Trump arrives in Milwaukee for Republican National Convention

Former US President Donald Trump has arrived in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention, a day after surviving an assassination attempt.

The party’s conference in Milwaukee is proceeding as scheduled despite Saturday night’s shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania, in which Trump was shot in the ear.

Trump said on social media that he had considered delaying his trip by two days, “but just decided that he couldn’t allow a ‘shooter,’ or a potential assassin, to force a change of schedule, or anything else.”

The attack on Trump has put the spotlight on security for the event, which begins Monday at the arena that is home to the Milwaukee Bucks NBA basketball team.

But Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the RNC coordinator for the U.S. Secret Service, said at a news conference Sunday afternoon in Milwaukee that there would be no changes to the security plan.

Some 50,000 people are expected to attend the four-day gathering of pomp, politics and policy measures as the party makes its case to voters ahead of November’s general election.

Once every four years, each of the two major American parties holds a convention to formally select their respective presidential candidates and prepare for the final stretch of the campaign.

The conferences feature high-profile speakers, as well as a prime-time speech from the presidential candidates themselves.

At the convention, delegates from each state pledge to support the candidate of their choice and approve a platform.

It’s just a formality for Trump as the party’s presumptive nominee, as he won 2,265 delegates in the primary, enough for the nomination.

Democrats will hold their convention next month in Chicago.

Trump is not expected to speak until Thursday evening.

One of the most important moments of the conference will be the presentation of its vice-presidential candidate.

But as the dust settles from the assassination attempt, it remains unclear when Trump will announce his running mate, or when he or she will speak.

Donald Trump Jr., the former president’s son, is expected to speak on Wednesday.

South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, one of Trump’s fiercest rivals in the Republican primary, was initially expected to avoid the RNC.

But after the assassination attempt, it was announced that she would now not only attend the conference, but also speak at it.

Republicans Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Georgia congresswoman, and Kari Lake, a Republican from Arizona, are also reportedly expected to deliver speeches.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White, former Fox News anchor Tucker Carlson and Teamsters Union President Sean O’Brien are also expected to speak.

RNC co-chair Lara Trump, the former president’s daughter-in-law, said celebrities are among this year’s speakers.

Amber Rose, model, reality TV star and former girlfriend of Kanye West, is expected to address the crowd.

But former pillars of the Republican Party establishment, such as George W. Bush, Mike Pence and Mitt Romney, are not on the guest list.

Former first lady Melania Trump, who rarely makes public appearances, will attend the convention, according to US media reports.

Mrs. Trump did not attend the June 27 debate between President Joe Biden and Trump. She also did not attend her husband’s fraud trial earlier this year.

Although the former first lady has hosted Republican fundraisers over the past year, this would be her first major appearance of this election cycle.

Monday’s theme will be “Make America Rich Again,” Tuesday will be “Make America Safe Again,” Wednesday will be “Make America Strong Again,” and Thursday will be “Make America Great Again.”

The party’s program this year runs to 16 pages.

Some themes of Project 2025, a much longer proposal for reflection, are also likely to be raised at the convention.

The 2025 plan, from which Trump has distanced himself, calls for expanding presidential powers, eliminating thousands of government jobs, tax cuts and dismantling the Department of Education.

A protest, the Coalition to March on the RNC, is scheduled for Monday at noon local time.

Organizers say they are expecting 5,000 people with the support of 125 liberal activist groups across the country.

Coalition co-chair Omar Flores said Friday: “Join us to fight the Republicans’ racist and reactionary agenda, to support Palestine, to defend women’s, LGBTQ and reproductive rights, to defend and expand immigrant rights, and to advocate for peace, justice and equity.”

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said the city will ensure public safety is paramount this week.

“A national special security event is the highest designation you can get for a security event of this size and magnitude in the United States,” Mayor Johnson said.

You can follow the latest news, including live pages, on bbc.com/news.

BBC World News and BBC News Channel (available worldwide and in the UK respectively) will broadcast Trump’s speech live on Thursday and bring you their reaction and analysis afterwards.

And you can also watch on RNC website.