RNC 2024 Day 1 updates: Bandaged and emotional, Trump makes RNC appearance

Chants of "we love Trump" could be heard as he entered the RNC.

Last Updated: July 15, 2024, 11:02 PM EDT

The first day of the Republican National Convention has wrapped up in Milwaukee -- marked with an appearance by former President Donald Trump just two days he was wounded in an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday evening.

Despite the shooting, the gathering of more than 50,000 attendees, including an expected 2,400 Republican delegates, is slated to maintain its original programming as a time to bring the party together -- but now newly energized by Trump's amazing survival and raised-fist show of defiance.

One of the most anticipated moments of Trump's campaign happened Monday when Trump named 39-year-old Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate.

Jul 15, 2024, 9:18 PM EDT

Tepid response to Noem

North Dakota Governor Kristi Noem speaks during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., July 15, 2024.
Angela Weiss/AFP via Getty Images

Unlike the crowd's roar for recent speakers, the response to South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been more muted -- though she's still garnering applause for hitting Republican talking points on COVID and the economy.

ABC News' digital team can see more people leaving their seats and walking on the convention floor as Noem speaks. That's compared to the attention devoted to South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

Noem has garnered the biggest response when talking about Trump and the attempted assassination attempt, as the crowd erupted in a chant of, "Fight, fight, fight."
-ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler

The crowd erupted in a chant of "Fight, fight, fight" as Noem talked about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.
The crowd erupted in a chant of "Fight, fight, fight" as Noem talked about the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump.

Jul 15, 2024, 9:08 PM EDT

Sen. Johnson tells PBS teleprompter loaded wrong speech

Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson claimed that the speech he gave onstage Monday at the convention was the wrong one -- and that it was because the teleprompter had an old speech.

During his speech, Johnson had said that the Democrats' policies "are a clear and present danger to America, to our institutions, our values and our people."

When asked by PBS NewsHour about those remarks -- as Trump calls for national unity in the wake of his assassination attempt -- Johnson said he was talking about Democrats' policies and said, "I'll also give you an inside scoop -- that speech was written last week; they literally loaded the wrong speech."

Sen. Ron Johnson, R-WI, speaks during the Republican National Convention, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Julia Nikhinson/AP

"I had taken that out, OK. Instead, I loaded -- about that we needed a somber moment in history. We should heed President Trump's call, to unite, to be strong, to be determined. We must heal and unify this nation," he said. "I didn't know how to get that in without screwing up the teleprompter. I was not happy with that."

Johnson said he stands by saying that the Democrats' policies are "destroying this country."

"But we also have to try and unify and heal this nation," he said. "I didn’t attack any individual, I was talking about their policies."

A spokesperson for Johnson told ABC News that the wrong speech was loaded, and it was an old copy.

The speech was supposed to start with Johnson saying: "We meet at a somber moment in history. We should all heed President Trump's call for unity, strength and determination."

-ABC News' Jacob Steinberg, Oren Oppenheim and Brittany Shepherd

Jul 15, 2024, 9:05 PM EDT

Youngkin says Trump will win Virginia in '24 and bring 'rip-roaring economy'

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, who was elected in the swing state that has chosen Democrats for the White House in each of the last four presidential cycles, backed former President Trump with a speech that hemmed closest to economic issues.

He painted an image of America pained with economic challenges, including the "silent thief of inflation unleashed by Joe Biden and Kamala Harris."

Under Trump, he said, the "outsider businessman" brought the "strongest economy, the mightiest military, energy independence and unlimited opportunity."

"That businessman was Donald J. Trump and he will do it again!" Youngkin said.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., July 15, 2024.
Patrick T. Fallon/AFP via Getty Images

After 12 years under Democratic control, "a Republican outside businessman" captured the governorship of Virginia in 2019, he said, drawing a parallel between himself and Trump.

Youngkin's 2019 win came on the heels of Republican losses in the 2018 midterms.

"And I believe Virginia will elect another Republican outside businessman as president of the United States," Youngkin said.

Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin speaks during Day 1 of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wis., July 15, 2024.
Mike Segar/Reuters

He pumped his fist in declaring that a "rip-roaring economy that lifts up all Americans" would arrive with Trump.

"The spirit of hope is spreading... will sweep across this nation when we elect Donald J. Trump the 47th president of the United States," the governor said, punctuating his prime-time speech.

Jul 15, 2024, 9:14 PM EDT

Sen. Tim Scott electrifies crowd in rousing speech

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, a challenger-turned-supporter of Trump and an early vice-presidential hopeful, delivered a rousing speech that began by addressing the assassination attempt on Trump.

"Listen, if you didn't believe in miracles before Saturday, you better be believing right now," he said.

"The devil came to Pennsylvania holding a rifle. But an American lion got back up on his feet and he roared," Scott continued, in a speech that electrified the crowd. "Oh yeah, he roared!"

Sen. Tim Scott (R-SC) speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Scott then pivoted to talking about it being a "difficult time for our nation" and targeting the Biden administration.

"Inflation is crushing families. Illegal immigration is crushing American workers," he said. "Failing schools and victimhood culture are crushing our poorest kids. And the weakness of the commander in chief has invited world wars all around our world -- Joe Biden -- is asleep at the wheel and we're heading over a cliff."

South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott began his Republican National Convention speech by addressing the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott began his Republican National Convention speech by addressing the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

At one point, Scott drew emphatic applause when he said that "America is not a racist country."

"No we're not," he said, prompting one person near an ABC News Digital reporter in the crowd to shout out, "Amen."

He then went on to say, "But if you are looking for racism today, you'd find it in cities run by Democrats," pointing specifically to Chicago.

"Poor Black kids trapped in failing schools. Thousands shot every single year, including one of my former interns," he said. "But there's good news. It's conservative values that restores hope. It's Republican policies that lifts people up."