It’s the final day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee – and Donald Trump’s first public speech since surviving an assassination attempt. The former president will address Republicans in Fiserv Forum and voters across the country when he formally accepts the Republican Party’s nomination Thursday night.
The hours and days immediately after the shooting focused on one message: unity. This week’s RNC has followed suit with appeals to a united GOP and a new platform designed to entice even centrist persuasions. We’ve heard from lifelong Democrats and former “Never Trumpers” all with a singular focus: Reelect Trump.
Trump is not known for his unifying personality. But has this near-death experience changed him? As pundits speak of a subdued Trump, his social media shows us more of the same. Which Trump will we see tonight – and what will he say? USA TODAY Opinion columnists bring you live commentary and analysis, alongside on-the-ground coverage as the 2024 RNC comes to a close.
Trump speech calls for unity.So GOP is now cool with wokeness and drag queens, right?
Trump acceptance speech reveals same angry, ramblin’ man
Former President Donald Trump tried to present himself as a reformed man Thursday night as he accepted the Republican Party’s presidential nomination, and it was all going fine for a bit, but then he started going off the teleprompter.
Soon he was babbling about how great he is, hollering about “Crazy Nancy Pelosi” and digressing in ways that made me wonder if the speech would be over before the weekend.
The teleprompter kept him sounding reasonable, but once he started to drift, it was like paranoid jazz, a free-form flow of grievances and boasts.
Trump said of the 2020 election that he lost, “We had that horrible, horrible result that we’ll never let happen again, the election result, we’re never going to let that happen again.”
He returned to the teleprompter, but it was clear that the true Trump – aggrieved and angry – was back.
— Rex Huppke
Trump RNC speech needs to deliver message of unity
MILWAUKEE — Nikki Haley showed the country what unity can look like when the former ambassador to the United Nations and South Carolina governor addressed the Republican National Convention.
Now, it’s Donald Trump’s turn. He will formally accept his party’s nomination Thursday evening, the final day of the convention. Will he be the sharp-tongued fighter we’ve seen so often in the past eight years? Or will he tone down his rhetoric?
The GOP and the country need to hear a message of unity from Trump. By unity, I don’t mean a bland agenda that all political parties would agree to. You can still have strong beliefs and promote them in a civil way.
Trump has seldom done that. But this is his chance to set a different tone.
I’ve spoken to several people who know Trump or have worked closely with him, and they all say Trump seems to have been very moved by his near-death experience. He needs to show the country how it has affected him. Read the full column here.
— Ingrid Jacques
RNC adds Hulk Hogan to the growing list of washed-up celebrities excited about Trump
To make sure voters know the MAGA Republican Party is both unserious about governing and in no way toning down its message, Hulk Hogan spoke at the Republican National Convention in a prime-time slot Thursday night.
When last we saw Hogan, he was being fired by the WWE in 2015 after audio of him launching into a wildly racist rant was leaked. Picking “disgraced wrestler who used the N-word a lot” as a lead-in to GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump’s speech was certainly a choice.
Hogan did all the wrestling-talk and tough-guy mumbo jumbo that pretend wrestlers do, and he kept calling the people in the convention hall the “real Americans,” which is kind of offensive to us apparently non-real Americans.
“All the real Americans are going to be nicknamed Trumpites,” Hogan growled, adding that if the former president is elected there will be “Trumpites” running wild.
That sounds more like a threat than a promise. And it showed, for the umpteenth time this convention, that Trump has turned the Republican Party into a carnival of washed-up weirdos.
— Rex Huppke
Republicans keep asking if we’re better than we were four years ago. The answer is layered, but Trump still isn’t the answer.
A particular moment that stood out Wednesday was when University of North Carolina fraternity brothers were recognized at the RNC. They went viral earlier this year for holding up the U.S. flag at a pro-Palestinian protest in April. When it happened, it was weird to see my alma mater in the headlines again. I graduated in 2019 and had only a few months before COVID-19 changed our country.
But it reminded me that Republicans at the convention keep asking whether we’re better off now than we were four years ago. That question is ridiculous, considering that four years ago, we were in the midst of Black Lives Matter protests and the height of coronavirus precautions. I can’t say we’re better off when COVID-19 is still a thing and a war is happening overseas, but it definitely wouldn’t be better under Trump.
— Sara Pequeño
Alina Habba continues RNC trend of mythologizing Trump
Alina Habba, one of Donald Trump’s many, many, many attorneys, took to the stage Thursday at the Republican National Convention and brought up the recent assassination attempt on the former president.
“President Trump did not just take a bullet in Butler, Pennsylvania,” she said. “He has and will continue to take them for each and every one of us.”
Let’s parse that suggestion a bit. First, the shooting at Trump’s recent rally that left him with a wounded ear was horrific, a true national tragedy.
But as of right now, we still have no idea whether Trump actually took a bullet. The doctors who treated him have said nothing, and his campaign has provided no medical report or information about the wound. Nothing.
Trump said he got hit by a bullet, but Trump says a lot of things. He was clearly injured, and I can’t imagine the emotional toll of surviving such an attack. But if he were hit by a bullet, I suspect his campaign would be eager to get that medical report out to the public.
Until we see that, Trump’s lackeys will continue to mythologize what happened.
— Rex Huppke
Tucker Carlson spoke at the RNC as if he still matters
A strange man spoke at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, someone I did not recognize and felt was wildly unimportant.
I was told by a chyron on the television that his name is “Tucker Carlson.” Apparently, he used to host a show on Fox News but was fired for sharing offensive racial views, among other things.
I don’t recall this Carlson fellow and certainly haven’t heard anything of substance out of him, ever.
Nonetheless, there he was, in a prime-time slot at the RNC, saying a bunch of stuff that sounded dumb with the kind of grin you’d expect from someone who’s about to club you over the head and stuff you in their basement freezer.
He spoke about the recent assassination attempt on GOP presidential nominee Donald Trump, claiming, as many at the RNC have, that a great power saved the former president. (This conveniently overlooks the fact that the great power would have to also decide to not let one person at the Saturday rally get killed.)
“I think it was divine intervention,” the strange nobody said. “The effect it had on Donald Trump, he was no longer just a political party’s nominee or a former president or a future president, this was the leader of a nation.”
Following this speech, Carlson walked off stage and, I assume, returned to obscurity.
— Rex Huppke
Fact-checking Trump: Expect to hear these 5 lies in RNC speech
Let’s begin with a prediction: Former President Donald Trump is likely to tell many lies at the Republican National Convention before it ends Thursday.
Will Trump lean into the truth now, with his new national “unity” messaging, after surviving an assassination attempt Saturday? Seems unlikely. But we can hope.
Trump lies so often and so blatantly that it’s easy to be bewildered in the whirlwind of prevarication. But he does become predictable if you listen to him long enough and understand the circumstances and context swirling around his remarks.
I met Trump as a failing casino operator in 2005 and then started covering him as a presidential candidate in 2015. With two decades of experience, I’ve narrowed the field to the five most likely lies Trump will tell this week ‒ if he returns to what he considers a normal way of politicking ‒ and why he feels the need to tell them. Read the full column here.
Trump arrives at RNC ahead of acceptance speech
Former President Donald Trump arrived at Fiserv Forum for the final night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
— Ingrid Jacques
What I want Donald Trump to say in his RNC speech
While his past casts doubt on this strategy, Donald Trump would be wise to take a unity approach to his speech.
After the attempt on his life last weekend, Trump is in a unique position to call for tensions to cool in America. Our political leaders on both sides of the aisle would be wise to rally behind a concentrated effort to stop political violence in this country.
Despite his divisive and inflammatory past, Trump is the leader of the Republican Party, and showing strength while not seeking retribution against opponents is the best path forward to prevent escalations of violence.
