Former President Donald Trump was cheered and celebrated as he arrived at the Republican National Convention Milwaukee Monday, his first public appearance since the assassination attempt on him at his rally in Pennsylvania.
The former president wore a bandage over his right ear but otherwise appeared to be in good spirits.
As he entered the arena, the crowd erupted in cheers and chants, including repeated chants of “Fale!” as the former president waved to the audience.
Republican presidential candidate and former US President Donald Trump greets Republican vice presidential candidate JD Vance as he attends Day 1 of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, July 15, 2024.
Andrew Kelly | Reuters
In the VIP box next to Trump was his new vice presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, along with some of his close allies including conservative talk show host Tucker Carlson, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds, House Speaker Vice President Mike Johnson, R-La., and Silicon Valley venture capitalist David Sacks.
Former first lady Melania Trump and Trump’s daughter and former White House adviser Ivanka Trump were not with the rest of the family. Both women have been conspicuously absent from the campaign trail this election cycle.
Earlier Monday, Trump officially secured the 1,215 delegates needed to become the official GOP nominee for president.
The conference begins just two days after the attempted assassination of Trump at a rally on Saturday, in which one attendee was killed and two others were seriously injured. The alleged gunman, 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, was shot and killed moments after opening fire.
Former President Donald Trump appears at the RNC convention in Milwaukee.
The RNC schedule is expected to remain relatively unchanged, though the assassination attempt has supercharged the emotional energy of a convention already expected to be energized by Trump’s fanfare.
The first day of the convention featured a lineup of speakers including Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Green, rapper Amber Rose, Saks, and former presidential hopefuls like South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem .
Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA) speaks during Day 1 of the Republican National Convention (RNC), at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, US, July 15, 2024.
Mike Segar | Reuters
Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien gave the final speech of the night, noting that he was the first Teamster to ever address a Republican convention. He said he was aware his attendance was a controversial move.
“Anti-union groups asked the president to rescind his invitation. The left called me a traitor,” O’Brien said. “I don’t care to be criticized.”
International Brotherhood of Teamsters General President Sean O’Brien speaks during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, July 15, 2024.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds | AFP | Getty Images
More than 80 of Trump’s closest allies, big-ticket donors and other lawmakers are expected to speak at the convention this week. The city of Milwaukee expects about 50,000 attendees.
Here’s the full list of speakers released Monday night.
- Amber Rose
- David Sachs
- Charlie Kirk (Founder, Turning Point USA)
- Bob Unanue (CEO, Goya Foods)
- Sean O’Brien (President of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters)
- North Carolina Lt. Mark Robinson
- Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson
- Georgia Congresswoman Marjorie Taylor Greene
- Texas Representative Wesley Hunt
- Michigan Representative John James
- Alabama Senator Katie Britt
- South Carolina Senator Tim Scott
- Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin
- South Dakota Governor Kristi Noem
- Florida Representative Byron Donalds
- Tennessee Senator Marsha Blackburn
- Sarah Workman
- Vanessa Faura
- Mark Laws
- Benjamin Joseph
- Linda Fornos
