Sen. JD Vance is set to make his first speech as the Republican vice-presidential nominee on Wednesday, the third night of the Republican National Convention, with the night expected to focus on foreign policy.
Vance's speech, the final one of the night, will be eagerly watched by Republicans, given his recent breakout on the national scene. He is only 39 years old and was only first elected to the Senate in 2022. His 2016 book, "Hillbilly Elegy," shot to the top of the Amazon bestseller list this week when former President Donald Trump announced his selection.
Vance's worldview, expressed through his Senate votes and speeches, has come into focus since his selection. In May, he told "Face the Nation" that the U.S. "could learn from" some of far-right Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán's controversial policies, including how to eliminate what he views as a left-wing bias at American universities. And at the Munich Security Conference earlier this year, Vance said it wouldn't be realistic for the U.S. to continue providing the same level of assistance to Ukraine moving forward.
The Republican National Convention is occurring amid one of the most dramatic weeks in politics in history. President Biden continues to face calls to step aside for the Democratic nomination in May, with Democratic Senate candidate Rep. Adam Schiff of California — a close ally of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi — becoming the most prominent member of the Senate to call for Mr. Biden to step aside.
Additionally, both campaigns are reeling after Saturday's assassination attempt of Trump. A bullet grazed his ear — described by Eric Trump as a "flesh wound" — and a sniper took out the gunman, identified as a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man. The shooter's motive remains unclear days after the shooting. A bystander was also killed, and two other people who were shot are now in stable condition after being critical for days.
Trump made his first public appearance since the assassination attempt on Monday, the first night of the RNC.
Follow below for live updates from the RNC Day 3:
Guilfoyle calls 2024 race the "most important election in our lifetime"
Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is engaged to Donald Trump Jr. and gave one of the most viral speeches of the 2020 convention, delivered the first speech of the night after Trump's arrival. She sought to contrast Trump and Mr. Biden in her remarks, saying the former president will make the country "strong, safe and prosperous."
"This is the most important election in our lifetime. This election will decide the fate of our great nation and that is why we must elect President Donald John Trump," Guilfoyle, a former Fox News host, said.
She invited all in the crowd to "rise up" in support of Trump and said the 2024 election is the "last chance to make America great again."
"We will not be bullied into obedience. We will not cower in silence," she said. "We will fight for America because we love America."
Trump arrives in the building
Trump, still with a bandage draped over his right ear, arrived in the convention hall shortly before 9 p.m., to the song, "It's a Man's Man's Man's World."
The former president pumped his fist in the direction of his cheering supporters.
Sitting next to Trump is Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin and Sen. Marco Rubio of Florida.
Burgum joins other primary rivals in rallying crowd for Trump
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum became the latest of the former Trump primary rivals to deliver remarks at the convention, joining former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
His speech focused on the need for the U.S. to be energy independent and said serving as governor under regulations put in place during the Biden administration has been "like a gale-force wind in your face."
"Innovation has always been the source of American greatness and President Trump champions innovation over regulation," Burgum said.
He concluded his speech with a knock at Mr. Biden's efforts to incentivize Americans to purchase electric vehicles, saying that Trump will let the crowd keep driving gas-powered cars.
Convention attendees chant "send them back" during Texas governor speech
As Texas Gov. Greg Abbott delivered his speech praising Trump's immigration agenda, which he said includes plans to deport migrants who enter the U.S. illegally, the crowd began to chant "send them back! Send them back! Send them back!"
Many waved signs reading "mass deportation now!" and "make America strong again," the theme for the convention's third day.
Tom Homan, former ICE official, tells undocumented immigrants "you'd better start packing now"
Former Trump administration acting director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement, Tom Homan, declared Trump a "warrior" and blasted the Biden-Harris administration for their immigration policies.
Under Trump, "deportations rose to the highest level ever," although Customs and Border Protection numbers indicate the deportations from 2017-2020 were far lower than in the mid-2000s.
"Most importantly, four years under President Trump, we had 13 people we arrested under the terrorist watch list," Homan said. "Joe Biden? 381."
Homan also said he had a message for the "millions of illegal aliens" Mr. Biden has allegedly released into the country: "You'd better start packing now. You're damn right. Because you're going home."
