Highlights from the 2024 Republican National Convention
Milwaukee, Wisconsin - This week, the Republican Party held its National Convention, where voters, delegates, and politicians gathered to officially nominate Donald Trump as the party's presidential candidate.
![The Republican National Convention took place this week, where the Republican Party officially nominated Donald Trump as their presidential candidate.](https://media.tag24.de/951x634/4/x/4x7ytq6ucqdrg9ou9q7nhzg69fjpvd65.jpg)
The four-day event was held at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee from July 15 to 18.
Trump has spent the past few years revamping the Republican Party in his MAGA image, and the convention was the ultimate culmination of his effort.
The event boasted a long list of Trump's biggest allies as guest speakers, many of whom took the stage to endlessly sing his praises while pushing narratives surrounding the biggest issues that the party faces ahead of the general elections.
The event also came in the wake of what could have been a truly tragic incident. Two days before the convention began, a gunman opened fire during Trump's campaign rally in Pennsylvania, wounding him and two others and killing one bystander.
Hours after the incident, Trump issued a statement where he promised that he would still attend the convention, despite the very recent attempt to take his life.
For those of you who weren't able to make it out to Milwaukee or don't have the time to follow everything that happened in the jam-packed festivities, TAG24 News has you covered with these convention highlights!
Day 1: All hail the king!
![Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump being welcomed to the floor during the first night of the Republican National Convention on Monday.](https://media.tag24.de/951x634/o/s/oskrcrinzbtlv5u37zwp4zh8lxwgzg1w.jpg)
When Monday finally came, Trump surprised the party shortly before the event by announcing on his Truth Social platform that he had officially chosen Ohio Senator JD Vance to be his running mate.
The convention kicked off with a roll call, where thousands of delegates from every US state, region, and territory, took a moment to each announce their nomination of Trump for the third consecutive presidential election.
Then, a handful of MAGA Republicans each took the stage to show their adoration for Trump, including Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who has become well known for profusely expressing adoration for Trump, described the former president as "an American lion [that] got back up on his feet and he roared!"
The night ended with Trump making his grand entrance, donning a large bandage over the gunshot wound on his right ear. The crowd erupted in cheers and enthusiastic chants of "Fight! Fight! Fight!"
Day 2: The Republican Party unites
![Politicians Vivek Ramaswamy (l.), Ron DeSantis (c.), and Nikki Haley (r.) gave speeches endorsing Donald Trump during day 2 of the convention on Tuesday.](https://media.tag24.de/951x634/9/e/9epen2la62jbtm6u25p2yc2krls6n9gn.jpg)
The festivities continued on the RNC's second day, which started with a few bizarre incidents.
Former New York City Mayor and Trump confidant Rudy Giuliani was caught on video losing his balance and falling into an empty row of chairs. Fortunately, he wasn't hurt.
Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz was caught on video trolling and taunting his nemesis, former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy, but scurried off after an unidentified man told him, "Shut up, Gaetz. Don't be an a**hole."
But day 2 went on to be a strong one for the party, as more of Trump's allies took the stage, some pushing the importance of unity in the wake of the assassination attempt.
No other moments exemplified this message stronger than when Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, former South Carolina Governor Nikki Haley, and businessman Vivek Ramaswamy – who all ran against Trump in the Republican primaries – gave gushing speeches endorsing him.
Amid calls to lower the temperature of the heated political rhetoric, House Speaker Mike Johnson also gave a speech, telling the crowd, "We're not just uniting as Republicans, we're uniting today as Americans in the wake of the assassination attempt on the life of President Trump."
Day 3: The praise continues
![Donald Trump's recently appointed running mate, JD Vance, speaking at day 3 of the convention on Wednesday.](https://media.tag24.de/951x634/9/1/91z8gqi954m83tqi7e9df2rp518v52ym.jpg)
By day 3 of the convention, things certainly hadn't slowed down.
Colorado Congresswoman Lauren Boebert gave an interview, where she revealed what position she would love to fill if Trump asked her to join his administration.
"President Trump, I would like to be secretary of the Interior," she boldly stated with a giggle. Unfortunately, the big guy wasn't around to hear her pitch.
Trump's eldest son, Don Jr., took the stage to share some fiery sentiments in support of his father. He even brought up his daughter, Kai Trump, who gave a pre-written speech that attempted to paint her grandfather as a loving family man.
But day 3 belonged to JD Vance, who gave two separate speeches, both of which were his first public engagements as Trump's new running mate.
Earlier in the day, Vance gave an impromptu speech on the sidelines of the convention, recounting the details of the Trump rally shooting, and the strength the former president displayed that day.
Later that night during his formal address to the convention, Vance offered his account of growing up poor in Ohio, a place he described as having been "cast aside and forgotten by America's ruling class in Washington."
Vance, who was once a staunch Trump critic, said the former president now represents "a new path" for the country.
"Even in his most perilous moment we were on his mind," he said. "His instinct was for us, for our country, to call us to something higher, to something greater."
Day 4: The grand finale
![Donald Trump joined by his wife Melania Trump shortly after his speech during day 4 of the convention on Thursday.](https://media.tag24.de/951x634/c/3/c3lr4pqd6p1xdutnqr0axeaxtj4u09c9.jpg)
Day 4 was the convention's big finale, and the party made sure to go out with a bang.
Music artist Kid Rock gave a performance that can only be described as "memorable," and former wrestling star Hulk Hogan gave a speech, dubbing Trump "my hero" before tearing off his shirt in his classic Hulk move.
Eventually, the guest of honor took the stage to deliver his first major speech following the assassination attempt.
Trump took the stage to chants of "USA" and "Fight! Fight! Fight!" from the MAGA crowd, which has spent the week talking of him in near-divine terms.
The former president began by saying he "shouldn't be here," adding that he is allowed to "only by the grace of Almighty God."
He shared the story of the shooting and asked for a moment of silence to honor firefighter Corey Comperatore, who was killed that day. Before a hushed crowd, he kissed the slain firefighter's helmet on the stage.
While it was believed that Trump would give a less abrasive speech with an emphasis on unifying the country, the rest of his address reverted to his familiar painting of America as an apocalyptic ruin that needs saving.
Promising to complete a wall on the US-Mexico border, he said an "invasion" of immigrants had brought "destruction" and "misery" to a "nation in decline."
He vowed to end President Joe Biden's massive spending on fighting climate change, calling it a "scam."
He again made his false claim that Democrats cheated in his defeat to Biden in the 2020 election. And, despite aides promising that Trump would not even say Biden's name in the speech, Trump did refer to his opponent and "the damage" he has done.
As Trump concluded his speech, his wife Melania – who has been mostly absent throughout the campaign – made a surprise appearance and joined him on the stage.
The two shared a small kiss as Trump officially became the party's candidate.
Cover photo: IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire