Starting on Monday, July 15, the four-day Republican National Convention (RNC) will be held in Milwaukee. Unlike previous conventions, this convention is taking place after the recent attack against prominent Republican figure and former President Trump. Naturally, security concerns for the convention have become a major focus of attention.
On July 13 (last Saturday), Trump was shot and injured in the right ear during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania. The assassination attempt resulted in the death of one rally attendee and left two others critically injured. Trump arrived in Milwaukee on July 14 to attend the RNC convention and is scheduled to deliver a speech during the event.
Here are six key points related to this convention:
The Republican convention will kick off on Monday and conclude on Thursday, with Trump scheduled to deliver his nomination acceptance speech on Thursday.
During an interview with the Washington Examiner on Sunday, Trump mentioned that he had rewritten his RNC speech after the assassination attempt, promising it to be a completely different speech from the original draft.
Originally focusing on President Biden’s policies, the revised speech now emphasizes unity, according to Trump’s interview.
Trump explained that the initial purpose of the speech was to rally his voter base, but now he intends to address how the shooting incident against him has altered the campaign dynamics.
“This is an opportunity to unite the entire nation, even the whole world,” Trump said, noting that the speech will differ significantly from the version prepared before the assassination attempt.
At this convention, the Republican Party will officially nominate Trump as the presidential candidate. Of great interest is who Trump will choose as his vice-presidential running mate.
Fox News reported that Trump may announce his running mate selection on Monday.
Traditionally, the vice-presidential nominee will deliver a speech at the convention.
For a long time, speculation has surrounded Trump’s choice for a running mate, with a focus now on four contenders: Marco Rubio from Florida, JD Vance from Ohio, Tim Scott from South Carolina, and Doug Burgum, the Governor of North Dakota.
According to the organizing committee for the 2024 RNC in Milwaukee, approximately 50,000 people are expected to attend, including 2,429 delegates from 56 states and territories. As of July 12, Trump had secured 2,268 delegate votes.
Each night, the prime-time speeches are set to end at 10 p.m. local time, except for Thursday, when Trump’s nomination acceptance speech may extend to 10:30 p.m.
Each day of the convention focuses on a theme revolving around Trump’s iconic slogan “Make America Great Again.”
Monday’s theme is “Make America Wealthy Once Again”; Tuesday’s theme is “Make America Safe Once Again”; Wednesday’s theme is “Make America Strong Once Again”; and Thursday’s theme is “Make America Great Once Again.”
Trump’s campaign team and the RNC revealed a list of speakers, including Trump’s son Donald Trump Jr and RNC co-chair Lara Trump, among several other Trump family members.
Likely vice-presidential candidates, such as Rubio, Vance, Burgum, and Scott, are also on the speech list.
Sources disclosed to Bloomberg that calls for party unity also prompted Trump to personally invite his former primary opponent and ex-U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Nikki Haley, to attend, with Haley expected to speak on Tuesday.
Other speakers include Governor Ron DeSantis from Florida, House GOP Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, oil magnate Harold Hamm, venture capitalist David Sacks, and former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss.
Celebrities and industry leaders like TV host and political commentator Tucker Carlson, senior campaign advisor Alina Habba, and Turning Point USA CEO Charlie Kirk are also expected to attend.
Organizers have provided speaking opportunities for “regular Americans,” including school teachers, activists, and business owners, at the convention.
Following the attack on Trump, security at the Republican convention has been closely monitored. President Biden mentioned in a speech on Sunday that he had directed the Secret Service to review all security measures for the event.
Starting on Monday, security measures in downtown Milwaukee will be heightened, major roads will be closed, and individuals without credentials may face restrictions.
Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle attempted to assure Americans on Monday that there will be ample security measures in place for the RNC convention.
“I am confident in the security plan developed by the Secret Service RNC coordinator and our partners. Following the shooting incident last Saturday, we have reviewed and strengthened that plan,” Cheatle said.
Pentagon Deputy Spokesperson Sabrina Singh stated on Monday that around 1,700 U.S. military personnel, mostly from the National Guard, along with a small number of active-duty service members, will assist with the RNC.
Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson expressed confidence in the city’s security measures during a press conference on Monday for the duration of the RNC convention.