Portraying the shooting as an indication of the sickness in America is the proper approach. I hope Trump takes the time to attempt to heal the country Thursday night in whatever little way he can.
— Dace Potas
Has Trump changed? Michigan congresswoman says she senses difference in GOP nominee.
MILWAUKEE — I caught up with Michigan Congresswoman Lisa McClain on Thursday afternoon to talk about her thoughts on the Republican National Convention and what she expects from Donald Trump’s speech Thursday night.
McClain’s district includes parts of Oakland and Macomb counties, both extremely important to winning the battleground state come November.
What will Trump say?At RNC, former president has chance to set new course for his party.
McClain was invited to sit in Trump’s box in the Fiserv Forum on Tuesday and Wednesday, so she’s seen the former president up close.
I asked her about whether he’s different after his near-assassination on Saturday in Pennsylvania.
“You know, I sense a change,” McClain said. “I can’t imagine what it would be like to have someone try and kill me, let alone almost succeed at that. I mean, think about that for a second. So I think it was a very surreal, very grounding experience for him.
“I think he’s more grounded on the issues, way more grounded on the issues.”
McClain said she thinks that will come through in his acceptance speech Thursday.
“We’ll see with his speech tonight, but I really believe he is toning down and he’s toned down. His actions match his words. Again, some people may not agree with them, but he’s not going to tell you he’s going to go right and then go left.”
— Ingrid Jacques
Will Trump take ownership of Project 2025?
I’ve been interested in seeing how Project 2025, a 922-page document outlining plans for a second Trump presidency, and the RNC have been discussed. In spite of Trump’s claim that he had “nothing to do with” the Heritage Foundation brainchild, don’t be surprised to see sprinkles of the document’s message in his speech tonight. CNN reports that at least 140 people who worked within his administration participated in its creation.
And if that isn’t enough to convince you Trump is lying, the Heritage Foundation is also a sponsor of this week’s convention.
— Sara Pequeño
Where are Ivanka and Melania?
MILWAUKEE — Noticeably absent from the Republican National Convention this week have been former President Donald Trump’s wife, Melania, and his daughter Ivanka.
Especially after Trump’s near-assassination Saturday, their absence seemed even more pronounced on Monday night, when Trump made his first appearance at the convention.
Melania Trump has never seemed to like the spotlight, and after the turmoil from her husband’s hush money trial (which ended with Trump as a convicted felon), it’s hard to blame her for wanting her privacy.
Yet, it’s noteworthy she decided not to accompany him after he was nearly killed last weekend.
Even more surprising is Ivanka Trump’s lack of involvement. She, along with her husband, Jared Kushner, served as senior advisers during Trump’s presidency, and she has played a pivotal role at prior conventions.
I was at the 2016 convention in Cleveland, and Ivanka was everywhere at that event. And I thought her introduction of her father before his acceptance speech was one of the highlights of the week.
Both Melania and Ivanka are expected to attend Thursday, as Trump accepts his party’s nomination, but they are not scheduled to speak.
Party unity has been a focus this week, so it seems strange not to see a display of unity from Trump’s family.
What does Trump’s version of unity look like?
While Democrats are busy kneecapping themselves and fighting over who should be their presidential nominee, Donald Trump is expected to accept the Republican nomination Thursday night and promote “unity.”
Unity is an interesting term coming from one of the most divisive political figures in U.S. history. Does it apply only to the Americans he hasn’t referred to as “vermin”?
Is Trump’s kind of unity found in the frightening “MASS DEPORTATION NOW!” signs that were handed out Wednesday at the Republican National Convention?
My guess is the kind of unity Trump finds acceptable is when his fans at the convention wear bandages on their ears, an homage to the injury he suffered in a recent assassination attempt. An injury, by the way, that he has released no medical information about.
Because Trump does what he wants and expects everyone else to faithfully follow along.
You know … unity. Read the full column here.
As Republicans rally around Trump, Democrats are still trying to ditch Biden
Republicans face an unprecedented dilemma after they turn out the lights on their national convention and head out from Milwaukee on Friday: Who will be at the top of the Democratic ticket when early voting starts in a mere two months?
The heavy push from Democratic leaders for President Joe Biden to take early political retirement seemed to have eased after the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump on Saturday and the opening of the Republican National Convention on Monday.
But the heat was turned up again – and to an even higher degree – on Wednesday with news that California Rep. Adam Schiff, a key Democratic House member and the party’s candidate for a Senate seat in November, had called for Biden to step aside.
The Washington Post reported Thursday that Biden’s old boss, former President Barack Obama, told the current president that his path to reelection has narrowed significantly. Not exactly the words of encouragement you would normally expect less than four months from Election Day.
Reports also indicate that Hollywood insider and Biden campaign co-chair Jeffrey Katzenberg told the president on Wednesday that major campaign donations are drying up.
In politics, as in much of life, it’s always smart to follow the money. Biden has only dug in deeper after nearly three weeks of persistent calls from inside the Democratic house to drop out. But he soon may be unable to afford putting off what seems to be an increasingly inevitable decision.
What do young Republicans think about Trump during the RNC? I asked one.
I spoke recently with Peter Giunta, 30, the chairman of the New York State Young Republicans and an alternate delegate for the Republican National Convention. I wanted to know what young Republicans are thinking heading into the convention. Giunta mentioned the economy, crime and safety, and foreign affairs as issues that “actual Americans,” including young Americans, are focused on.
“I think the party’s new platform really speaks to the direction of the party moving forward, and what it is that I personally am looking for, and a lot of young people are looking for,” Giunta told me. “Truthfully, this is a platform that makes the party competitive again in places like New York.”
I also asked him about the VP selection, which he said in a text is “proof of President Trump’s commitment to ensuring a stronger and safer future for our nation.”
I think his comments, particularly the one about making the party more competitive in a blue state like New York, really speaks to the enthusiasm young Republicans feel about Trump and the future of the party.
From JD Vance to Amber Rose, 2024 RNC shows off a new GOP
The GOP seems to be morphing before our eyes because of a combination of events, including President Joe Biden’s incompetence, Trump’s influence on the party and the failed assassination attempt.
The convention has been a cacophony of professionals, misfits and patriots − not unlike the GOP itself. The real eye-catchers causing a stir are the “outsiders.” People who either used to be Democrats or who embrace a message the GOP wants to send.
A self-described lifelong Jewish Democrat, Shabbos Kestenbaum, spoke Wednesday night at the convention. On Monday, rapper Amber Rose spoke to delegates inside the convention hall in Milwaukee.
Conservatism is attractive, even if not all Republicans are as conservative as some in the party would like. Rose may not be a small-government, lower-taxes, America-first Republican, but the fact she no longer identifies with the Democratic Party is a starting point, one that many voters who have been outside traditional GOP circles can identify with.
Vance’s populist appeal, coupled with Trump’s, sends a strong message to independent voters and even moderate Democrats: This isn’t the Republican Party of the past. Read the full column here.
Conservatives should be disappointed with what we’re seeing so far at the RNC
The 2024 RNC is a profound disappointment to conservative principles. As a friend of mine put it, “If you told me that union bosses, porn stars, and Russian apologists would speak at the RNC. I would’ve guessed you were insane.”
However, this is the reality we are living in. The Republicans have traded in attempts to appeal to pro-lifers, conservatives with hawkish foreign policy, and free market economists for a full embrace of right-wing populism.
This year’s RNC is about one thing: Making it clear anyone is welcome in the modern GOP, except so-called neocons.
The RNC is a victory lap for the Trump crowd, further fueled by the sharp rally behind the man who was shot at just days ago. As a young conservative, it saddens me that the RNC is seemingly drifting away from conservative values.
