Trump stars at Republican convention clouded by shooting

Donald Trump returns to the campaign trail on Monday (Jul 15) as the star of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee – a gathering meant to fire up the grassroots that has instead been overshadowed, by the weekend attempt on his life.

The 78-year-old former president is carrying Republican hopes into November's election and, days after an assassin's bullets flew by him, is set to be anointed as the party's champion to face his Democratic successor, Joe Biden.

Some 50,000 Republicans are descending on the shores of Lake Michigan for the four-day celebration of all things Trump, culminating in his acceptance speech on Thursday.

Before that – perhaps as soon as Monday – Trump will unveil his vice-presidential pick, a high-stakes moment that could set the tone for the final stretch of his campaign.

Yet the Trump shooting is really the only story in town.

Much of the buzz around the made-for-TV convention moments has been eclipsed by the fallout from Saturday's assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania, in which Trump was wounded and one attendee died.

There was talk of a postponement of the convention, but Trump has insisted that the show must go on, vowing to be "defiant in the face of wickedness."