In the wake of the assassination attempt on presidential candidate Donald Trump this past Saturday, the Republican National Convention is underway. Taking place in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, the main event on the agenda for the convention’s first day is officially nominating Donald Trump as the Republican presidential candidate.
Monday afternoon, Trump was nominated in a roll call vote in which delegates from each state were pledged to Trump. His son, Donald Trump, Jr. announced Florida’s 125 delegates for Trump, pushing Trump past the 1,215 delegate threshold to officially gain the GOP presidential nomination.
During the roll call vote, Trump announced on the social media platform, Truth Social, that he had selected Senator JD Vance as his running mate. Vance is a first-term senator from Ohio. He has previously served in the Marine Corps and is best known for writing his best-selling memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, which describes his experience growing up in rural poverty and being raised on Appalachian values. He once was a strong critic of Trump. In 2016, he stated he was a “never Trump guy” and referred to Trump as “America’s Hitler.” But he has since changed his stance, becoming a supporter of Trump after gaining Trump’s endorsement in 2021 for the Ohio senate seat. JD Vance appeared on the convention floor a couple of hours after the vice presidential announcement, greeting supporters and taking photos before being officially nominated as the Republican vice presidential candidate.
Key Speakers:
Marjorie Taylor Green, Representative from Georgia
Green began her speech by condemning the assassination attempt on Trump and offering prayers and support to Corey Comperatore, who lost his life during the assassination attempt at the rally in Pennsylvania. She then moved to reiterate her stance on immigration, criticizing “open borders” and blaming “illegal aliens” for a poor economy and loss of American jobs. She also criticized the aid to Ukraine, claiming that American’s tax dollars would be better used funding a border wall before ending her speech by reiterating her support for Trump, stating “Trump is the president America deserves.”
Wesley Hunt, Representative from Texas
Hunt criticized the economy and rising inflation rates under Biden. He claimed that under Trump. families had “more money in their pockets” and were living through the “greatest economy” before ending his speech with the message: “Trump will make America great again.”
John James, Representative from Michigan
“If you don’t vote for Trump, you aren’t black.” James began his speech praising his time at West Point and service in the army, calling his life story the “American Dream” story before attacking Joe Biden and the Democrats, stating that they have “given up on the American Dream” and instead intend to use American tax dollars to fund “their woke agenda and the Green New Deal.” He then praised Trump for securing the borders and fostering a strong economy, claiming that under Trump families will be able to go from poverty to riches in “one generation.”
Katie Britt, Senator from Alabama
Britt attributed the rising price of groceries, gas, electricity, mortgage rates, and rent to the failings of the Biden administration. She stated that Trump will instead deliver “strong borders” and “strong families and communities.” Her speech reiterated the republican message of American exceptionalism and promised Trump would bring “limitless opportunities” by fixing the current state of the economy.
Tim Scott, Senator from South Carolina
Scott criticized Biden’s ability to perform his presidential duties, claiming Biden is “asleep at the wheel” and that “America deserves better.” He then stated, “America is not a racist country,” praising conservative values for fostering unity while claiming democratic cities incite racial poverty. He stated that tax cuts granted by Trump will provide opportunities for growth and praised Trump’s ability and commitment to securing the border. The crowd then broke out in a chant for “four more years” after Scott declared that the Republican party was the party of “Fredrick Douglas, Abraham Lincoln, Ronald Regan, and Donald Trump.”
Glenn Youngkin, Governor of Virginia
“Joe must go!” Youngkin addressed the increases in mortgage rates, gas and grocery prices, and inflation which he claimed the Biden/Harris campaign was responsible for. He praised Trump’s position as an “outside businessman” and commended Trump’s tax cuts, “slashing of red tape,” and credited Trump with creating new jobs within Virginia. He reiterated the Trump campaign’s message of “high growth and low taxes” will “lift up all Americans.”
Kristi Noem, Governor of South Dakota
Noem first compared the Trump presidency to the Biden presidency, stating that Trump allowed her to “do her job” under COVID. She praised Trump for allowing her to run her state without federal oversight in comparison to Biden. Noem portrayed Trump as a fighter, calling the impeachments, current charges against him, and the assassination attempt as mere obstacles Trump has fought to overcome. She then cites Lincoln’s Gettysburg address, calling for a unity of people amongst great division as she urged her fellow Republicans to win the “hearts and minds” of the people.
Byron Donalds, Representative of Florida
Donalds first targeted public school education systems, stating that parents should be able to choose what was being taught in their child’s schools and that under Trump “all America’s children” will get the chance to choose which schools they wish to go to. He then claimed that the Biden/Haris administration enabled rising inflation rates under Biden’s “American Rescue Plan,” ignoring Donalds’ warning about the plan. He then urged that the people must come together under Trump in order for the economy to “boom again” and to “make America wealthy again.”
Charlie Kirk, Turning Point Action Founder
“The American Dream has become a luxury item for the wealthy and elite.” Speaking to the Millennials and Generation Z, Kirk blames Biden for the younger generations’ inability to “purchase a house” or “start a family.” He claims that under Trump’s economic platform, the American dream will become within reach again.
Marsha Blackburn, Senator of Tennessee
Blackburn claims that when Biden first entered office, “gas was $2.49 a gallon” and today “gas is $3.54,” arguing that “Bidenomics” has caused the rising gas prices and will only continue to raise taxes. In opposition, she claims Trump created “the largest tax cuts in history” and when reelected will make those tax cuts “permanent.” She also claimed that Biden and Harris hired “85,000 IRS agents” to “harass” small businesses, but Trump will fire those workers. She vows that Trump will return the country to “economic greatness.”
Amber Rose, Model and TV Personality
“The best chance we have to give our babies a chance at a better life is to elect Donald Trump.” She once was a Democrat but after meeting with Trump and his base, she switched her support for Donald Trump, claiming that “it’s all love” and “these are [her] people” after feeling lied to by the media. She also cited rising gas and grocery prices as her main causes of concern.
After Senator Blackburn’s appearance, Trump made an appearance wearing a bandage over his ear, entering the convention to the cheers of the crowd. The crowd then began chanting “We want Trump” throughout the rest of the convention’s night.
Finally ending on the crowd’s chants of “We want Trump,” the convention was adjourned until 5 pm central time on Tuesday.
Day 1 of the RNC began with the nomination of Donald J. Trump and JD Vance and the Presidential and Vice Presidential candidates for the GOP. After the nominations were official, the convention adjourned until later that evening. Night 1 of the RNC saw a selection of Republican congresspeople and voters who spoke in support of Trump and his reelection campaign. The main points the speakers hit were criticizing the current state of the economy, rising inflation rates, and border and job security. The general consensus was that a second term of Trump would boost the economy, provide massive tax cuts, and protect Americans from illegal immigrants and the far-left agenda. Then, towards the end of the first conference day, Trump entered the convention hall and sat with his running mate until the meeting was adjourned. Trump is expected to give a speech Thursday, the last day of the RNC.
