MILWAUKEE — Donald J. Trump entered the Republican National Convention to raucous applause Monday, arriving at 9 p.m. and following a timetable his campaign privately shared with reporters in a morning briefing. A white bandage covered his right ear.
A video feed of him waiting in the wings preceded an entrance anticipated since a bullet grazed his ear Saturday at a rally in Butler, Pa. He stood stiffly, waiting for his cue to enter the Fiserv Forum arena as Lee Greenwood sang what has become a GOP anthem, “God Bless the USA.”
Trump slowly ascended stairs leading to the Trump family box in the back of the arena. He was greeted by Tucker Carlson and took a seat in the first row next to his running mate, Sen. J.D. Vance of Ohio.
His son, Don Jr., gave him a thumbs up from the second of three rows in the box. His wife, Melania, was absent.
Trump pumped his fist and mouthed, “Thank you.”
Greenwood stopped singing to introduce Trump while the melody played on. Trump is not scheduled to address the convention until Thursday, when he will accept the nomination.
“He is here tonight to show his courage, his defiance at someone who tried to kill him,” Greenwood said. “You will not take this man down. He has the courage, the strength, and he will be the next president of the United States.”
He snapped a salute. Trump returned the gesture.
[Got questions about the upcoming election? Check out CT Mirror’s 2024 voter guide here]
Some delegates went off message, echoing Trump’s reaction after the assassination and loudly chanting, “Fight, fight, fight.” But as occurred earlier in the day, the chanting quickly turned to “We love Trump, we love Trump.”
Eight years ago, Trump also appeared on the first night of the convention that made him a presidential nominee for the first time. The circumstances were far different then: He took the main stage to embrace a keynote speaker — his wife.
The opening this year was an unusually newsworthy day by the standards of modern political conventions. Less than two hours after Vance’s selection became public, his nomination was approved by the acclamation of the delegates.
The drama of Vance’s choice and Trump’s arrival overshadowed the messaging of the convention’s opening night: the explosion of inflation since he was succeeded by Joe Biden amid a worldwide pandemic that roiled economies across the globe.
Several speakers mocked the 81-year-old Biden as physically unfit to serve a second term. Trump, 78, would leave office as the oldest president if he is elected and serves four years.
Trump remained for the final speakers of the night, including Sean O’Brien, the national leader of the Teamsters. The arena’s giant screen repeatedly broke from O’Brien to Trump.
Michael Whatley, the Republican national chairman, congratulated and praised both Trump and Vance before gaveling to a close the first night of the convention. Vance raised his hand to his chest, smiled and slightly bowed.
Trump seemed briefly emotional. Vance leaned to say something. Trump turned to him and said, “Thank you, man.”
