The Republican National Convention kicks off on Monday, just two days after former President Donald Trump, the GOP’s standard-bearer, survived an assassination attempt. The Saturday shooting at Trump’s rally in western Pennsylvania, where one spectator was killed and two more critically injured, and the former president visibly bloodied after a bullet grazed his ear, has altered the tone and raised the stakes of the convention. Despite the incident, U.S. Secret Service and other officials announced on the eve of the convention that there are no plans to expand the security perimeter and that there are no known threats.
Republican National Committee chair Michael Whatley said in an interview on “Fox News Sunday” that the arena is set, security is in place, and they feel very comfortable working with the Secret Service. Whatley emphasized the importance of ensuring safety for the 50,000 delegates, alternates, guests, and members of the media who will be attending the convention.
Trump, in a social media post on Sunday, initially considered delaying his trip to the convention following the shooting, but ultimately decided against it, stating that he wouldn’t allow a “potential assassin” to alter his plans. The former president arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin’s largest city, a couple of hours later.
At the four-day confab, Trump will formally become the Republican Party’s presidential nominee. All eyes will be on the former president as Trump is extremely likely to announce his running mate during the convention. The first order of business on Monday will be the official nomination of Trump during a roll call of the states during the afternoon session. Trump is scheduled to accept the nomination and deliver his address to the convention on Thursday night.
The gathering, expected to attract roughly 50,000 attendees, will maintain its original programming despite Saturday’s shooting, and speakers were asked not to alter their speeches. Republicans aim to use the convention as a venue to reunite the party and energize delegates and activists ahead of the final stretch of the campaign in Trump’s 2024 election rematch with President Biden.
As part of the push for unity, Trump’s final rival in this year’s GOP presidential nomination race, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, will address the convention on Tuesday. Haley, who served as U.N. ambassador in the Trump administration and engaged in a bitter two-candidate battle with Trump from late January through early March before ending her White House bid, wasn’t originally invited to the convention.
A new slimmed-down Republican Party platform, which won quick and overwhelming initial approval last week, is expected to be passed during the opening session. The platform, which softens longstanding Republican Party language in support of a federal ban on abortion, has been praised by a number of top social conservative leaders, although not all evangelicals are happy with the new document. Its expected passage is the latest sign of Trump’s expanding ideological grip over the GOP.
