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.

ByMeredith Deliso, Tal Axelrod, Chris Boccia, and Alexandra Hutzler
Last Updated: July 15, 2024, 9:55 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.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing:
Jul 15, 2024, 9:55 PM EDT

'I love this guy': Charlie Kirk gets a warm welcome

Many in the arena stood up to cheer on Charlie Kirk -- the CEO of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics at schools and universities -- as he walked onto the stage.

"I love this guy," one woman said.

Kirk opened up with a joke about his outreach work to young voters, telling the audience he's gone to college campuses so they don't have to -- which received a hearty laugh from attendees.

-ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler

CEO of Turning Point USA Charlie Kirk speaks on stage on the first day of the Republican National Convention on July 15, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images
Jul 15, 2024, 9:38 PM EDT

Conga lines break out at the RNC

On the left side of the stage, near where delegates from New York and Tennessee are stationed, a conga line has broken out.

Many participants are waving "Trump" signs in the air.

-ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler

People hold signs with the theme of the evening session on the first day of the Republican National Convention, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee.
Joe Raedle/Getty Images
Jul 15, 2024, 9:21 PM EDT

Trump expected to make RNC appearance tonight

Trump is expected to make an appearance at the Republican National Convention Monday night, multiple sources told ABC News. He is not expected to speak.

A large motorcade recently left the hotel where Trump is staying and appears to be heading in the direction of the venue.

-ABC News' Rachel Scott, John Santucci, Katherine Faulders and Kelsey Walsh

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.