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RNC Day 1: Trump makes first appearance since attempted assassination, alongside VP pick Vance

RNC Day 1: Trump makes first appearance since attempted assassination, alongside VP pick Vance
MATT, THEY JUST WRAPPED UP DAY ONE. PATRICK. FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP LEFT THE BUILDING JUST A FEW MINUTES AGO AFTER ARRIVING WITHIN THE PAST HOUR. MEMBERS OF WISCONSIN’S DELEGATION, HONESTLY DESCRIBING IT AS AN EMOTIONAL MOMENT. AS YOU CAN SEE, SOME OF THE VIDEO FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP WALKING IN A GROUP OF SUPPORTERS AND DELEGATES WERE ABLE TO BE RIGHT THERE AS HE WALKED IN. HE WALKED UP THE STEPS, GAVE A FIST BUMP TO THE CROWD. PEOPLE COULD SEE HIM ON THE BIG MONITOR AND OF COURSE, BEHIND ME SITTING IN THE BOX. ALL THIS OF COURSE, JUST 48 HOURS AFTER THE ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT, THE BANDAGE YOU SAW ON HIS EAR. THIS HIS FIRST PUBLIC APPEARANCE HERE IN MILWAUKEE. INSIDE FISERV FORUM SINCE THAT ASSASSINATION ATTEMPT ON SATURDAY. MOMENTS AFTER WE TALKED WITH FORMER WISCONSIN GOVERNOR TOMMY THOMPSON, A WISCONSIN DELEGATE, ABOUT THE MOMENT, TAKE A LISTEN. WHAT WAS THAT LIKE TO SEE HIM COME IN JUST 48 HOURS AFTER SATURDAY? IT’S UTTERLY AMAZING. ANYBODY WITH THAT STAMINA THAT ABILITY TO GO THROUGH WHAT HE DID THROUGH AND THEN COME HERE AND THEN THE NEXT DAY PLAY 18 HOLES OF GOLF, THEN FLY OUT TO MILWAUKEE, THEN SHOW UP HERE AT THE CONVENTION. IT’S AN OUTSTANDING SHOWING OF HOW YOU REALLY GET THE JOB DONE, FIGHT, FIGHT, FIGHT TRUMP TRUMP TRUMP. THAT’S WHAT IT TAKES PLACE. WAS THIS EMOTIONAL FOR YOU TO SEE THAT MOMENT? OF COURSE. YOU KNOW, TO COME IN WITH WITH YOUR CANDIDATE, A FORMER PRESIDENT AND A FUTURE PRESIDENT WITH A BIG BANDAGE ON HIS EAR WHERE, YOU KNOW, TWO DAYS AGO, HE GOT SHOT AND HE WAS THAT CLOSE TO BEING KILLED. AND HE’S HERE TONIGHT WITHOUT ANY QUALMS WHATSOEVER TELLING THE PEOPLE OF WISCONSIN THIS COUNTRY, THAT HE’S GOING TO FIGHT FOR THEM, JUST LIKE HE FOUGHT FOR HIMSELF. FORMER GOVERNOR TOMMY THOMPSON, A MEMBER OF THE WISCONSIN DELEGATION. I’M GOING TO BRING YOU BACK AND SHOW YOU WHERE THAT MOMENT HAPPENED HERE ON THE FLOOR. THE AREA HAS NOW BEEN CLEARED, BUT BECAUSE OF SECURITY, THERE WAS A NUMBER OF SECRET SERVICE AGENTS, A LOT OF SECRET SERVICE AGENTS, ACTUALLY, THE ROPE LINE HERE WHERE FOLKS HAD TO STAND WHEN FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP CAME THROUGH RIGHT HERE AND WALKED UP THOSE STAIRS, THE ARENA QUICKLY CLEARING OUT. THIS WAS A LONG DAY FOR DELEGATES. IT STARTED ABOUT 1245, AND HERE WE ARE AT 10:00 TONIGHT, ENDING WITH A PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION. THE VICE PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION AND FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP HERE INSIDE THE BUILDING, GUYS, MEMBERS OF HIS FAMILY WERE THERE WITH HIM TONIGHT, AS WELL AS HIS VICE PRESIDENTIAL PICK. MATT, THANK YOU. NOW TRUMP’S APPEARANCE TONIGHT JUST HOURS AFTER THE ROLL CALL HERE AT THE CONVENTION, HIS OLDEST SONS, ERIC AND DONALD JUNIOR, ANNOUNCING THE DELEGATE VOTES FOR FLORIDA THAT HELPED THEIR FATHER CLINCH THE GOP NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT. ON BEHALF OF OUR ENTIRE FAMILY AND ON BEHALF OF THE 125 DELEGATES IN THE UNBELIEVABLE STATE OF FLORIDA, WE HEREBY NOMINATE EVERY SINGLE ONE OF THEM FOR THE GREATEST PRESIDENT THAT’S EVER LIVED. AND THAT’S DONALD J. TRUMP HEREBY DECLARING HIM THE REPUBLICAN NOMINEE FOR PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. NOW, WE’VE TALKED ABOUT HOW HISTORIC TODAY HAS BEEN. THE OTHER MASSIVE HEADLINE TONIGHT, DONALD TRUMP’S VP PICK NOW IN HIS RUNNING MATE, ANNOUNCED FOR THE FIRST TIME THIS AFTERNOON. THEN HE APPEARED HERE AT FISERV FORUM. IT IS THEREFORE, MY HONOR TO NOMINATE OHIO SENATOR JD VANCE FOR THE OFFICE OF VICE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA. NOW, THE 39 YEAR OLD SENATOR FROM OHIO CALLED TRUMP DANGEROUS AND UNFIT FOR OFFICE IN 2016 AND 2021. JD VANCE REVERSED HIS OPINION OF TRUMP AND TRUMP ENDORSED VANCE IN HIS 2022 BID. FOR US SENATE. TRUMP, WRITING ABOUT HIS PICK ON SOCIAL MEDIA, SAYING IN PART HE FOUGHT SO BRILLIANTLY FOR THE AMERICAN WORKERS AND FARMERS IN PENNSYLVANIA, WISCONSI
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RNC Day 1: Trump makes first appearance since attempted assassination, alongside VP pick Vance
