RNC 2024 Day 1 updates: Bandaged and emotional, Trump makes 1st appearance since assassination attempt
Chants of "we love Trump" could be heard as he entered the RNC.
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.
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RNC in recess until Tuesday
Following chants of "we love Trump" from the crowd, RNC Chair Michael Whatley declared that the convention is in recess until 5 p.m. CT Tuesday.
'Elites have no party': Teamsters president marks final Monday RNC speaker
In the final speech of the first night of the Republican National Convention, Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, addressed the failed assassination attempt at former President Donald Trump's rally over the weekend.
"I think we all can agree, whether people like him or they don't like him, in light of what happened to him on Saturday, he has proven to be one tough S.O.B.," O'Brien said, with Trump seen whispering "thank you."
O'Brien said Trump invited him to speak at this convention and "had the backbone to open the door to this Republican convention -- and that's unprecedented."
At the same time, he said the union is not interested in political affiliation: "We want to know one thing: What are you doing to help American workers?"
"Remember: Elites have no party. Elites have no nation. Their loyalty is to the balance sheet and the stock price at the expense of the American worker," he said.
He called for legal protections "that make it safer for workers to get a contract" and to stop corporations from "abandoning local communities to inflate their bottom line."
'The media has lied about Donald Trump': Amber Rose
Rapper Amber Rose, one of several celebrities speaking at the convention, spoke on Monday night about what made her come around to former President Donald Trump in a speech that drew applause from the former president.
"The media has lied about Donald Trump," she said, eliciting lots of "yeahs" from the crowd, according to an ABC Digital reporter.
"The first person I knew that supported Donald Trump was my father. I was shocked. My entire family is racially diverse. I believed the left-wing propaganda that Donald Trump was a racist," she said.
She said the "left told her to hate Trump," but that she did her research and started watching rallies.
"I realized Donald Trump and his supporters don't care if you're black, white, gay or straight. It's all love," she said, prompting a large applause from Trump.
Trump smiled as Rose said, "When I met the president and Melania for the first time, he was kind and generous and funny as hell -- very funny."
She touched on high gas prices and a "failing" education system.
"When you cut through the lies, you realize the truth. American families were better when Donald Trump was president," she said.
Trump appears emotional in 1st public appearance since assassination attempt
Former President Donald Trump appeared emotional while listening to "God Bless the USA" as the crowd chanted "U.S.A!" -- marking the former president's first public appearance since the assassination attempt at his rally on Saturday.
Chants of "we love Trump" could also be heard as he stood in the crowd.
Trump gave a standing ovation to the two speakers, billed by the RNC as "everyday Americans," who spoke following his arrival.