By MEREDITH DELISO and LIBBY CATHEY, ABC News(WASHINGTON) — Republicans opened their scaled-back national convention Monday with a roll call vote to formally renominate President Donald Trump to top the Republican ticket in November.The overall theme of the convention, “Honoring the Great American Story,” will highlight “the promise and greatness of America” and Trump’s “leadership and what he has planned for the future,” a Trump campaign official said.Each night will also have a sub-theme; on Monday, it is “Land of Promise.”Before attention turns to primetime programming, the presidential nomination, seconding speeches and roll call took place in Charlotte, North Carolina, on Monday morning.As previously reported by ABC News, Trump is expected to be a part of the programming for each night of the convention. Here’s how the day is unfolding:
8:43 p.m. Charlie Kirk: ‘Trump is the bodyguard of western civilization’Charlie Kirk, who runs the pro-American student organization Turning Point USA, said he was speaking in his personal capacity as a 26-year-old.”I have a chance to view the state of our country as someone who sees the angst of young people and the challenges facing new parents forming families. I am here tonight to tell you — to warn you — that this election is a decision between preserving America as we know it, and eliminating everything that we love,” he said.”We may not have realized it at the time, but this fact is now clear: Trump is the bodyguard of western civilization,” he continued. “Trump was elected to protect our families — our loved ones — from the vengeful mob that wishes to destroy our way of life, our neighborhoods, schools, church, and values. President Trump was elected to defend and strengthen the American way of life. The American way of life means you follow the law, you work hard, you honor God, you raise your kids with strong values, and you work to create a civil more stable country and life for the ones you love.”Kirk went on to describe the 2020 election as the most important since 1850 when Abraham Lincoln was elected.”This election is not just the most important of our lifetime — it is most important since the preservation of the Republic in 1865. By reelecting Trump, we will ensure that our kids are raised to love America, not taught to hate our beautiful country,” he said. “Young kids will get so excited about the founding of our country, parents will have to calm their kids down at the dinner table because they are fired up about the brilliance of Jefferson, the toughness of Teddy Roosevelt, the strategic insight of Patton, the perseverance of Lincoln, the humility of Washington, or the ingenuity of Benjamin Franklin.”
8:37 p.m. Ex-RNC Chair Michael Steele joins The Lincoln ProjectFormer RNC chair Michael Steele, who’s been an outspoken critic of President Trump, has joined the anti-Trump Republican group The Lincoln Project as a senior adviser.Steele, the first Black RNC chair, served in the role from 2009-2011.”The chair behind the Resolute Desk has always been bigger than any political party,” Steele said in a news release. “Sadly, we have witnessed its occupant devolve into preying upon fears and resentments with narcissism that nurtures only chaos and confusion. Leadership is needed now more than ever and I am proudly committed to resetting the course of our nation, standing once again for the future of my Party.”
8:30 p.m. Scott: Mail-in ballots in Florida workFlorida Sen. Rick Scott spoke with ABC News Live ahead of the RNC primetime programming Monday night.He was asked about the president’s attacks on mail-in voting and whether they could undermine confidence and hurt Trump in states like Florida, where many seniors vote by mail.“I hope not because we have mail-in ballots in Florida. It works,” Scott said.
“I hope not because we have mail-in ballots in Florida. It works,” Sen. Rick Scott tells @TomLlamasABC when asked if Trump’s attacks on mail-in voting could undermine confidence and hurt the president in states like Florida where many seniors vote by mail. https://t.co/13JiNUAbsL pic.twitter.com/WnhVfeQXat
— ABC News Politics (@ABCPolitics) August 25, 2020
8:25 p.m. Mary Bruce: RNC will have ‘very different feel’ and tone from the DNCABC News Senior Congressional Correspondent Mary Bruce compares the RNC to last week’s DNC.”This convention is going to have a very different feel and a very different tone from what we saw last week with Democrats,” she said on ABC News Live.