Day 1 of the Republican National Convention:Top highlightsFormer President Donald Trump made his first public appearance since his attempted assassination at a Pennsylvania rally on SaturdayTrump chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his vice presidentTrump and Vance were both officially nominated as the GOP ticketRepublican Party Chairman Michael Whatley hailed the ticket as an ideal team to defeat President Joe Biden and Democrats in NovemberMonday night's speakers included senators, House members, governors, podcasters, a union leader, and everyday supportersTop issues of the night included the economy, Biden's fitness for office and unity Here are the archived live updates from the first day of the Republican National Convention:Day 1 in the booksTrump greeted supporters as he exited the arena. He was being protected by a noticeably larger security contingent of U.S. Secret Service agents.Teamsters president makes notable appearanceJust a week after the AFL-CIO reaffirmed its backing of President Biden, another union leader came and spoke at the Republican National Convention.Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien said workers are being taken for granted and sold out to big banks, big tech and the corporate elite. O’Brien said the Teamsters “are not beholden to anyone or any party” and will work with a bipartisan coalition.“I don’t care about getting criticized,” O’Brien said as he defied organized long-standing support of Democrats.O'Brien notably did not formally endorse Trump during his speech.Trump arrives at conventionDonald Trump, entering the stadium, has a large white bandage on his right ear after being shot at a rally Saturday night.The delegates were all on their feet as Trump came out, cheering and many holding up signs or their phones to take photos and video. Trump shook hands with people as he entered, including his son, Donald Trump Jr. He’s standing near his vice presidential pick, JD Vance. Trump is smiling and mouthing, “Thank you.”JD Vance recalls the moment Trump called with VP newsJD Vance said his 7-year-old son was being noisy in the background when Trump called to offer him the vice president spot on the Republican ticket.Vance knew Trump was calling with big news, but he didn’t know if it was good or bad news for him, the first-term Ohio senator told Fox News host Sean Hannity in his first interview since Trump announced his pick.He said Trump also asked to speak to his son.“The guy just got shot a couple of days ago, and he takes the time to talk to my seven-year-old,” Vance said.“It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”He said he and Trump have been close since Trump endorsed him in his 2022 Senate race, which he said he would not have won without Trump’s support.Noem praises Trump for pandemic handlingSouth Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem praised Trump for his handling of the pandemic, stating that he "let me do my job and he let me keep my people free."She added, "When other states were pushing mandates and lockdowns, instead in South Dakota, we hit the gas. We embraced liberty."Noem also addressed Saturday's assassination attempt, highlighting the striking image of Trump bloodied, raising his fist with the American flag in the background. “Prior to this week, we already knew that Donald Trump was a fighter,” Noem said. But on Saturday, she said, “Even in the most perilous moment this week, his instinct was to stand and to fight.”“Trump” chants broke out among the crowd. Outside the convention, mostly quiet streets The streets of downtown Milwaukee were largely quiet Monday evening, with most of the day’s protests wrapping up earlier in the afternoon. At one of the convention’s main entrances, a sole anti-Trump protester stood holding a sign, telling those entering the arena to “enjoy the clown show.”Anthony Marlow, a retired sanitation worker, said he had spent the day protesting the convention, arguing at times with Trump supporters.“I want them to know they are not welcome in this great city,” he said. Referencing Trump’s reported denigration of Milwaukee weeks earlier, Marlow added, “He don’t appreciate Milwaukee. The man is a clown.”Youngkin says, 'Joe must go'Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a reported finalist for Trump's vice president, walked onto the stage to a big cheer Monday night and the crowd chanting about Biden, “Joe must go!”