The Republican national convention begins on Monday in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, with Donald Trump expected to be officially nominated as the Republican party’s candidate for president during the four-day event.
It marks a key point in the election calendar. The closely watched convention is a chance for Trump and Republicans to lay out their vision for the US, less than four months from November’s presidential election.
Trump’s yet-to-be-announced vice-presidential candidate will also speak at the convention, making the case to voters for a second Trump presidency.
What’s the point of all this?
Officially, the main reason is for Republican party delegates to anoint Donald Trump as their party’s candidate for president.
But the convention is much more than that. It’s a chance to rally supporters, to bring in donations, to get television airtime, and also a chance for Republicans to just have a good time.
The convention starts on Monday and runs until Thursday night, which is when Trump is expected to take the stage, accept the nomination, and speak to the crowd and TV cameras.
Where is the convention being held?
At Fiserv Forum, in downtown Milwaukee. The sprawling arena, home to the Milwaukee Bucks NBA team, opened in 2018. According to Fiserv Forum’s own website, the building is “designed to reflect the heritage, history and personality of Milwaukee”.
Fiserv was due to host the 2020 Democratic convention, but Covid-19 meant that event was drastically downsized and moved elsewhere. It’s no coincidence that both parties have sought to hold their flagship events here in recent years: Wisconsin is an important swing state that Biden won by just 20,000 votes four years ago, and it is expected to play a key role in November.
How does nominating Trump work?
About 2,500 delegates from 50 states and territories will cast their vote. Each state has a certain number of delegates based on its population, and Trump and his opponents won delegates through the Republican primaries. Trump needed 1,215 delegates to win, which he already has, but his nomination isn’t official until the delegates cast their vote at the convention.
Who will be at the convention?
About 50,000 people are expected to attend the convention across the four days. That includes the delegates, but also other supporters, elected officials and members of the media.
Lara Trump, the ex-president’s daughter-in-law, has said “unlikely people” will speak at the convention, including celebrities. Given Trump has few celebrity backers – he has Kid Rock, Dennis Quaid and Dean Cain, a former actor who played Superman in the 1990s TV series Lois and Clark – it will be interesting to see who Lara Trump is talking about.
We do know that Donald Trump Jr, who has become a popular figure among the far right, will speak on Wednesday night. Trump’s oldest son is scheduled to introduce Trump’s vice-presidential candidate. Ron DeSantis, who became embroiled in a bitter war against Trump after he ran against him for the nomination, will speak, as will Kristi Noem, the South Dakota governor and one-time rising star who faced criticism after she wrote about shooting dead her family dog.
Nikki Haley, who also challenged Trump for the nomination, has not been invited to attend.
How can I follow it?
The Guardian will have live coverage every day, as well as pieces on key issues and performances. C-Span, the non-profit political broadcast service, will broadcast live, and live feeds are also expected to be available on YouTube, Facebook and Twitter. News channels will cover plenty of the events too.
When should I tune in?
Donald Trump will give his address on Thursday night. His son Donald Trump Jr will speak on Wednesday night. Trump’s oldest son is scheduled to introduce Trump’s vice-presidential candidate – that will probably be the first chance to hear them speak to a wide audience.
Apart from nominating Trump, what else happens?
Each day has a theme based on the ‘Make America great again’ slogan. Monday is “Make America wealthy once again”, Tuesday is “Make America safe once again”, Wednesday’s theme is about making America strong and Thursday’s comes full circle: Make America great once again”.
There will be various speakers each day on the convention floor, and there are events elsewhere in Milwaukee. According to the convention calendar the European Union is holding a “Europe night” at the city’s Harley-Davidson museum, while the Heritage Foundation – which is behind Project 2025 – is hosting a “policy fest” on Monday. There are also film screenings, pro-gun workshops and plenty of drinks events.
Can we expect any protests?
Yes. There is a March on the convention organized for Monday, with about 100 activist groups expected to participate. Organizers say they aim to support immigrants’ rights and LGBTQ+ freedoms, and draw attention to the overturning of Roe v Wade. According to Wisconsin public radio that up to 5,000 people could take part in the march.
Source: US Politics - theguardian.com
