The third day of the Republican National Convention kicks off Wednesday with Republicans—led by the newly nominated Donald Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio)—shifting their focus to issues of national security and foreign policy.
Mr. Vance introduced himself to a national audience Wednesday evening and delivered his first speech as the Republican vice-presidential nominee.
Here’s the latest:
Biden Campaign Responds to Vance’s Speech
The Biden campaign responded to Sen. JD Vance’s acceptance of the GOP nomination for vice presidential candidate, alleging that working-class families and the middle class would suffer from policies administered by a Trump–Vance administration.
Michael Tyler, communications director for the Biden campaign, cast the 39-year-old senator from Ohio as unqualified and “willing to do anything Donald Trump demands.”
Earlier in the day, President Joe Biden told BET News’ Ed Gordon that former President Donad Trump choice of Mr. Vance as his running mate “tells me that he’s decided that MAGA Republican politics is going to be the future of the Republican Party.”
“JD is a great guy, a hard-working senator, but really, really, really conservative American Republican,” the president said.
JD Vance Accepts VP Nomination
Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), former President Trump’s running mate, formally accepted his vice presidential nomination on July 17.
“Never in my wildest imagination could I have believed I would be standing here tonight,” he said, recalling his origins in Middletown, Ohio, in a part of America he said was “cast aside” by the political elite.
Republicans Meet JD Vance’s Wife Usha
Usha Chilukuri Vance took the stage in Milwaukee after Donald Trump, Jr., introducing herself to Republican voters mere days after former President Trump picked her husband as running mate.
Their response was positive: enthusiastic applause, cheers, and laughter at her jokes.
She described her husband as “the most interesting man I know.”
The 38-year-old trial lawyer came out after a performance of REO Speedwagon’s “Roll with the Changes” by the house band and a promotional spot for the new vice-presidential pick.
She wondered what more she could say about her husband: “The man was already the subject of a Ron Howard movie,” she quipped, referencing the adaptation of his book “Hillbilly Elegy.”
Ms. Vance was born Usha Chilukuri to Indian immigrant scientists. She and her husband met at Yale Law School.
“That JD and I could meet at all, let alone fall in love and marry, is a testament to this great country,” she said.
She was raised in San Diego, California. She clerked for Justice Brett Kavanaugh during his tenure on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, and also for Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts.
While her husband is a convert to Catholicism, Ms. Vance is a practicing Hindu.
“I am grateful to all of you for the trust you have placed in him and in our family,” she told the crowd, which was visibly charmed by her and enthusiastic about her husband.
She and her husband have three children, Ewan, 7, Vivek, 4 and Mirabel, 2.
Trump’s Oldest Grandchild Makes Political Debut
The oldest grandchild of former President Donald Trump, Kai Trump, whose father is Donald Trump Jr., talked about her close bond with her grandfather such as their golf game and him giving her candy when her now-divorced parents are not looking.
She remarked that her grandfather checked in on her even during his legal battles, one of which— the classified documents case—was dismissed earlier this week.
“Even when he was going through all these court cases, he always asked me how I’m doing,” she said. “He always encourages me to push myself to be the most successful person I can be.”
“He’s very caring and loving,” she added. “He truly wants the best for this country and he will fight every single day to make America great again.”
World War II Veteran Wins Over RNC Crowd
The convention crowd expressed lots of appreciation for 98-year-old retired Sgt. William Pekrul, who served in World War II. He fought in the Battle of the Bulge.
“With President Trump back as Commander in Chief, I would go back and re-enlist today,” he said. “I would storm whatever beach my country needs me to.”
He recalled returning to America after the war.
“When I was fighting in Europe and I came back home, I kissed the ground,” he said.
“Dig in your heels, and take the fight to ‘em!” he told the crowd.
During his speech, the crowd shouted, “Thank you! We love you!”
Parents of Israeli-American Hostage Address Hostage Address RNC
The parents of Omer Neutra, one of the eight American hostages being held by Hamas, gave an emotional address at the convention.
Mr. Neutra, 22, was taken hostage by Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, when the terrorist group launched the largest massacre of Jews in a single day since the Holocaust.
“Imagine over nine months, not knowing whether your son is alive, waking up every morning playing that he too is still waking up every morning that he is strong and then surviving,” said Oma Neutra, Mr. Neutra’s mother.
They said former President Donald Trump called them shortly after their son was taken hostage. They said he sympathizes with the American hostages.
They and the crowd repeatedly chanted “Bring them home”—a chant calling for the hostages to return to Israel safely.
Gold Star Families Honored
Emotions overflowed as the Republican National Convention honored families of 13 fallen military personnel who died during the United States’ withdrawal from Afghanistan in 2021.
Grieving relatives paid tribute to those who died and expressed gratitude to former President Donald Trump for caring about them.
Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) appeared to be on the verge of tears—pausing and biting his lip—as he thanked the former president for spending six hours with the families of the Afghanistan 13 at his golf course in Bedminster, New Jersey.
“He met each one. He listened. He cared,” Mr. Waltz said, before thanking the former president.
“For the first time since Nicole’s death, I felt that I was not alone in my grief … I had expected to meet an arrogant politician,” said Christy Shamblin, whose daughter, Sgt. Nicole L. Gee, 23, from Sacramento, California, was among those killed.
Instead, the former president “was compassionate, and he spent time with us,” Ms. Shamblin said onstage. She was one of several Gold Star parents who spoke after the crowd was asked to pay “solemn attention” as a video tribute to the fallen and their families played.
Crowd Cheers as Trump Makes Third Appearance at GOP Convention
Former President Donald Trump waved and repeatedly pumped his fist in the air as attendees at the Republican National Convention cheered loudly for his arrival. He sat next to Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.)
The former president arrived at the convention just before 8 p.m. local time. He shook hands with a number of people in the crowd before taking his seat in a section reserved for him and his special guests. Red drapes in front of those seats bear the words, “Make America Great Once Again” in white letters.
After he entered, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Donald Trump Jr.’s fiancee, delivered a short speech. She began by stating, “I know that God has put an armor of protection over Donald Trump.”
That was an apparent reference to the failed July 13 assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania. The former president continues to wear a white bandage on his right ear, which was wounded by a bullet.
Mayor of Ohio Train Derailment Town Praises Trump for ‘Genuine’ Concern
Trent Conway, the mayor of East Palestine, Ohio, praised how former President Donald Trump responded to the 2023 toxic train derailment in his town.
On Feb. 3, 2023, “in a heartbeat, everything changed,” Mr. Conway said, when a train derailed, followed by a fire, “spewing flames and toxic chemicals into our town.”
Mr. Conway said he didn’t hear from the White House “for the longest time.” When federal officials did show up, their actions consisted mostly of “meetings and press events,” he said.
He said the town felt neglected until former President Trump visited the town about three weeks after the disaster struck. “He asked how he could help,” Mr. Conway said, noting the former president delivered pallets of drinking water and “listened to us.”
“His presence was genuine. His concern was real,” Mr. Conway said.
Elderly Couple Describes ‘Invasion’ on Their Arizona Border Ranch
An elderly pair of Arizona ranchers, Jim and Susan Chilton, gave striking testimony about the ways immigration policies have affected their lives.
Mr. Chilton said their ranch occupies five and a half miles along the U.S.–Mexico border, and their trail cameras have captured images of 3,500 drug smugglers and others dressed in camouflage “marching through our range.”
“These are not asylum seekers,” he said, as a video played. “It looks like and it feels like an invasion, because it is.”
Mrs. Chilton, who has been married to her husband for 60 years, said, “Every time Jim leaves the ranch house, I have to worry [if] he will come back alive.”
Their house was broken into twice, a Border Patrol agent was shot five times, and three border crossers died of hydration on their ranch this year alone, the couple said.
Mrs. Chilton said “it wasn’t like this” when President Donald Trump was in office. She expressed confidence that he would again secure the border.
Her husband called the lack of a strong border “our nation’s greatest national security threat.”
‘I Went to Prison So You Don’t Have To’: Peter Navarro
“Yes indeed—this morning I did indeed walk out of federal prison,” Peter Navarro told the RNC crowd after the cheering finally died down.
Mr. Navarro was released from a federal facility in Miami earlier in the day after serving four months on criminal contempt of Congress charges. He refused to comply with a subpoena from the House committee created to investigate the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
“Guess what? They did not break me,” he told the crowd.