“Yes, Joe must go,” Youngkin said.Youngkin, a businessman and political outsider when he ran for governor in 2021, painted Trump as a man of a similar story, calling him “an outsider, a businessman who stepped out of his career” to run for president.“I believe this year Virginia will elect another Republican outside businessman as president of the United States,” said Youngkin.Sen. Tim Scott: ‘An American lion got back up on his feet and he roared’ Sen. Tim Scott got one of the biggest applause of the RNC’s opening night. Scott of South Carolina nearly immediately touched Trump's assassination attempt, telling delegates, “If you didn’t believe in miracles before Saturday, you better be believing right now.”Scott, who frequently references his faith and quotes Bible verses, got major applause for doing so on Monday.“On Saturday, the devil came to Pennsylvania holding a rifle,” Scott said, referencing the rally shooting, adding of Trump: “But an American lion got back up on his feet and he roared.”Scott was reportedly on Trump's shortlist for vice president before the former president selected Vance. GOP congressman focuses on the economyRep. Wesley Hunt of Texas says grocery and energy prices are crippling Americans and quoted Ronald Reagan in calling inflation “the cruelest tax on the poor.”He says Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris don’t seem to understand the problem.Hunt, one of a handful of Black Republicans in Congress, said in November “we can fix this disaster” by electing Trump and “send him right back to where he belongs, the White House.”Inflation in the United States cooled in June for a third straight month, a sign that the worst price spike in four decades is steadily fading and may soon usher in interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.Attendees wait in long lines for food inside Fiserv ForumWhile there are food options outside the security perimeter at this week's Republican National Convention, many people chose to remain in Fiserv Forum in between Monday’s events.Delegates from across the country, as well as other attendees, waited in lines for up to an hour to get grab-and-go food.Thousands of Republicans are attending the RNC, including more than 2,400 delegates.Volunteers at the event said they’re hoping to make some changes to lower line times for the rest of the week.RNC speakers stick with stock party talking points in beginning of nightThe U.S. economy is a diverse and sprawling behemoth. It’s possible to have a solid job market and problematically high inflation at the same time. But nuance died a long time ago at political party conventions.That’s why the convention speech by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, hit some simple bullet points. Republicans want lower prices, tax cuts and fewer regulations, a message he sprinkled with some culture war rallying cries.RNC Chairman Michael Whatley mentioned the recent assassination attempt on Trump and the “strength and resilience” he said the former president had shown, Whatley called on his fellow Republicans to “unite as a party,” adding, “and we must unite as a nation.”Speakers known for incendiary rhetoric like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson have also focused on the party's new theme of unity.Jill Stein joins protest marching toward the RNCGreen Party presidential candidate Jill Stein joined with a group of about two dozen protesters who were rallying and marching in Milwaukee on Monday.The Philadelphia-based group Poor People’s Army, which advocates for economic justice, organized the rally and march. It came after a larger march earlier Monday that attracted hundreds of people near the site of the RNC.Stein called for a reduction in military spending and investments in public education, social housing and health care, adding that Americans were clamoring for a true third-party candidate on the ballot.“How much do people want the same candidates that have been rammed down our throat for so long?” she said. “Not at all.” Vance blamed Biden for Trump assassination attempt, White House declines commentWhite House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined direct comment when asked about Vance being quick to blame Biden for the attempt on Trump’s life.