Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump made an unexpected appearance at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday night, in his first public appearance since being shot at onstage at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday.
Trump, with a visibly bandaged right ear, waved to the crowds and pumped his fists. He climbed to the seating box with his family and sat next to his vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance.
He listened to several of the event's speakers and then left the arena after roughly two hours, pausing as he went to wave and take pictures with some attendees. He did not give any official remarks to the crowd.
The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off Monday in Milwaukee with two major events.
Trump announced Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio as his 2024 running mate, and the GOP delegates made the former president's nomination official.
Trump is expected to accept the party's nomination for this year's presidential election on Thursday.
Speakers on Monday
Republican lawmakers and state officials gave speeches Monday night at the convention, hitting on major points of concern for voters.
"America, this is a difficult time for our nation. Inflation is crushing families. Illegal immigration is crushing American workers. Failing schools and victimhood culture are crushing our poorest kids," South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott said. "Joe Biden is asleep at the wheel."
"America, we deserve better," he said. "We deserve so much better."
"The Democrats ripped open our borders and allowed millions of illegal aliens to pour in, driving up the cost of housing and health care, while slashing American wages and eliminating jobs," Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene said.
"We will complete the mission President Trump first articulated in 2016 to make America great again," Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson said.
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin dwelt on economic pressures: families who can't afford mortgage rates, veterans who can't keep up with grocery prices, and retirees who have seen their spending power from fixed incomes drained by inflation.
"Tonight, America, the land of opportunity, just doesn't feel like that anymore. But eight years ago there was an outsider, a businessman who stepped out of his career to rebuild a great nation with the strongest economy, the mightiest military, energy independence, unlimited opportunity, lifting up every American," said Youngkin.
"Most of you probably first heard about me during COVID, didn't you?" Said South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem. "Because South Dakota was the only state in the country that stayed open for business. We didn't mandate anything. We never ordered a single business or a church to close. I never even defined what an essential business was, because I don't believe the government has the authority to tell you that your business isn't essential."
Relative outsiders also spoke, including Sean O' Brien, president of the Teamsters union, which has not endorsed either candidate or presumptive candidate in this year's presidential race.
"Working people know our system is broken," he said. "The elites are not laboring on behalf of workers. There is a political caste system that prevents citizens from accessing their representatives to hold them accountable."
"For a moment in time working people in America were seen as essential. Sadly it took a global pandemic for political and corporate elites to notice this fact," O'Brien said.
What is expected to occur over the next four days
A convention serves as a way to rally Republican support for the presidential ticket. There will also be numerous speeches throughout the week.
Each of the four days are expected to have a single theme:
Monday: Make America Wealthy Once Again
Tuesday: Make America Safe Once Again
Wednesday: Make America Strong Once Again
Thursday: Make America Great Once Again
Last week, the party released its proposed platform for the next four years, which includes mass deportations, large tax cuts, protecting Social Security and Medicare, ending diversity programs for public schools, and only allowing voting on Election Day itself.
While political conventions do serve official purposes, they have largely become four-night infomercials for the party's platform and candidates.
RELATED STORY | Secret Service: No change to RNC security plan after Trump assassination attempt
Saturday's attempted assassination of Trump is sure to be fresh on the minds of the people at the convention. A 20-year-old shot at Trump at a rally in Pennsylvania, grazing the former president in the ear. Trump supporter Corey Comperatore was killed and two others were wounded.
The Secret Service shot and killed the shooter.
