Donald Trump solidifies his grip on the Republican Party during this week's 2024 convention, having overcome an assassination attempt and numerous legal challenges en route to securing the party's presidential nomination. Over the four-day convention starting Monday, the ex-president will reveal his vice-presidential pick, with Ohio US Senator J.D. Vance, Florida US Senator Marco Rubio, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum among the top contenders, all set to address the convention.
The event in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, aims to officially nominate Trump, but it takes place against a backdrop of heightened tension in US history leading up to the November 5 rematch between President Joe Biden, 81, and Trump, 78. Will party leaders attempt to calm Republican tempers, or will they seize the moment to accuse Democrats of vilifying Trump and making him a target for political violence? Trump expressed to the Washington Examiner, "This is an opportunity to unite the entire country, even the world. The speech will be significantly different from what it might have been two days ago."
Biden, in a televised address from the White House on Sunday, emphasized, "There is no place in America for this kind of violence, for any violence ever. Period. No exceptions. We cannot allow this violence to become normalized." He added, "The political rhetoric in this country has become very heated. It's time to cool it down." According to most opinion polls, including Reuters/Ipsos, Trump and Biden are in a tight race. The recent shooting incident has dramatically shifted the focus of the presidential campaign, which was previously centered on whether Biden should withdraw following a lackluster performance in the June 27 debate.
House Speaker Mike Johnson, the highest-ranking elected Republican, urged all Americans to moderate their rhetoric on NBC's Today show, accusing Biden's campaign of launching exaggerated attacks on Trump. "Everyone needs to tone down the rhetoric," he stated. Biden condemned the assassination attempt and ordered an investigation into the shooting at a rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, where Trump's ear was grazed by a bullet, resulting in one supporter's death and two others wounded, before Secret Service agents shot the 20-year-old suspect dead.
The Biden campaign did not respond to allegations from some Republicans that his previous comments contributed to the shooting's conditions. Trump has often used violent rhetoric in his campaign speeches, labeling his adversaries as "vermin" and "fascists," and accusing Biden without evidence of conspiring to overthrow the United States through illegal immigration. For Trump, the convention is a crucial test. Having strengthened his control over the party, he may use this prime-time platform to deliver a unifying message or depict a nation besieged by a corrupt leftist elite, as he has occasionally done on the campaign trail.
Republican strategist Nachama Soloveichik, who worked on Nikki Haley's unsuccessful 2024 presidential campaign, noted, "Trump's convention speech will be his introduction to the general public, to those not closely following politics. I believe he will have even more attention on him due to the assassination attempt." She suggested the message should promote de-escalation and remind people that America is better than the violence displayed.
In an internal memo to campaign staff obtained by Reuters, co-campaign managers Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles announced additional security measures following the assassination attempt and urged staff to avoid using "dangerous rhetoric." They wrote, "We condemn all forms of violence and will not tolerate dangerous rhetoric on social media." Trump started the year facing multiple legal issues, including four separate criminal prosecutions. He was convicted in late May for attempting to conceal hush money payments to a porn star, while the other three prosecutions, including two related to his efforts to overturn his loss, have been stalled by various factors, including a Supreme Court ruling that partially shielded him from prosecution.
Trump claims, without evidence, that all four prosecutions were orchestrated by Biden to prevent his return to power. The convention will feature a lineup of prominent Republicans, ranging from moderates to supporters of the January 6, 2021, Capitol attack and hard-right figures who endorse conspiracy theories and are divisive within the party. The event's first three days are structured around broad themes: economic issues on Monday, public safety on Tuesday, and national security on Wednesday. Republicans aim to portray America as more prosperous, safer, and less vulnerable to foreign threats during Trump's 2017-2021 term compared to Biden's presidency, though the reality is mixed and challenging to compare due to the differing impacts of the coronavirus pandemic on both presidencies.
Milwaukee, being the largest city in Wisconsin, a key swing state, will play a significant role in the November 5 election. By Sunday afternoon, security measures around Fiserv Forum, the main convention venue, had largely closed down the city's downtown. Thousands of armed law enforcement officers patrolled the streets, which were mostly deserted except for delegates arriving from across the country.