“This convention is going to have a very different feel and a very different tone from what we saw last week with Democrats,” @marykbruce says ahead of the first night of #RNC2020. https://t.co/SLOF32ABAG pic.twitter.com/EVHw9zXZ4c
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) August 25, 2020
8:19 p.m. Late change: Trump Jr. and Guilfoyle speeches pre-taped and not liveA late change from the RNC: Donald Trump Jr. and Kimberly Guilfoyle, who were slated to speak live, are instead on tape.The RNC has worked to have more live elements than the the Democrats at last week’s mostly virtual Democratic National Convention, and the president has made a point to say that live is better than tape, criticizing former first lady Michelle Obama for pre-taping her speech that aired a week ago.8:17 p.m. Chris Christie: Trump campaign needs to be ‘more optimistic and less dire’ starting with Republican National ConventionFormer New Jersey Governor and ABC News Contributor Chris Christie told the hosts of ABC News’ “Powerhouse Politics” podcast on Monday that he hopes that President Donald Trump lays out an agenda at the Republican National Convention because he believes that has been the biggest failing of the Trump campaign so far.Christie said the Trump campaign cannot run the same way they did in 2016 and he hopes that changes this week, especially Thursday night when Trump is set to give his acceptance speech.”And so they have to do it differently this time. It has to be more optimistic and less dire. It has to be one that talks about what they want to do and how they want to leave the country at the conclusion of their eight years in,” Christie told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl and Political Director Rick Klein. “I think quite frankly, that the Trump campaign has not done well on either of those fronts. And I’m hoping that’s going to start to change this week, especially on Thursday night.”
8:08 p.m. Democratic campaign launches ‘Republicans for Biden’ as Flake, former GOP lawmakers endorse himOn the first day of the RNC, Joe Biden and Kamala Harris picked up support from 27 former GOP members of Congress, including former Arizona Sen. Jeff Flake, an outspoken critic of the president before and after he retired from Congress in 2018. It’s the latest act of defiance from Republicans against the sitting president who represents their party.Later in the day, Flake personally addressed his decision to vote for the first time in his life for the Democratic candidate in a firm address aimed at his fellow conservatives.”After the turmoil of the past four years, we need a president who unifies rather than divides. We need a president who prefers teamwork to tribalism. We need a president who summons our better angels, not a president who appeals to our baser instincts. That’s why we need Joe Biden,” Flake said in live-streamed remarks straight to the camera. 8:02 p.m. North Carolina to be a crucial battleground state in 2020With the RNC kicking off in in North Carolina Monday morning, ABC News Chief Global Affairs correspondent Martha Raddatz spoke to voters in the battleground state about what they think of the president’s performance.”I was really expecting … our administration to take lead on this,” said Cassandra Brooks, on the Trump administrations coronavirus response.
“I was really expecting…our administration to take lead on this.” — Cassandra Brooks, on COVID responseWith #RNC2020 kicking off in N.C., @MarthaRaddatz spoke to voters in the battleground state about what they think of the president’s performance. https://t.co/SLOF32ABAG pic.twitter.com/JYLGYsu0fK
— ABC News Live (@ABCNewsLive) August 24, 2020
7:57 p.m. Former Trump staffer who penned tell-all book and sued the president, back working on Republican ConventionCliff Sims, a former aide to President Donald Trump, who sued the president after writing a brutal tell-all book about his time in the Trump White House called “Team of Vipers”, is back on the Trump team, serving an important role overseeing speechwriting for the upcoming Republican National Convention.Sims is not only supervising speech writing for the convention, but multiple sources tell ABC News he is also spearheading the efforts for remarks by the president’s children, including Donald Trump Jr. and Tiffany Trump. 7:53 p.m. Where do we stand now that the DNC is over and the RNC begins?: ANALYSISWhat have we learned and where do we stand today, after the Democratic National Convention, on the day the Republican National Convention begins?The first virtual convention turned out rather well, and from my vantage point was more compelling when you listened to the key speeches without applause lines written in and audience interruptions. Conventions really hadn’t changed much in the last 150 years, and maybe it was time to begin to update the model.As we look forward to the GOP convention, let’s see if they can pull off the speeches in an equally compelling way without technical glitches and with limited audience reaction.What is the strategic imperative for President Trump and the GOP’ at their convention? I would suggest it is not in bashing Biden, but in building up Trump’s approval rating. 