Homan blasted criminal cartels in Mexico, saying they've killed more Americans than every terrorist organization combined. Homan said he told the cartels Trump is "going to wipe you off the face of the earth."
JD Vance set to speak at Day 3 of the Republican National Convention
Peter Navarro appears at Republican National Convention after release from prison
Peter Navarro, who served as a top trade adviser to Trump, delivered remarks at the convention just hours after he was released from a Miami prison after completing a four-month sentence.
Navarro was convicted of two counts of criminal contempt of Congress after defying a subpoena from the House select committee that investigated the Jan. 6 assault on the U.S. Capitol. He received rousing applause from the crowd, who chanted "fight."
"This is a beautiful thing," he said. "I think you folks just want to know if you can see my MAGA tattoo I got there."
Navarro claimed his prosecution was politically motivated, though there is no evidence that Mr. Biden had any involvement in the case brought against him. The House voted to hold him in criminal contempt and he was indicted by a federal grand jury for refusing to comply with the subpoena. A jury then found him guilty on two counts.
"They did not break me," Navarro said. "And they will never break Donald Trump."
He said that on the morning he reported to prison in March, his fiancee told him "we got this," after which the crowd began chanting the phrase.
"On Election Day, America will hold these lawfare jackals accountable," Navarro said. "Vote Trump-Vance '24 for Trump 47."
Gaetz praises Trump as "unstoppable"
In brief remarks to the convention, Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz praised Trump for his leadership and his selection of Ohio Sen. JD Vance as his running mate.
"Donald Trump is unstoppable. Elect him president again and America will be unstoppable too," he said.
Referencing Trump's 2016 pledge to "drain the swamp," Gaetz pledged that if Trump is reelected to a second term, the "swamp draining will recommence soon and I will be President Trump's strongest ally in Congress."
Rep. Ronny Jackson, former White House physician, says Biden's family "should have compassion for him" and let him step aside
Rep. Ronny Jackson of Texas, who was formerly the White House physician while Trump was in office, praised Trump's "warrior spirit and his display of will" to keep going after he was shot Saturday.
Jackson argued that the president's job is full time, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
"Time off just truly doesn't exist," Jackson said. "Our president needs to make clear and decisive decisions in a moment's notice."
"Unfortunately, our current president is not ready for that call," Jackson said. "Let's not kid ourselves. Father time has not been kind to Joe Biden."
Jackson said the president's family "should have compassion for him" and let him step aside. He also blasted Vice President Kamala Harris.
Harris "has not been truthful with us," Jackson said. "She has lied to us. She has put party above country. And she is as unfit in character as Joe Biden is in body and mind."
Trump campaign punts VP debate invite: "We don't know who the Democrat nominee for vice president is going to be"
The Trump campaign on Wednesday said they won't agree to a debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and JD Vance because they don't know who the Democratic vice presidential nominee will be yet.
Some Democrats have been putting pressure on President Biden to step aside from the ticket, with weeks to go before a virtual roll call that would cement Mr. Biden as the Democratic nominee. On Wednesday, Harris agreed to a third possible date for a CBS-hosted vice presidential debate.
"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," said Brian Hughes, Trump campaign senior adviser. "To do so would be unfair to Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, or whoever Kamala Harris picks as her running mate."
Day 3 of Republican National Convention officially kicks off
The third night of the Republican National Convention got underway just before 6 p.m. CT, 7 p.m. ET, Wednesday, with the National Anthem and video highlighting the day's theme, "Make America Strong Once Again."
Florida Rep. Brian Mast of Florida, a U.S. Army veteran who lost both of his legs while serving in Afghanistan, is the first speaker of the night.
"Nothing could stop me from standing alongside Donald Trump and fighting for America," he said.
Biden tests positive for COVID-19
President Biden has tested positive for COVID-19, the White House confirmed Wednesday.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said in a statement that Mr. Biden tested positive earlier in the day after an event in Las Vegas. He was poised to address a conference of the Latino civil rights and advocacy group UnidosUs, but its president, Janet Murguía, announced that he would no longer be able to attend.
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