The prepared remarks for Donald Trump’s first major address as the Republican presidential nominee include no mention of several key conservative causes, including the hard-line solutions to immigration and the threat of terrorism that he has pushed for months out on the campaign trail.
Trump is expected to paint a dark portrait of a country in crisis, with an immigration crisis at home and America’s stature on the world stage faltering, according to the nominee’s prepared remarks, which leaked hours before the event.
But the real estate mogul’s draft makes no mention of traditional marriage, abortion, or religious freedom, three bread-and-butter conservative issues.
While Trump is expected to again promise to build a “great border wall” to stop undocumented immigrants from unlawfully entering the country, the draft makes no mention of his campaign trail refrain that Mexico would pay for its construction.
The speech also contains just one short reference to gun rights. Trump will promise a Supreme Court justice to replace the late Antonin Scalia who has “similar views and principles.”
“My opponent wants to essentially abolish the Second Amendment,” the prepared remarks read. “I, on the other hand, received the early and strong endorsement of the National Rifle Association and will protect the right of all Americans to keep their families safe.”
Trump is also expected to thank the “evangelical community” for being “so good to me and so supportive,” but the billionaire’s speech includes no other references to God or his own religious faith.
Correction: This post has been updated to remove a reference to Trump’s proposed Muslim ban going unmentioned. Trump’s prepared remarks included a plan to “suspend immigration from any nation that has been compromised by terrorism until such time as proven vetting mechanisms have been put in place.”
