The Republican National Convention kicks off in Milwaukee on Monday, with former President Trump set to formally accept the party’s nomination, just days after an assassination attempt shocked the nation.
Trump has pledged to attend the Wisconsin state convention despite the incident at a rally in Pennsylvania that is being investigated by the FBI as a possible act of domestic terrorism.
Thousands of Republicans are expected to descend on the city, a Democratic stronghold in a battleground state that could be decisive in November. The week is packed with appearances and events from other key Republican figures, including House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-Louisiana) and Gov. Ron DeSantis (R-Florida). It will be the first full party convention since the 2020 convention was held largely online because of the coronavirus pandemic.
But Saturday’s violence has cast a pall over the event, with observers watching to see how it will affect what is traditionally a celebratory occasion.
Here’s what you should see:
What has President Trump said in response to the shooting?
Whatever Trump says on Thursday, the grand finale of the convention, will be historic because it comes just days after he was nearly killed by a bullet.
The assassination attempt has riveted Republicans to Trump, who remains a dividing line within the party, and the image of a bloodied Trump raising his fist at the crowd and telling them to “fight” has already become a defining moment in the campaign.
Trump will almost certainly use the opportunity not only to drive his message but also to capitalize on the new energy in the Republican Party.
The former president has portrayed himself as a fighter to his supporters throughout his political career, and his inaugural address is likely to have a similar tone.
But Trump could also use the opportunity to send a message of unity to the nation. Shortly after the murder attempt, Trump released a statement on Truth Social calling on Americans to come together. It remains to be seen whether Trump’s words will convey the same message.
What’s the atmosphere like?
The convention is typically a celebratory event where delegates give their party’s official endorsement to the main candidate, but the celebrations have already been tainted by the shooting in Pennsylvania.
The party is, of course, going to go on, and Trump himself has made it clear he wants the event to go ahead as planned.
Still, the shooting has reignited concerns about security at the tournament, but the Secret Service said Sunday it “anticipates no changes to the operational security plan” for the event and remains “confident” in existing procedures. The FBI also There are no known threats heading into this week.
Even if security measures continue as planned, there is likely to be at least some increased tensions at a high-profile event where security is already tight.
Who will Trump pick as his vice president?
In the months leading up to the convention, there was a lot of attention on who the former president’s “vice presidential candidate” would be, with Senator J.D. Vance of Ohio, Governor Doug Burgum of North Dakota and Senator Marco Rubio of Florida all emerging as front-runners.
The vice presidential nominees are scheduled to speak Wednesday night, and their debuts are still expected to be one of the most highly-anticipated moments of the convention.
All of the candidates took to social media to support the former president, praising Trump and holding him accountable for the assassination attempt.
“God has protected President Trump,” Rubio, who ran against Trump in 2016, said in the X post. A photo of Trump at a rally.
Burgum, who faced off against Trump in the primary election,Praised Trump is ‘stronger than his enemies’
Vance, a former Trump critic, Sharpen your fingers Former Rep. Adam Kinzinger (R-Ill.) denounced the Biden campaign’s “rhetoric” and said the posts should disqualify him from being Trump’s vice president. Authorities have identified the shooter, who voter records show was registered as a Republican, but a motive has not been officially determined.
President Trump has long hinted at the suspense surrounding his preferred running mate, suggesting he may make an announcement just before the convention. For now, it looks like a big announcement will come after the convention officially begins, but with the shootings dominating headlines, it remains to be seen how much of an impact it will have.
Will Biden’s chaos be put on the back burner?
While Republicans are gathering in Milwaukee, Democrats are dealing with internal turmoil in their party, with some calling for Biden to resign following his disastrous performance in a debate late last month.
But even as calls for the party to choose a new candidate are slowly growing among Democrats, the rally shootings have dominated headlines, dwindling attention to the issue and putting it on hold, at least for now.
While Democrats divided and Biden remained committed to running, Trump was uncharacteristically silent, leaving him and his allies to bask in the chaos that engulfed his rival.
Trump mocked Biden’s debate performance but urged him to continue the campaign and predicted the incumbent won’t back down. Presidential candidates often make at least some reference to the opposing party or candidate in their convention speeches, even when they focus primarily on their own vision.
It will give Trump an opportunity to speak more directly to a national audience about the confusion surrounding Biden and make clear how he sees his chances of winning, at the very least, in a rematch against the current president.
But it’s unclear how much Trump and other Republicans will tackle their opponents’ challenges in light of the shootings.
The Biden campaign suspended campaign activities following the shooting but plans to resume them on Monday night.
Any other surprises?
Major party conventions are typically among the most meticulously planned events in politics, with moment-to-moment schedules including speeches and delegate nomination votes.
But the convention will be broadcast live on television, and Saturday’s events are a reminder that the 2024 campaign is unprecedented — anything can happen.
The most common and expected disruption may be protests, the most infamous of which was the 1968 Democratic National Convention in Chicago, which saw clashes between police and protesters and riots.
There is speculation that protests may occur at next month’s Democratic National Convention over Israel and other issues, but protests are also possible at the Republican National Convention. Many voters remain dissatisfied with Trump and want a different candidate. Even after Trump won the nomination, many voters expressed their dissatisfaction by casting protest votes against him.
At least one protest was reported to have brought together a broad range of progressive groups. Planned on monday.
Speakers may also go off script, as actor Clint Eastwood did so memorably. talked During the 2012 Republican National Convention, he sat in a chair as if then-President Obama was sitting there.
And because the attendees are typically the party’s most staunch supporters, they may have an opportunity to manipulate the crowd to galvanize enthusiasm — something that Trump may have a greater chance of doing than anyone else, given the events of the past few days.
