Party Convention Scheduled for 15-18 as Planned
Haley to Speak a Day Before Opening
Supporters and GOP Rally Closely After Trump Shooting
'Trump Momentum' Expected to Solidify
The U.S. Republican Party will hold its convention as scheduled from the 15th in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, despite the shooting incident involving former President Donald Trump. Nikki Haley, former U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations (UN) and Trump’s rival during the Republican primary, will also take the stage as a speaker a day before the convention to support Trump. The shooting incident has strongly united not only Trump’s supporters but also the Republican Party itself, leading to expectations that the convention will solidify the 'Trump dominance' narrative.
On the afternoon of the 14th, just one day after former U.S. President Donald Trump was injured in a 'campaign rally shooting,' he arrived in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where the Republican convention is being held. Trump’s son, Eric, announced on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter) that his father landed in Milwaukee on his private plane.
Earlier, Trump posted on his social media platform Truth Social, "I will depart for Milwaukee at 3:30 PM as originally planned," adding, "I considered postponing my Wisconsin visit and the Republican convention schedule by two days due to the terrible incident the day before, but neither the shooter nor any assassination suspect can force me to change my schedule or anything else."
Trump and the Republican Party will hold the convention as planned from the 15th to the 18th at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. Nikki Haley, who was Trump’s last rival during the Republican primary, will speak a day before the convention opens. Until last week, she had not been invited to the convention. However, following the shooting incident, the Republican Party has shown a united front, which is seen as a move to strongly consolidate its support base. Haley may also have judged that cooperating with Trump, the party’s central figure, would be advantageous for her future political career.
At this event, which serves as the launch of the presidential campaign, Trump will be officially nominated as the Republican presidential candidate. His running mate, the vice-presidential candidate, will also be announced. On the third day of the convention, the 17th, the vice-presidential candidate will deliver an acceptance speech, and on the final day, the 18th, Trump will give his acceptance speech as the presidential candidate, presenting the policy vision for a potential second Trump administration.
From the outset, Trump planned to solidify his dominance at the convention, especially following his decisive victory in last month’s presidential TV debate. Holding the convention in Wisconsin is part of a strategy to gain early momentum in a battleground state that could determine the outcome of the presidential election. Analysts suggest that the shooting incident has further rallied Trump’s supporters, tipping the scales of the election in his favor.
On the afternoon of the 13th, around 6:10 PM, during an outdoor rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, an assassin’s bullet grazed Trump’s right ear, causing injury. The shooter was immediately killed. Despite being surrounded by security and evacuated, Trump showed resilience and strength by repeatedly clenching his fist in front of a waving American flag overhead. He shouted, "Let’s fight," and supporters cheered "USA." This image contrasted sharply with President Joe Biden, who is facing calls to resign amid concerns about his age and cognitive abilities, leading some to view Trump as a heroic figure.
In this context, it is expected that Trump will send a message emphasizing unity at the convention. On the same day, he wrote on Truth Social, "At this moment, we must unite and show our true American spirit," adding, "It is more important than ever to act strongly and decisively to prevent evil from prevailing." Melania Trump also strongly condemned the perpetrator as a "monster" and emphasized a message of "unity." She stated, "The monster who saw my husband as an inhuman political machine tried to silence Trump’s passion," and stressed, "American politics is merely a means to pull our community together. We must unite again."
The Republican convention, held as originally planned, will feature numerous speakers, including Trump’s potential running mates and celebrities. Senator Marco Rubio, Senator J.D. Vance, and North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, all mentioned as possible vice-presidential candidates, are on the speaker list. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, who ran in the presidential primary but withdrew, will also speak. Other speakers include far-right commentator Tucker Carlson, rapper Amber Rose, country singer Lee Greenwood, and UFC CEO Dana White.
The convention’s daily themes are as follows: on the 15th, "Making America Prosperous Again" (Economy); on the 16th, "Making America Safe Again" (Immigration and Crime); on the 17th, "Making America Strong Again" (Foreign Policy and Security); and on the 18th, "Making America Great Again" (Overall Governance).
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