Former President Donald Trump was cheered and congratulated as he arrived at the Republican National Convention. Milwaukee It was his first public appearance since the assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania on Monday.
The former president had a bandage on his right ear but otherwise appeared in good health.
As the former president entered the arena, the crowd erupted in cheers and chants, repeatedly shouting “Fight! Fight! Fight!” as the former president waved to the crowd.
Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. President Donald Trump greeted Republican vice presidential candidate J.D. Vance during the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 15, 2024.
Andrew Kelly | Reuters
Seated in the VIP box next to Trump were several of his closest aides, including his newly-picked running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio, conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson, Rep. Byron Donald of Florida, House Speaker Mike Johnson, Republican of Louisiana, and Silicon Valley venture capitalist David Sachs.
The family was not accompanied by former first lady Melania Trump and Ivanka Trump, Trump’s daughter and former White House adviser, and both women have been conspicuously absent from campaign activities this election cycle.
Trump officially secured the 1,215 delegates needed to become the Republican presidential nominee early Monday.
The convention kicked off just two days after an attempted assassination attempt on President Trump at a rally on Saturday that left one person dead and two seriously injured. The suspect, Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was shot and killed shortly after the shots were fired.
Former President Donald Trump attends the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
The Republican National Convention schedule is expected to remain largely unchanged, but the assassination attempt has heightened the emotional energy of a convention already expected to be fuelled by Trump enthusiasm.
The first day of the convention will feature a host of speakers, including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, rapper Amber Rose, Sachs and former vice presidential candidates such as South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem.
Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks during Day 1 of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA, July 15, 2024.
Mike Seeger | Reuters
In the final speech of the night, Teamsters union President Sean O’Brien, the first Teamsters member to speak at the Republican convention, said he knew his attendance would be a controversial move.
“Anti-union groups have called the president to rescind the invitation. The left has called me a traitor,” O’Brien said. “I don’t care about the criticism.”
Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, speaks during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at Fiserv Forum on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Andrew Caballero Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images
More than 80 Trump aides, major donors and other lawmakers are scheduled to speak at this week’s convention, which the city of Milwaukee is expecting to draw about 50,000 people.
A full list of Monday night’s main speakers is available here.
- Amber Rose
- David Sachs
- Charlie Kirk (Founder, Turning Point USA)
- Bob Unanu (CEO of Goya Foods)
- Sean O’Brien (President of the International Teamsters Union)
- North Carolina Lieutenant Governor Mark Robinson
- Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson
- Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene
- Texas Congressman Wesley Hunt
- Michigan Congressman John James
- Alabama Senator Katie Britt
- South Carolina Senator Tim Scott
- Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin
- South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
- Florida Congressman Byron Donald
- Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn
- Sarah Workman
- Vanessa Fora
- Mark Rose
- Benjamin Joseph
- Linda Fornos
