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, 9:53 PM EDT

Spotlight on UNC students who protected American flag during campus protest

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill fraternity brothers, who helped protect the American flag after it was briefly replaced with a Palestinian flag during protests on the campus in April, appeared at the convention.

They carried out American flags while country artist Brian Kelley and the Holy Redeemer Church of God in Christ Choir performed the song "American Spirit." One of the fraternity brothers addressed the crowd, saying they were all "proud to honor our flag again."

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill fraternity brothers holding US national flags greet attendees during the third day of the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wis., on July 17, 2024.
Kamil Krzaczynski/AFP via Getty Images

Jul 17, 2024, 9:48 PM EDT

Trump encourages voting by mail for the third straight night

This is the third consecutive night the RNC has played a prerecorded video by Trump encouraging Republicans to use every voting method at their disposal -- including voting by mail, which he has previously attacked -- to vote in November.

-538's Nathaniel Rakich

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