Speaking from the Rose Garden, first lady Melania Trump said she admires President Trump for not being a "traditional" politician, saying that he "demands action and gets results" and "whether you like it or not, you always know what he's thinking."
Trump's address closed night two of the Republican National Convention, and she was the first person to express their condolences to the families of those hit by the coronavirus, which has left at least 178,000 Americans dead. "I want to acknowledge the fact that since March, our lives have changed drastically," she said, adding that her "deepest sympathy goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one and my prayers are with those who are ill or suffering."
People feel "anxious" and "helpless," she said, but "they are not alone. My husband's administration will not stop fighting until there is an effective treatment or vaccine available to everyone. Donald will not rest until he has done all he can to take care of everyone impacted by this terrible pandemic."
While making the case for four more years of a Trump presidency, the first lady told Americans her husband is "fighting for you" and "will not lose focus on you. He loves this country and he knows how to get things done." She asserted that under his leadership, he will "bring us back once again to the greatest economy and the strongest country every known."
Trump also touched on the "racial unrest" in the United States, sparked by police shootings of Black people including Breonna Taylor in Kentucky, George Floyd in Minnesota, Elijah McClain in Colorado, and Jacob Blake in Wisconsin. "I urge people to come together in a civil manner," she said. "I also ask people to stop the violence and looting being done in the name of justice. And never make assumptions based on the color of a person's skin."