Ex-President Donald Trump is poised to attend a major Republican event this week days after being injured and surviving an assassination attempt.
Trump has for months enjoyed standing as the presumptive 2024 GOP nominee for president, but he won’t be made official until the Republican National Convention.
‘President Trump looks forward to joining you all in Milwaukee as we proceed with our convention to nominate him to serve as the 47th president of the United States,’ stated Trump campaign senior advisors Susie Wiles and Chris LaCivita, laying to rest questions around Trump’s attendance after a shooter wounded him in the upper right ear on Saturday.
‘As our party’s nominee, President Trump will continue to share his vision to “Make America Great Again.”’
Trump himself wrote on Truth Social on Sunday: ‘I truly love our Country, and love you all, and look forward to speaking to our Great Nation this week from Wisconsin.’
The RNC is a political convention held every four years for party delegates to select their nominees for president and vice president.
This year, the GOP has 2,429 delegates representing states and territories nationwide and they will vote for the nominees. A nominee for president needs to win 1,215 delegates.
The RNC is poised to present more than just Trump as the GOP nominee – though that will be the culmination of the four-day event.
In addition, the party will finalize its platform and heavyweights and celebrities will fire up the base, with more than 50,000 in attendance. Like the GOP, the Democratic Party will hold its own four-day national convention, but not until next month.
The RNC will unfold from July 15 to 18 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, which is a crucial battleground state that Trump won in 2016 but lost narrowly to President Joe Biden in 2020.
While the main venue will be the Fiserv Forum, there will also be events at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Panther Arena and the Baird Center.
RNC leaders Lara Trump and Michael Whatley called Milwaukee ‘ground-zero on the road back to the White House’.
Numerous Republican leaders, celebrities and several of Trump’s own family members are slated to speak.
His eldest sons Donald Trump Jr and Eric Trump are prepared to speak, as well as Eric’s wife and RNC co-chair Lara Trump, and Trump Jr’s fiancé and former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle.
Celebrity speakers include UFC CEO Dana White, rapper and model Amber Rose and TV personality Savannah Chrisley.
Former first lady Melania Trump and Trump’s eldest daughter Ivanka Trump, who have largely been absent this election cycle, were set to attend but not speak.
Each day of the RNC will have its own theme centered around Trump’s Make America Great Again slogan.
Monday’s theme is Make America Wealthy Again, Tuesday’s is Make America Safe Again, Wednesday’s is Make America Strong Again and Thursday’s is Make America Great Once Again.
The theme for the welcoming party on Sunday was Red, White and Brew, as Milwaukee is the city that made beer famous.
Breweries and pubs across the city are being used as meeting places for the RNC.
The main event of the RNC is when delegates vote on the party nominee.
Trump is expected to formally accept the Republican Party’s nomination on the last day of the convention, on Thursday.
The nominee traditionally gives an acceptance speech.
Trump is reportedly set to reveal his vice presidential running mate, who will likely be there to accept the designation.
Trump’s pick for vice president has generated much speculation.
The shortlist reportedly includes North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, Ohio Senator JD Vance and Florida Senator Marco Rubio.
Trump’s pick is expected to also address the convention.
The Republican National Committee will stream convention events online.
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