RNC 2024 Day 3 updates: JD Vance touts working class roots in debut as VP nominee

The theme at the RNC on Wednesday is "Make America Strong Once Again."

ByMeredith Deliso, Ivan Pereira, Chris Boccia, Alexandra Hutzler, and Tal Axelrod
Last Updated: July 17, 2024, 11:38 PM EDT

Day three of the Republican National Convention centered around vice presidential candidate JD Vance as he introduced himself to Republicans as Trump's running mate.

The day was held under the theme of "Make America Strong Once Again."

Former President Donald Trump made an appearance at the convention hall to watch his running mate make his national debut. Other notable speakers included Trump's son and granddaughter and several Gold Star families who expressed their support for the former president.

Despite calls for unity, several speakers spent time bashing President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and the Democrats on several issues including immigration, crime and Israel.

Latest headlines:

Here's how the news is developing:
Jul 17, 2024, 9:43 PM EDT

'I got lucky,' Trump tells supporters of shooting in PBS-obtained clip

In a video of Trump's appearance during the screening of the movie "Trump's Rescue Mission: Saving America" on Wednesday that was obtained by PBS News, the former president touched on the effects of his assassination attempt.

"I got lucky, God was with me," he said in the clip.

"That was an amazing, horrible thing," Trump said. "Amazing thing, and in many ways it changes your attitude, your viewpoint towards life. And honestly I think you appreciate God even more."

Trump said it "wasn't like it was a complete miss."

"It was pretty terrible that that can happen," he said.

At the beginning of the clip, Trump said, "this has been our best campaign and then I got shot. ... How does that happen?" as the crowd cheered, "Fight! Fight! Fight!"

-ABC News' Lalee Ibssa, Soorin Kim and Kelsey Walsh

Jul 17, 2024, 9:39 PM EDT

Gold Star Afghanistan families talk about Trump's support

Gold Star mother Alicia Lopez speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum, on July 17, 2024, in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

Families of soldiers who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, some of whom were holding pictures of their relatives, took the stage.

Christy Shamblin, the mother-in-law of Sgt. Nicole Leeann, said Trump spent six hours with her and other family members in Bedminster, New Jersey.

"I had expected to meet an arrogant politician. Instead, I met a man who had empathy for us. He was compassionate and he spent time with us because he knew it would make us feel better," Shamblin said.

Alicia Lopez, the mother of Marine Corporal Hunter Lopez, held back tears as she said the Biden administration have not "owned up to their failures." She said Biden never said her son's name.

"There has been a deafening silence from the Biden-Harris administration," Lopez said.

Her husband, Herman Lopez, read the names of the soldiers who died in the waning days of the war.

Families of soldiers who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, some of whom were holding pictures of their relatives, took the stage.
12:49

Gold Star Afghanistan families talk about Trump's support

Families of soldiers who died during the withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021, some of whom were holding pictures of their relatives, took the stage.
ABCNews.com

Jul 17, 2024, 9:33 PM EDT

Florida Rep. Michael Waltz, military vet, addresses crowd

Florida Rep. Michael Waltz, the first Green Beret ever elected to Congress, was the latest elected military veteran to address the RNC on Wednesday night.

Rep. Michael Waltz (R-FL) speaks on stage on the third day of the Republican National Convention on July 17, 2024 in Milwaukee, Wis.
Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images

"Folks, we have deployed all over the Middle East, all over Africa, all over Afghanistan, and I have never in my lifetime seen the world falling apart like it is under Joe Biden," he began. "And that's because under President Trump, we had a president who defeated ISIS, broke Iran, stood with Israel, always stood with our allies, made China pay."

He called Biden's withdrawal from Afghanistan a "debacle" and "stain on our national conscience."

Florida Congressman Michael Waltz speaks to the crowd at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
7:01

Florida Rep. Michael Waltz addresses the RNC

Florida Congressman Michael Waltz speaks to the crowd at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.
ABCNews.com

Jul 17, 2024, 9:27 PM EDT

Afghanistan was when it all turned south for Biden

Multiple speakers tonight have taken President Joe Biden to task for his handling of the withdrawal from Afghanistan. Well, Americans agreed with their assessment: In an Aug. 13-16, 2021, poll from Morning Consult/Politico, only 31 percent of voters approved of Biden's handling of the situation. Even worse for Biden, the withdrawal was the event that really seemed to catalyze the collapse in his approval rating. On Aug. 15, 2021, the day the Taliban returned to power, Biden's net approval rating was +8 points in the 538 average. But by Sept. 3, his disapproval rating was higher than his approval rating, which has been true every day since.

-538's Nathaniel Rakich