“I’m not going to politicize this moment. We’re not going to politicize this moment. It is wrong to politicize this moment,” Jean-Pierre said Monday at her daily White Houe press briefing.She repeated what Biden said about lowering the temperature and uniting the country when he addressed the nation on Sunday night.Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell booed at RNCSenate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell faced a flurry of boos Monday at the Republican National Convention when he stood on behalf of Kentucky to send the state’s delegates to Donald Trump.McConnell, a onetime critic who blamed the then-president for “disgraceful” acts in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, made a remarkable turnaround in March when he endorsed Trump as the GOP nominee. The two men came face-to-face last month when Trump visited Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill where they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.Biden’s campaign chair says Vance ‘will do what Mike Pence wouldn’t on January 6’President Joe Biden’s campaign chair responded to Vance’s selection as Trump’s running mate by saying Vance “will do what Mike Pence wouldn’t on January 6: bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law and no matter the harm to the American people.”Jen O’Malley Dillon said the campaign would spend “every single day making the case between the two starkly contrasting visions Americans will choose between at the ballot box this November."Vance has challenged the legitimacy of criminal prosecutions and civil verdicts against Trump and questions the results of the 2020 election.He told ABC News in February that, if he had been vice president on Jan. 6, 2021, he would have told states where Trump disputed Biden wins “that we needed to have multiple slates of electors, and I think the U.S. Congress should have fought over it from there.”“That is the legitimate way to deal with an election that a lot of folks, including me, think had a lot of problems in 2020,” he said.Vance officially nominated at RNCOhio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted put forward Sen. JD Vance as the vice presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention hours after Trump’s announcement.“JD is a living embodiment of the American dream,” Husted said. “He came from humble beginnings.”The crowd chanted in response, “JD! JD!”Video below: Who is JD Vance? What we know about Donald Trump's VP pickBernie Moreno, the Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, seconded the motion for the convention to nominate Vance.He was officially nominated by voice vote.Trump receives enough delegate votes to become official GOP nomineeDonald Trump became the official Republican presidential nominee after receiving enough votes from delegates at the Republican National Convention.Trump has been the presumptive nominee for months. But it was the vote of RNC delegates in Milwaukee that made it official Monday afternoon.Trump hit the necessary threshold with votes from his home state of Florida.Trump picks Vance for VPDonald Trump selected Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his Republican running mate. Vance swept to national prominence with his bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.” Vance was a vocal opponent of Trump during the 2016 presidential election but changed his position, arguing he was proved wrong by Trump’s performance in office. Vance was rewarded for his turnaround during his bid for an open Senate seat in 2022, during which he landed Trump’s coveted endorsement. Vance is now a Trump loyalist who challenges the legitimacy of criminal prosecutions and civil verdicts against him and questions the results of the 2020 election.List of Day 1 speakers Musical performance by Chris JansonRep. Marjorie Taylor Green (GA-14)Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (NC)Rep. Wesley Hunt (TX-38)Rep. John James (MI-10)Sara Workman, supporterSen. Katie Britt (AL)Sen. Tim Scott (SC)Gov. Glenn Youngkin (VA)Bob Unanue, CEO of Goya FoodsGov. Kristi Noem (SD)Robert "Bobby" Bartels, supporterRep. Byron Donalds (FL-19)David Sacks, Former CEO of YammerVanessa Faura, supporterCharlie Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USASen. Marsha Blackburn (TN)Mark Laws, supporterBenjamin Josephs, supporterAmber Rose, mother & entrepreneurLinda Fornos, supporterSean O'Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters

Day 1 of the Republican National Convention:

Top highlights

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  • Former President Donald Trump made his first public appearance since his attempted assassination at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday
  • Trump chose Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his vice president
  • Trump and Vance were both officially nominated as the GOP ticket
  • Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley hailed the ticket as an ideal team to defeat President Joe Biden and Democrats in November
  • Monday night's speakers included senators, House members, governors, podcasters, a union leader, and everyday supporters
  • Top issues of the night included the economy, Biden's fitness for office and unity

Here are the archived live updates from the first day of the Republican National Convention:

Day 1 in the books

Trump greeted supporters as he exited the arena.

He was being protected by a noticeably larger security contingent of U.S. Secret Service agents.

Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, are seen during the Republican National Convention Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast)
Charles Rex Arbogast
Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump and Republican vice presidential candidate Sen. JD Vance, R-Ohio, are seen during the Republican National Convention on Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee.

Teamsters president makes notable appearance

Just a week after the AFL-CIO reaffirmed its backing of President Biden, another union leader came and spoke at the Republican National Convention.

Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien said workers are being taken for granted and sold out to big banks, big tech and the corporate elite. O’Brien said the Teamsters “are not beholden to anyone or any party” and will work with a bipartisan coalition.

“I don’t care about getting criticized,” O’Brien said as he defied organized long-standing support of Democrats.

O'Brien notably did not formally endorse Trump during his speech.

Trump arrives at convention

Donald Trump, entering the stadium, has a large white bandage on his right ear after being shot at a rally Saturday night.

The delegates were all on their feet as Trump came out, cheering and many holding up signs or their phones to take photos and video.

Trump shook hands with people as he entered, including his son, Donald Trump Jr.

He’s standing near his vice presidential pick, JD Vance. Trump is smiling and mouthing, “Thank you.”

JD Vance recalls the moment Trump called with VP news

JD Vance said his 7-year-old son was being noisy in the background when Trump called to offer him the vice president spot on the Republican ticket.

Vance knew Trump was calling with big news, but he didn’t know if it was good or bad news for him, the first-term Ohio senator told Fox News host Sean Hannity in his first interview since Trump announced his pick.

He said Trump also asked to speak to his son.

“The guy just got shot a couple of days ago, and he takes the time to talk to my seven-year-old,” Vance said.

“It’s a moment I’ll never forget.”

He said he and Trump have been close since Trump endorsed him in his 2022 Senate race, which he said he would not have won without Trump’s support.

Noem praises Trump for pandemic handling

South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem praised Trump for his handling of the pandemic, stating that he "let me do my job and he let me keep my people free."

She added, "When other states were pushing mandates and lockdowns, instead in South Dakota, we hit the gas. We embraced liberty."

Noem also addressed Saturday's assassination attempt, highlighting the striking image of Trump bloodied, raising his fist with the American flag in the background.

“Prior to this week, we already knew that Donald Trump was a fighter,” Noem said. But on Saturday, she said, “Even in the most perilous moment this week, his instinct was to stand and to fight.”

“Trump” chants broke out among the crowd.

Outside the convention, mostly quiet streets

The streets of downtown Milwaukee were largely quiet Monday evening, with most of the day’s protests wrapping up earlier in the afternoon. At one of the convention’s main entrances, a sole anti-Trump protester stood holding a sign, telling those entering the arena to “enjoy the clown show.”

Anthony Marlow, a retired sanitation worker, said he had spent the day protesting the convention, arguing at times with Trump supporters.