Mr. Navarro, who led the Trump administration’s Office of Trade and Manufacturing Policy, said he had suffered injustices from all three branches of government: the legislative, through the Jan. 6 committee, the executive, through the Department of Justice, and the judicial, through a guilty verdict delivered in the District of Columbia.
He referenced another Trump administration alumnus serving a prison sentence after a contempt of Congress conviction, also handed down in the District of Columbia: Steve Bannon.
“I went to prison so you don’t have to,” Mr. Navarro told the crowd.
His fiancée joined him onstage toward the end of his remarks. The couple embraced and kissed, capping off one of the convention’s most emotional speeches.
Gingrich Touts Trump’s Foreign Policies
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich says a vote for former President Donald Trump is a vote for “strength and peace.”
Mr. Gingrich characterized President Joe Biden’s foreign policies as “ working toward appeasement,” which the former speaker said will not work in “a dangerous world.”
In contrast, President Trump brokered the Abraham Accords, an agreement that attempted to cool tensions and foster peace in the Middle East, Mr. Gingrich said.
“President Trump understands that only a firm, courageous policy will work in a dangerous world,” Mr. Gingrich said.
Biden Campaign Reacts to Trump Campaign Turning Down VP Debate
The Biden campaign responded to the Trump campaign after the latter declined a CBS News invitation for the vice presidential nominees to debate.
“This debate has been discussed for two months now. If JD Vance is unwilling to defend the Trump–Vance record on the debate stage, he should just say so,” said Brian Fallon, communications director for Vice President Kamala Harris on the Biden campaign.
The Trump campaign said that it is not ready to accept the invitation, claiming it is uncertain whether President Biden will drop out and if Ms. Harris will take his place on the ticket.
”We don’t know who the Democrat nominee for vice president is going to be, so we can’t lock in a date before their convention. To do so would be unfair to Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, or whoever Kamala Harris picks as her running mate,” said Trump campaign senior advisor Brian Hughes.
CBS News hasn’t set a definitive date for the proposed debate. The Trump campaign has accepted an invitation for a vice presidential debate from Fox News, while the Biden campaign has not.
Delegates From Vance’s Home State Gear Up for His Speech Tonight
When Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio) delivers a speech as the vice presidential nominee tonight at the Republican National Convention, excited fans from his home state will get a close look.
After organizers moved Ohio’s group of 79 delegates toward the front of the room, Ohio Attorney General David Yost said it was a telltale sign that Mr. Vance was getting the VP nod.
Democrat Signals Cautious Optimism Over Vance, Hawley
Cenk Uygur, host of “The Young Turks” and a former Democrat presidential hopeful for several months this cycle, told The Epoch Times he thinks at least some Republicans are moving towards what he sees as genuine populism, including Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), former president Donald Trump’s new running mate.
Mr. Uygur said he doesn’t view former President Trump as a real populist, pointing to his corporate tax cuts.
But, he said, both Mr. Vance and Sen. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) give him pause.
“When you look at JD Vance and Josh Hawley, we’re in an interesting new era where I’m no longer positive that it’s perfectly fake,” he said.
He cited Mr. Hawley’s stance on corporate PAC money in politics. The lawmaker has advanced a bill that would undo the Citizens United Supreme Court decision.
Republicans Focus on American Strength on 3rd Day of Convention
The lineup for the July 17 Republican convention features speakers who will talk about the need for American strength, with particular attention on the southern border and international security.
Here’s a list of notable speakers, provided by a source familiar with the convention schedule, in chronological order.
Rep. Brian Mast (R-Fla.)
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.)
Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-Texas)
Ric Grenell, former acting director of National Intelligence
Rep. Matt Gaetz (R-Fla.)
Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich
Peter Navarro, former director of the U.S. Office of Trade & Manufacturing
Rep. Monica De La Cruz (R-Texas)
Thomas Homan, former acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum
Kellyanne Conway, former counselor to the president
Rep. Anna Paulina Luna (R-Fla.)
Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.)
Donald J. Trump, Jr.
Usha Chilukuri Vance
Vice presidential nominee Sen. JD Vance
Melania and Ivanka Trump Will ‘Certainly’ Attend RNC, Eric Trump Says
Former President Trump’s son Eric Trump confirmed that his stepmother, former First Lady Melania Trump, as well as his sister Ivanka Trump, will appear at the Republican National Convention (RNC) this week.
