RNC Day One: Top takeaways from the kick off of the Republican National Convention

MILWAUKEE — The mood was jubilant at the Fiserv Forum Monday to officially nominate former President Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention just days after a failed assassination attempt.

Monday’s night theme was “Make America Wealthy Once Again” but much of the focus of the night was on Trump’s announcement of his vice presidential decision Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and excitement over Trump appearing in the arena.

Speaker after speaker championed the former president as they denigrated President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris. But it was Trump entering the building that electrified the crowd Monday night.

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Trump makes a triumphant appearance at the convention

The crowd immediately erupted into cheers when a video clip of Trump appearing inside the arena was shown. Moments later as Trump appeared at the convention, he threw up a triumphant fist and shook hands with several allies, children, and Vance in the Make America Great Again section box. Trump still had the bandage covering over his right ear that was wounded on Saturday.

This was Trump’s first public appearance since the assassination attempt on Saturday and was a powerful moment during the convention. The crowd gave him a standing ovation and started chanting “USA! USA! USA!” and later “We want Trump! We Want Trump!” The former president did not address the crowd, but his speech will come later this week after he was officially nominated on Monday. He did spend the rest of the night clapping and smiling as speakers took to the stage and praised him.

In a video message that aired before he appeared onstage, Trump urged attendees to vote early to “swamp” Democrats so they “can’t win.” The former president implored the crowd that early voting would help “evict” Biden and help to ensure reelection in November.

Trump’s running mate is finally announced

Vance was selected as Trump’s running mate midafternoon on Monday ending the long-awaited suspense over which finalist would become Trump’s second in command and beating out other contenders including Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC), Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), Gov. Doug Burgum (R-ND), Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL), and Rep. Elise Stefanik (R-NY).

“After lengthy deliberation and thought, and considering the tremendous talents of many others, I have decided that the person best suited to assume the position of Vice President of the United States is Senator J.D. Vance of the Great State of Ohio,” Trump wrote on Truth Social on Monday.

Before joining Trump’s ticket Vance was best known for writing Hillbilly Elegy before winning the Ohio Senate seat. But after joining the ticket Vance has rocketed up the ladder in GOP politics.

“I just think he is a good choice. He’s an original thinker,” Vivek Ramaswamy said of Vance. “I think Trump-Vance is probably the most formidable presidential ticket that I’ve seen in my lifetime.”

Vice President Kamala Harris called Vance soon after the announcement to congratulate him but the pair did not speak. The vice president left a message for Vance, according to a source familiar.

Delegates on the convention floor repeatedly broke out in chants of “J.D.! J.D.!J.D.!” as he was officially nominated.

Trump’s classified documents case is dismissed

Trump scored a major victory outright on the first full day of the convention when U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon threw out special counsel Jack Smith’s case against the former president over his handling of the classified documents.

This was another major legal victory for Trump after the Supreme Court previously ruled he had some immunity from prosecution and it comes on the heels of Biden’s disastrous presidential debate in late June.

Many Republican delegates celebrated the nullification of the classified documents case in interviews with the Washington Examiner. “Well, it’s the right thing,” said Richard Porter, a delegate from Illinois. “The idea … that you can have someone appointed by the Justice Department as opposed to the president and approved by the Senate to bring a case against a U.S. citizen. I mean talk about the deep state. That’s not how it works.”

“It’s a trial that never should have been because President Trump had the authority as a former president to be able to make sure that those documents were available to him,” said Donald William Johnson, another Illinois delegate. “The whole thing is trumped up charges. And I use that I use that tongue in cheek, and it should have been dismissed.”

Traditional conventions make a comeback

After an eight-year hiatus, traditional in-person conventions came roaring back in 2024. The last in-person convention occurred in 2016 the first presidential cycle that Trump ran in. But the COVID-19 pandemic upended both the Republican and Democratic national conventions with both groups forced to hold mostly virtual events in 2020.

But four years later, jubilant Republicans gathered in Milwaukee excited to hear national and local GOP lawmakers speak before Trump appeared onstage. A festive air filled the Fiserv Forum with attendees dressed in Americana outfits or in head-to-toe Trump ornaments. As the convention continued Monday night the crowd continued to chant “Trump! Trump! Trump!”

“It’s only Day One. Look how much fun it is now. We have three more days to go,” said Art Wittich, a Montana delegate.

Cami Mondeaux contributed to this report.