“I want them to know they are not welcome in this great city,” he said. Referencing Trump’s reported denigration of Milwaukee weeks earlier, Marlow added, “He don’t appreciate Milwaukee. The man is a clown.”

Youngkin says, 'Joe must go'

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, a reported finalist for Trump's vice president, walked onto the stage to a big cheer Monday night and the crowd chanting about Biden, “Joe must go!”

“Yes, Joe must go,” Youngkin said.

Youngkin, a businessman and political outsider when he ran for governor in 2021, painted Trump as a man of a similar story, calling him “an outsider, a businessman who stepped out of his career” to run for president.

“I believe this year Virginia will elect another Republican outside businessman as president of the United States,” said Youngkin.

Sen. Tim Scott: ‘An American lion got back up on his feet and he roared’

Sen. Tim Scott got one of the biggest applause of the RNC’s opening night.

Scott of South Carolina nearly immediately touched Trump's assassination attempt, telling delegates, “If you didn’t believe in miracles before Saturday, you better be believing right now.”

Scott, who frequently references his faith and quotes Bible verses, got major applause for doing so on Monday.

UNITED STATES - JULY 15: Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisc., on Monday, July 15, 2024. (Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images)
Bill Clark/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., speaks at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisc., on Monday, July 15, 2024.

“On Saturday, the devil came to Pennsylvania holding a rifle,” Scott said, referencing the rally shooting, adding of Trump: “But an American lion got back up on his feet and he roared.”

Scott was reportedly on Trump's shortlist for vice president before the former president selected Vance.

GOP congressman focuses on the economy

Rep. Wesley Hunt of Texas says grocery and energy prices are crippling Americans and quoted Ronald Reagan in calling inflation “the cruelest tax on the poor.”

He says Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris don’t seem to understand the problem.

Hunt, one of a handful of Black Republicans in Congress, said in November “we can fix this disaster” by electing Trump and “send him right back to where he belongs, the White House.”

Inflation in the United States cooled in June for a third straight month, a sign that the worst price spike in four decades is steadily fading and may soon usher in interest rate cuts by the Federal Reserve.

Attendees wait in long lines for food inside Fiserv Forum

While there are food options outside the security perimeter at this week's Republican National Convention, many people chose to remain in Fiserv Forum in between Monday’s events.

Delegates from across the country, as well as other attendees, waited in lines for up to an hour to get grab-and-go food.

Thousands of Republicans are attending the RNC, including more than 2,400 delegates.

Volunteers at the event said they’re hoping to make some changes to lower line times for the rest of the week.

RNC speakers stick with stock party talking points in beginning of night

The U.S. economy is a diverse and sprawling behemoth. It’s possible to have a solid job market and problematically high inflation at the same time. But nuance died a long time ago at political party conventions.

That’s why the convention speech by Sen. Ron Johnson, R-Wisconsin, hit some simple bullet points. Republicans want lower prices, tax cuts and fewer regulations, a message he sprinkled with some culture war rallying cries.

RNC Chairman Michael Whatley mentioned the recent assassination attempt on Trump and the “strength and resilience” he said the former president had shown, Whatley called on his fellow Republicans to “unite as a party,” adding, “and we must unite as a nation.”

Speakers known for incendiary rhetoric like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia and North Carolina Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson have also focused on the party's new theme of unity.

Jill Stein joins protest marching toward the RNC

Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein joined with a group of about two dozen protesters who were rallying and marching in Milwaukee on Monday.

The Philadelphia-based group Poor People’s Army, which advocates for economic justice, organized the rally and march. It came after a larger march earlier Monday that attracted hundreds of people near the site of the RNC.

Stein called for a reduction in military spending and investments in public education, social housing and health care, adding that Americans were clamoring for a true third-party candidate on the ballot.

“How much do people want the same candidates that have been rammed down our throat for so long?” she said. “Not at all.”

Vance blamed Biden for Trump assassination attempt, White House declines comment

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre declined direct comment when asked about Vance being quick to blame Biden for the attempt on Trump’s life.