“They’re coming in full force and effect, so they’ll certainly be here,” Eric Trump told CBS News on Wednesday morning, responding to a question about whether his sister and the former first lady would attend.
“Ivanka’s been an incredible supporter of my father. I think you know that; she’s been in the White House for a … four-year period of time and loves him dearly,” said the younger Trump, whose is married to Lara Trump, the co-chair of the Republican National Committee.
Peter Navarro to Speak at RNC After Leaving Prison
Peter Navarro has been released from prison and is heading to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention.
The Trump administration alumnus served four months at a federal facility in Miami after a conviction for criminal contempt of Congress. He was charged after defying a subpoena from the U.S. House committee investigating the events of Jan. 6, 2021.
A source familiar with the convention schedule lists the former director of the Office of Trade & Manufacturing among the July 17 speakers. Mr. Navarro will directly follow former House Speaker Newt Gingrich.
Biden–Harris Campaign Counters RNC Across Milwaukee River
Not far from the RNC’s security perimeter, the Biden–Harris campaign held a morning press conference.
In line with past campaign messaging, they targeted Heritage Foundation’s Project 2025, a conservative blueprint similar to those produced for decades. Former President Trump has distanced himself from the project.
The Biden campaign also criticized the former president’s newly anointed running mate, Sen. JD Vance (R-Ohio), citing his past statements on abortion and other issues.
“Trump picked JD Vance because he would bend over backwards [and] enable Trump to do whatever he wants with his MAGA agenda,” Biden–Harris campaign manager Quentin Fulks told reporters.
After condemning the assassination attempt on former President Trump as “horrific,” Mr. Fulks suggested the campaign would not soften its rhetoric on its opponent or Project 2025.
Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz defended the Democratic National Committee’s plan to move forward with a virtual roll call to nominate the former president ahead of the convention.
“It was scheduled way before the debate,” the governor said.
‘JD is the perfect guy for Trump,’ says New York delegate
Delegate and Nassau County Executive Bruce Blakeman of New York expects U.S. Sen. JD Vance to bring more excitement to the ticket than former Vice President Mike Pence did.
“I like Mike Pence,” Blakeman said Wednesday outside the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. “Mike Pence is a good man, but Mike was the kind of guy that you probably would want to be a professor or someone like that.”
“JD is a doer. He’s an action guy,” Blakeman continued. “He’s a man of principle. He really really cares about this country in a very deep way. I think JD is the perfect guy for Trump because he’s strong, and together they will project the strength that the American people want.”
But that doesn’t mean the two always will agree or should agree on everything, Blakeman added.
“When you accept the nomination for vice president, your job is to give counsel to the president, but to do it in private,” he said.
Vance ‘speaks to a different demographic,’ New York congressman says
U.S. Rep. Anthony D’Esposito, a Republican from New York State, said Wednesday that the selection of U.S. Sen. JD Vance as Donald Trump’s running mate is part of their party’s embrace of youth.
“We’ve often been criticized for being the older party,” D’Esposito said outside the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee. “I think he speaks to a different demographic in this country that has far too long been left out.”
“I think he’s exactly what this country is looking for and what we’ve been lacking,” D’Esposito added. “He’s someone who’s a leader. He’s someone who’s fought for this country. He’s someone who’s been an experienced level-headed legislator.”
D’Esposito also said that Vance’s nomination shows that the Republican party “can put our differences aside,” noting that the senator was previously a critic of Trump.
House Speaker to seek the resignation of the Secret Service director
House Speaker Mike Johnson says he will be calling on the Secret Service director Kimberly Cheatle to resign in the aftermath of the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.
Johnson said Wednesday on Fox News that “it’s inexcusable” what happened and that the House will be launching a task force to investigate the security at the Trump rally last weekend.
“We need answers,” he said in a social media post. Cheatle was scheduled to appear before a House committee next Monday, but Johnson said he’s been told she may not appear.
Democrats aim to nominate Biden in first week of August
Democrats will look to hold a virtual vote to make President Joe Biden their party’s nominee in the first week of August.
