After Trump shooting, the Republican National Convention goes on: What to watch

The Republican National Convention, held Monday through Thursday, marks the culmination of the former president’s takeover of the party.

The Republican National Convention in Milwaukee will go on as scheduled, despite an assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump that will likely be one of the most consequential moments of the 2024 campaign.

This convention will be unlike any other. The intense security focus and bipartisan calls to tone down divisive political rhetoric hang over what was just days ago slated to be a made-for-TV political spectacle to energize Trump’s Make America Great Again base.

The Republican National Convention, held Monday through Thursday, marks the culmination of the former president’s takeover of the party. Viewers will also get an answer to the question swirling for months: Trump will unveil his vice presidential pick during the convention, heightening the suspense of a closely held decision he has teased for weeks.

Here’s everything you need to know about the week:

How do you watch the RNC?

Major TV networks including CBS, ABC, NBC, PBS and Fox News will broadcast portions of the convention with live commentary.

The official proceedings can also be streamed throughout the day on multiple platforms, including the RNC’s YouTube channel, X, Facebook Live, Rumble, Amazon Prime, Twitch and Direct TV, according to an RNC spokesperson.

What will RNC security be like?

Security in Milwaukee will be extremely tight in the heart of downtown with major roads closed and many blocks inaccessible to anyone without credentials.

The U.S. Secret Service and local officials said they had been working on how to secure the convention for 18 months, and their plan won’t change even after the assassination attempt of the former president two days before the convention. The RNC is designated as a “National Special Security Event,” giving it extra resources and personnel to protect against threats.

Who will be there?

Prominent Republicans in Congress, state governors and high-ranking party officials will roam the floor of the main site, Fiserv Forum, and surrounding venues, and celebrities like model and rapper Amber Rose might pop up.

Calls for party unity also prompted Trump to personally invite his primary rival Nikki Haley to the convention, according to people familiar with his efforts. She is slated to speak on Tuesday, another person familiar with the matter said.

Other speakers include Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, House Republican Conference Chair Elise Stefanik, oil magnate Harold Hamm, venture capitalist David Sacks and former UK Prime Minister Liz Truss. Organizers have also offered speaking slots to a crew of “everyday Americans” made up of schoolteachers, activists and business owners.

What’s on the Republican National Convention schedule?

Members will meet daily to conduct official business, and party leaders will also finalize the party’s platform and priorities for 2024, including items on the economy, crime and national security.

Expect prime-time speeches every night ending at 10 p.m. local time, except on Thursday, when Trump’s speech accepting the nomination could wrap up at 10:30 p.m. Wednesday’s events will culminate with a keynote address from Trump’s running mate.

What will Trump say in his speech?

Trump said in an interview with the Washington Examiner that he rewrote his speech after the assassination attempt to call for unity instead of focusing on Presiden Joe Biden and his policies.

“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” he said in the interview. “Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.”

What’s the latest on Trump’s vice presidential pick?

Trump has flirted with his announcement of a running mate for months, calling it “a highly sophisticated version of The Apprentice” in a recent radio interview. The announcement will likely happen by Wednesday, when the running mate traditionally speaks at the RNC.

The main contenders include Florida Senator Marco Rubio, Ohio Senator JD Vance, South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, all of whom he has praised publicly. The campaign has already booked a plane for the soon-to-be running mate and planned fundraisers promising the person’s attendance.

How is Trump putting his stamp on the convention?

While Trump’s 2016 and 2020 conventions were waylaid by a delegate fight and the Covid pandemic respectively, this week is the defining moment for the convicted felon who has tightened his control over the party.

Immediately after eliminating his primary rivals, Trump installed his senior adviser Chris LaCivita, his daughter-in-law Lara Trump and ally Michael Whatley to lead the RNC. He also sought to prevent intra-party fighting by injecting himself into the process of writing and editing the party’s platform to complement his campaign agenda, with his trademark all-caps style shining through.

What do the polls say about Trump and Biden?

Biden is trailing Trump with voters across swing states, according to a recent Bloomberg News/Morning Consult poll, although he was able to narrow that gap despite his disastrous debate performance, that has led members of his own party to call for him to step aside.

An ABC News/Washington Post/Ipsos poll conducted July 5-9 found them tied among registered voters, and an NPR/PBS/Marist survey on July 9-10 had the two about even.

Biden has also fallen behind in the money race to Trump, who announced a second-quarter fundraising haul of $331 million and $285 million cash on hand to Biden’s $240 million on hand.