Summary
Donald Trump arrived at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee for his first public appearance since he survived an assassination attempt two days ago
He had a large bandage on his right ear, which was injured when an attacker opened fire at a political rally
The leading Republican candidate became the party's official nominee earlier today, after a formal counting of the delegates at the convention
The former president namedJD Vance, the senator from Ohio, to be his running mate and vice-president if he returns to the White House
Vance wasonce a Trump critic, but has since become one of the candidate's most trusted defenders on Capitol Hill and in the media
Trump also enjoyed abig legal win earlier today, after a judge in Florida threw out the classified documents case against him
Meanwhile, the fallout from Saturday's shooting continues - theUS Homeland Security secretary says the gunman should never have had a direct line of sight
A bandaged Trump walks into the Republican convention
Live Reporting
Edited by Brandon Livesay, at the convention
The headline act who didn't need to walk on stagepublished at 06:20 BST 16 July 2024
Anthony Zurcher
Reporting from the convention
Image source,ReutersThere weredozens of speakers here at the Republican convention on Monday – politicians,conservative activists and ordinary citizens. But the star of the evening neverapproached the stage or stood before a microphone.
When DonaldTrump walked into the arena during the evening’s proceedings, the buildingshook with cheers, applause and chants of support.
It was the moment theassembled convention crowd was waiting for – a chance to give the leader oftheir party a hero’s welcome just two days after his brush with an assassin’sbullet.
Theevidence of that attack was immediately visible, as the former president’sright ear was heavily – but neatly – bandaged. For the next hour, he sat inthe VIP section next to his newly chosen running mate, JD Vance, and surroundedby members of his immediate family.
Every timethe jumbo video screens showed the former president, the crowd reignited withapplause.
It will bethree days until Trump formally accepts the nomination with an address to thedelegates – and the nation. In the meantime, more Republicans will take thestage, including former rivals Nikki Haley and Ron DeSantis. Vance will deliverhis own nomination acceptance speech on Wednesday.
As thisevening made clear, however, everyone else is just warm-up acts. Trump is themain event.
We're finishing our live coverage for the day. You can read a full recap of what happenedhere.
What happened on day one of the Republican convention?published at 05:53 BST 16 July 2024
It's been another eventful day in US politics. Here's a quick refresher on some of the major points we've covered.
- Trump turned up at the first day of the Republican National Convention. It was his first public appearance since an assassination attempt on his life two days ago
- He arrived with a bandage over his wounded right ear to arapturous applause from the crowd, hours after he was formally chosen to lead the party into November's election
- Earlier on Monday, Trump announced that Ohio Senator JD Vance was his pick as running mate
- Elsewhere, the judge overseeing Trump's classified documents casethrew out the charges after deciding the special counsel leading the prosecution was illegally selected
- And US President Joe Bidendefended his rhetoric against Trump in a new interview
A pick for economic populismpublished at 04:56 BST 16 July 2024
Natalie Sherman
New York business reporterThe pick of JDVance for running mate cements the Republican Party’s turn toward economic populism under Donald Trump.
The 39-year-old first gained nationalrecognition as the author of Hillbilly Elegy, his memoir of growing up poor in a region hollowed out by globalisation.
During his 2022 senate campaign, the Yale Law School grad made hisblue-collar background a key part of his appeal to voters and he has continued to focus onsuch issues since his election - and these views have led to some unlikely collaborations.
Last year, for example, heco-sponsored a bill with arch-progressive senator Elizabeth Warren that would clawback pay for executives at failed banks. Shetold Politico last year, external that he hadbeen “terrific” to work with.
His elevation underscores the dramatic ways Trump has changed the Republican Party, when it comes to the economic policies, the nominal focus at the convention today.
The GOP platform still includes plenty of traditional priorities, like less regulation and lower taxes. But it also champions ideas that were once anathema for Republicans, like a 10% tariffs that Trump has proposed for all imports.
New Trump-Vance campaign plane unveiledpublished at 04:47 BST 16 July 2024
Image source,Jason Miller/XJust hours after Trump picked JD Vance as his running mate, a campaign plane prominently featuring both their names has been unveiled
Trump's senior advisor Jason Millershared a photo of the plane on X., external
It joins Trump's other private plane, nicknamed "Trump Force One".
Biden defiant about staying in racepublished at 03:21 BST 16 July 2024
Christal Hayes
US reporterMeanwhile, in a primetime interview President Biden tells NBC's Lester Holt he has not changed his mind about remaining in the presidential race.
He was also asked whether he had failed to lower the temperature in his own campaign rhetoric about Trump.
The biggest takeaways:
- Biden talks about his call with Trump after the assassination attempt, saying he told the former president he was "concerned" and Trump thanked Biden for calling
- Biden calls it a "mistake" to have said it's "time to put Trump in the bullseye" during a donor call days before Trump was nearly killed in Saturday's shooting
- When asked whether he heightened the temperature in rhetoric, Biden points the finger at Trump, citing his past remarks and conduct, including his claims he won the 2020 election
- Biden says while he personally does "feel safe" with his Secret Service protection, it's important that a full investigation examines whether they should "have anticipated what happened"
- Biden says he's "not surprised" about ajudge throwing out the classified documents case against Trump. He notes the Supreme Court ruling that he says made this possible
- When asked whether he's watched his performance at last month's debate, Biden says he's seen clips but laughs and notes he doesn't need to watch the full event to understand it was a poor performance. "I was there," he says with a laugh.
- Biden says he has no plans to leave the presidential race. He notes the voters who backed him and says "I listen to them". When asked who else he consults with on the campaign and his future, he says: "Me."
- Biden says he is old, but only three years older than Trump. "I understand why people say, 'God, he’s 81 years old. Whoa. What’s he gonna be when he’s 83 years old, 84 years?' It’s a legitimate question to ask."