The Democratic National Convention’s rules committee will meet on Friday to discuss its plans, according to a letter sent to members obtained Wednesday by The Associated Press, and will finalize them next week. The letter from co-chairs Bishop Leah D. Daughtry and Gov. Tim Walz states that the virtual vote won’t take place before Aug. 1 but that the party is still committed to holding a vote before Aug. 7, which had been Ohio’s filing deadline.
“We will not be implementing a rushed virtual voting process,” Daughtry and Walz wrote, “though we will begin our important consideration of how a virtual voting process would work.”
Surgeon general: ‘Thank God’ Trump is OK
U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy told The Associated Press he was “horrified” to learn that former President Donald Trump was injured in a shooting on Saturday.
“Thank God that former President Trump survived and is OK,” Murthy said in an interview.
House Dems’ campaign committee says it raised a record $44 Million the past quarter
The House Democrats’ campaign committee says it raised a record $44 million this past quarter.
Strategists said donors are stepping up to give to congressional Democrats as a firewall against a potential second Trump White House.
The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee said Wednesday the total includes $19.7 million raised in June.
Homeland Security inspector general investigates Secret Service handling of security at Trump rally
The Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general says it’s investigating the U.S. Secret Service’s handling of security for former President Donald Trump on the day a gunman tried to assassinate him at a Pennsylvania rally.
The agency says in a brief notice on its website the objective is to evaluate the Secret Service’s “process for securing former President Trump’s July 13, 2024 campaign event.”
‘A pleasant conversation’: Milwaukee mayor
The mayor of Milwaukee says former President Donald Trump called him Tuesday, and the two had “a pleasant conversation.”
“Mr. Trump had positive things to say about his experience so far here in Milwaukee,” Mayor Cavalier Johnson said at an early-morning briefing. “He shared his gratitude for the security and for law enforcement preparations.”
The mayor said he wished Trump a speedy recovery during the phone call, which Johnson said lasted two to three minutes.
Police saved the life of ‘an unarmed man’ in Tuesday shooting, Milwaukee mayor says
Milwaukee’s mayor says he was saddened by the death of a man shot by a group of bicycle police from Columbus, Ohio, who were in town to help with convention security.
The officers were briefing each other on the day’s activities Tuesday when they witnessed a man with two knives lunge at an unarmed man, Mayor Cavalier Johnson said at an early-morning briefing.
Police body camera footage of the encounter was released Tuesday.
“The information we have leaves a clear impression that these Columbus officers, they saved the life of an unarmed man from death or perhaps serious injury,” Johnson said.
The shooting occurred about three-quarters of a mile (1.2 kilometers) from the convention arena, near a park where demonstrators have been protesting this week.
JD Vance, Trump’s pick for vice president, will introduce himself to a national audience at the RNC
Trump ’s running mate JD Vance will introduce himself to a national audience Wednesday as he addresses the Republican National Convention.
The Ohio senator’s headlining address will be his first speech as the Republican vice-presidential nominee. He’s a relative political unknown who rapidly morphed in recent years from a severe critic of Trump to an aggressive defender.
Vance, 39, is positioned to become the next potential leader of the former president’s political movement, which has reshaped the Republican Party and busted many longtime political norms. The first millennial to join a major party ticket, he joins the race when questions about the age of the men at the top of the tickets—78-year-old Trump and 81-year-old President Joe Biden—have been high on the list of voters’ concerns.
DNC offers up some political counterprogramming with investment announcement
Democrats are trying to offer political counterprogramming to the RNC, announcing $15 million to fund campaign operations in seven key swing states — even as some in the party have urged President Joe Biden to bow out of November’s election.
The Democratic National Committee announced Tuesday that it is investing $15 million in state parties, meant to help them open more field offices and bolster staffing. The funding will let them add to the 217 existing coordinated campaign offices working jointly for Biden’s reelection bid and state parties that already employ 1,100-plus staffers in Arizona, Georgia, Michigan, North Carolina, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin, the DNC said.
The investments will pump nearly $3 million into Wisconsin; nearly $2 million each into Pennsylvania, Michigan and Nevada; almost $1.5 million in Arizona; more than $1.2 million in North Carolina; and more than $1 million in Georgia.
Epoch Times reporters Lawrence Wilson, Janice Hisle, Nathan Worcester, Jack Phillips, and The Associated Press contributed to this report.