiah but he's a very American one. He has swagger. He has character. He's the literal saviour of our country.'

While there were times the religious fervour at the convention became a circus (the delegate owner of a labrador service dog called Lambeau said it was averaging 250 photo-ops a day), there is no doubt in my mind, barring disaster, Trump will triumph in the presidential vote in November.

Polls have him ahead of ailing President Joe Biden in most key swing states including Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and Arizona.

P Rae Easley, a financier who heads a group of black supporters in Chicago, said: 'Trump took action to make things better last time and we believe he will do so when he becomes president again. Blacks are overwhelmingly supporting him this time around.'

Martha Fierro, a nurse who was born in Mexico but came to the US aged seven and is now seeking to be elected to the Texas Senate, said: 'The Democrats have turned the American dream into the American nightmare. We have to take our country back. Trump is the only one who can do it.'

As thousands of red, white and blue celebratory balloons were released on Thursday night and Trump took to the stage with his family, his wife Melania noticeably flinched as one burst loudly on stage – sounding like gunfire.

The woman next to me said: 'Don't worry, a miracle saved Trump. Even if that had been a shot, God would have saved him again. He has a date with destiny in November and nothing will change it.'