“I’m not going to politicize this moment. We’re not going to politicize this moment. It is wrong to politicize this moment,” Jean-Pierre said Monday at her daily White Houe press briefing.

She repeated what Biden said about lowering the temperature and uniting the country when he addressed the nation on Sunday night.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell booed at RNC

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell faced a flurry of boos Monday at the Republican National Convention when he stood on behalf of Kentucky to send the state’s delegates to Donald Trump.

McConnell, a onetime critic who blamed the then-president for “disgraceful” acts in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, made a remarkable turnaround in March when he endorsed Trump as the GOP nominee. The two men came face-to-face last month when Trump visited Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill where they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.

Biden’s campaign chair says Vance ‘will do what Mike Pence wouldn’t on January 6’

President Joe Biden’s campaign chair responded to Vance’s selection as Trump’s running mate by saying Vance “will do what Mike Pence wouldn’t on January 6: bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law and no matter the harm to the American people.”

Jen O’Malley Dillon said the campaign would spend “every single day making the case between the two starkly contrasting visions Americans will choose between at the ballot box this November."

Vance has challenged the legitimacy of criminal prosecutions and civil verdicts against Trump and questions the results of the 2020 election.

He told ABC News in February that, if he had been vice president on Jan. 6, 2021, he would have told states where Trump disputed Biden wins “that we needed to have multiple slates of electors, and I think the U.S. Congress should have fought over it from there.”

“That is the legitimate way to deal with an election that a lot of folks, including me, think had a lot of problems in 2020,” he said.

Vance officially nominated at RNC

Ohio Lt. Gov. Jon Husted put forward Sen. JD Vance as the vice presidential nominee at the Republican National Convention hours after Trump’s announcement.

“JD is a living embodiment of the American dream,” Husted said. “He came from humble beginnings.”

The crowd chanted in response, “JD! JD!”

Video below: Who is JD Vance? What we know about Donald Trump's VP pick

Bernie Moreno, the Republican candidate for a U.S. Senate seat in Ohio, seconded the motion for the convention to nominate Vance.

He was officially nominated by voice vote.

Trump receives enough delegate votes to become official GOP nominee

Donald Trump became the official Republican presidential nominee after receiving enough votes from delegates at the Republican National Convention.

Trump has been the presumptive nominee for months. But it was the vote of RNC delegates in Milwaukee that made it official Monday afternoon.

Trump hit the necessary threshold with votes from his home state of Florida.

Trump picks Vance for VP

Donald Trump selected Sen. JD Vance of Ohio as his Republican running mate. Vance swept to national prominence with his bestselling memoir, “Hillbilly Elegy.”

Vance was a vocal opponent of Trump during the 2016 presidential election but changed his position, arguing he was proved wrong by Trump’s performance in office.

Vance was rewarded for his turnaround during his bid for an open Senate seat in 2022, during which he landed Trump’s coveted endorsement.

Vance is now a Trump loyalist who challenges the legitimacy of criminal prosecutions and civil verdicts against him and questions the results of the 2020 election.

List of Day 1 speakers

  • Musical performance by Chris Janson
  • Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green (GA-14)
  • Lt. Gov. Mark Robinson (NC)
  • Rep. Wesley Hunt (TX-38)
  • Rep. John James (MI-10)
  • Sara Workman, supporter
  • Sen. Katie Britt (AL)
  • Sen. Tim Scott (SC)
  • Gov. Glenn Youngkin (VA)
  • Bob Unanue, CEO of Goya Foods
  • Gov. Kristi Noem (SD)
  • Robert "Bobby" Bartels, supporter
  • Rep. Byron Donalds (FL-19)
  • David Sacks, Former CEO of Yammer
  • Vanessa Faura, supporter
  • Charlie Kirk, CEO of Turning Point USA
  • Sen. Marsha Blackburn (TN)
  • Mark Laws, supporter
  • Benjamin Josephs, supporter
  • Amber Rose, mother & entrepreneur
  • Linda Fornos, supporter
  • Sean O'Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters