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Talia Lakritz
- The 2024 Republican National Convention took place in Milwaukee.
- On Monday, Donald Trump made his first public appearance since surviving an assassination attempt.
- Speakers included GOP lawmakers, Trump family members, and Trump's running mate, JD Vance.
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The 2024 Republican National Convention featured a number of standout moments.
Former President Donald Trump made his first public appearance since surviving an assassination attempt at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, on Saturday. He also announced his pick for vice president, Sen. JD Vance of Ohio.
There were also memorable appearances by Hulk Hogan and West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice's 60-pound bulldog, Babydog.
Photos show some of the biggest moments from the convention.
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Security was tight at Milwaukee's Fiserv Forum as the Republican National Convention began days after Donald Trump survived an attempt on his life.
The US Secret Service is under scrutiny following the shooting at a Pennsylvania Trump rally on Saturday that killed one attendee, wounded two others, and left Trump bleeding from an injury to his ear.
Delegates were emotional as "God Bless the USA" played during the first day of the convention.
Florida delegate Rick Roth raised his fist in the air as the song played, mimicking Trump's defiant pose as the former president was rushed to safety after the shooting.
Speaker of the House Mike Johnson was whisked off stage when the teleprompter malfunctioned.
"It is now my honor to introduce the attorney general. And there goes the teleprompter," he said while he was supposed to be introducing Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird.
The band played music to fill the silence as Johnson exited the stage.
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In her speech, Trump loyalist Marjorie Taylor Greene railed against "the establishment in Washington" and "illegal aliens."
Greene began her speech by acknowledging the death of Corey Comperatore, who died while shielding his family during the Trump rally shooting, and then proceeded with her usual Trumpian talking points.
Of Biden and Democrats, Greene said, "They promised unity and delivered division. They promised peace and brought war. They promised normalcy and gave us transgender visibility day on Easter Sunday."
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Donald Trump made his first public appearance since surviving an assassination attempt.
Trump arrived at the convention with a bandage covering the ear that was struck during the shooting.
JD Vance, Trump's pick for vice president, entered the convention with his wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance.
The 39-year-old Ohio senator, a former "Never Trumper" who rose to fame as the author of the best-selling memoir "Hillbilly Elegy," would be one of the youngest vice presidents in US history if elected.
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Trump sat next to Vance, as well as Donald Trump Jr., Kimberly Guilfoyle, Eric Trump, Lara Trump, and Tiffany Trump.
Eric Trump's wife, Lara Trump, co-chairs the Republican National Committee. Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle have also remained heavily involved in Trump's 2024 campaign.
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On day two, West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice was joined onstage by Babydog, his English bulldog.
Justice said that Babydog predicted that Republicans would retain control of the House of Representatives, flip the Senate, and elect Trump and Vance to the White House.
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Nikki Haley was a last-minute addition to the roster of RNC speakers.
Greeted by cheers and some boos on the convention stage, Haley endorsed Trump while acknowledging their history as political rivals.
"You don't have to agree with Trump 100% of the time to vote for him," Haley said. "Take it from me."
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Gov. Ron DeSantis, another former Trump opponent in the 2024 race, touted Florida as a "solid Republican state."
DeSantis also criticized Biden's age and stamina, referencing reports that he struggles to function past 4 p.m.
"We need a commander in chief who can lead 24 hours a day and seven days a week," he said. "America cannot afford four more years of a 'Weekend at Bernie's' presidency."
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Lara Trump spoke about her reaction to the July 13 shooting, saying that "nothing prepares you for a moment like that."
Trump's daughter-in-law, who cochairs the Republican National Committee, spoke about shielding her children from seeing footage of the assassination attempt on TV "so that they're not witness to something that scars the memory of their grandpa for the rest of their lives."
"I have seen this man dragged through hell and back, in and out of courtrooms, indictments, impeachments, mugshots, and even an assassination attempt. And yet, he has never backed down," she said.
"There's no doubt that Saturday was one of the most frightening moments of my father-in-law's life. Millimeters separated him from life and certain death," she said. "And yet, it was in the midst of it all, as he was jostled offstage by Secret Service, that he knew how defining that moment would be for our country and he foisted his fist in the air."
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By the third day of the convention, Trump supporters began to wear bandages on their ears to mimic Trump's.
Arizona delegate Susan Ellsworth told Reuters that she and others wearing bandages on their ears were "helping President Trump set a new fashion statement" and "standing in solidarity with him for his wound"."
Kimberly Guilfoyle delivered a fiery speech.
"Ladies and gentlemen, lovers of liberty and freedom and the American dream, this is our last night to make America great again!" Guilfoyle said to conclude her speech.
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Donald Trump Jr.'s daughter, 17-year-old Kai Trump, introduced her father's address and said Trump is "just a normal grandpa."
Kai shared that Trump often sneaks his grandchildren candy and soda, asks how they're doing in school, and compares his golf scores with theirs.
"I'm speaking today to share the side of my grandpa that people don't often see," she said.
"Who's running things?" Donald Trump Jr. asked in his speech, criticizing Biden's leadership.
Trump Jr. also praised Trump's bravery in the face of an assassination attempt, describing his father as possessing "the heart of a lion."
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Usha Chilukuri Vance introduced her husband, JD Vance, ahead of his speech.
Chilukuri Vance, who met her husband when they were both students at Yale Law School, shared how Vance "approached our differences with curiosity and enthusiasm" by learning to cook Indian food for her parents and adapting to her vegetarian diet.
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Vance formally accepted the vice presidential nomination.
Vance spoke about his working-class upbringing in Ohio as detailed in "Hillbilly Elegy" and paid tribute to his mother's nearly 10 years of sobriety following years of addiction.
"You know, Mom, I was thinking. It will be 10 years officially in January of 2025 — if President Trump is OK with that, let's have the celebration in the White House," Vance said.
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Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner made their first appearance at the RNC on its fourth and final night.
When Trump announced his 2024 campaign, Ivanka Trump released a statement saying she was stepping back from politics and "choosing to prioritize my children and the private life we are creating as a family."
Professional wrestler Hulk Hogan tore off his shirt to reveal a red Trump-Vance shirt underneath.
"As an entertainer, I try to stay out of politics," Hogan said. "But after everything that's happened to our country over the past four years, and everything that happened last weekend, I can no longer stay silent."
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Eric Trump said that his father's victory in November would be the "greatest retribution" after being "persecuted" and "targeted."
"He is not a threat to our democracy," Eric Trump said of the former president. "He is a threat to those who despise our republic, many of whom are bought and sold, bribed and coerced."
Melania Trump made a rare public appearance before Trump took the stage.
The former first lady, wearing a red skirt suit, sat with Vance and members of the Trump family.
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Kid Rock pumped up the crowd before Trump's speech.
Kid Rock led the crowd in chants of "Fight! Fight!" and "Trump! Trump!" as part of an original song.
Trump walked onstage in front of a giant sign with his name in lights.
Lee Greenwood sang "God Bless the USA" as Trump made his entrance.
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Trump formally accepted the Republican nomination and paid tribute to slain firefighter Corey Comperatore.
Trump asked the crowd to observe a moment of silence in honor of Comperatore, who died while shielding his family from gunfire during the assassination attempt.
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Trump also showed the chart that he tilted his head to look at just before a gunman opened fire at his Pennsylvania rally.
The chart was titled "Illegal Immigration Into the US."
"Last time I put up that chart, I never really got to look at it," he said. "But without that chart, I would not be here today."
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After his speech, Trump's family joined him onstage.
Red, white, and blue balloons fell from the ceiling as the convention came to an end. Trump's speech lasted around one hour and 32 minutes, making it the longest convention speech in US history.
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