7:43 p.m. Scalise: Once past the pandemic, Trump will be in position to rebuild economyThe first night of the RNC is themed “Land of Promise” and ABC News’ Linsey Davis asked House Minority Whip Steve Scalise what promises he would be making to the American people who have filed for unemployment amid the coronavirus pandemic.”We’ve got to get through this pandemic, but as we do, you’re going to see this president better positioned to rebuild that economy again,” Scalise said on ABC News Live Prime.7:33 p.m. Pompeo to speak at RNC in unprecedented move critics call inappropriateWhile he is overseas on an official trip, Secretary of State, Mike Pompeo will address the Republican National Convention in his “personal” capacity, the State Department said Sunday, blurring the lines between the two in an unprecedented — and critics say inappropriate — way.Pompeo will be the first sitting Secretary of State to deliver a speech to a party’s political convention in modern times, although he is not the first to play a public role.Slated for Tuesday evening, his speech has already sparked a wave of backlash, with critiques that the top U.S. diplomat is supposed to represent all Americans and not play a role in party politics and that the speech violates department protocol, if not U.S. law.”As secretary of state, I am obliged not to participate in any way, shape, fashion, or form in parochial, political debates. I have to take no sides in the matter,” Colin Powell said in 2004, skipping the Republican National Convention while serving under George W. Bush.Powell, a Republican, endorsed former Vice President Joe Biden in this year’s election. 7:17 p.m. Trump steamrolls norms with White House convention speech, raising ethics concernsPresident Donald Trump has set the stage for a norms-busting political event that has transformed the White House into a backdrop for his campaign, raising ethical questions as he steamrolls over precedent.
Kathleen Clark, an ethics lawyer and professor at Washington University Law School in St Louis, said in an interview with ABC News that the convention amounts to a “four-day extravaganza of unethical conduct.”7:10 p.m. RNC request for fireworks at Washington Monument on night of Trump’s acceptance speech approvedThe National Park Service earlier Monday said it had approved a request from the RNC to hold a fireworks show at the Washington Monument on Thursday, the night Trump formally accepts his party’s nomination in a speech.”The applicant is responsible for production of the event and all associated costs,” said Mike Litterst, spokesman for the National Mall and Memorial Parks, National Park Service, in a statement announcing the approval. “Additionally, per policy, the National Park Service will recover from the RNC all costs incurred as a result of the activity, including NPS administrative costs for permit preparation and management of the event, and monitoring of the activity to ensure compliance with the conditions of the permit.”The fireworks are slated to begin about 11:30 p.m., according to the permit application.Other than marking the end of the GOP convention, the display would also come hours before thousands of people are expected for a civil rights march timed for the anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington.7 p.m. Monday night’s speaker lineup:The Trump campaign released its speakers list for the first night of the convention. Below is the order they’re expected to appear:
Timothy Cardinal Dolan, archbishop of New York
Charlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USA
Rebecca Friedrichs, public school teacher
Tanya Weinreis, coffee shop owner
Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.
Kim Klacik, Republican candidate running for the late Rep. Elijah Cummings’ 7th Congressional District seat in Maryland
RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel
Amy Johnson Ford, nurse practitioner
Dr. G.E. Ghali, oral surgeon
Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio
Herschel Walker, former NFL athlete
Natalie Harp, advisory board member for the Trump campaign
Georgia State Rep. Vernon Jones
Andrew Pollack, father to Meadow who was killed at the Parkland, Florida, massacre
Mark and Patricia McCloskey, St. Louis attorneys who pointed guns at protesters this summer
Kimberly Guilfoyle, senior adviser to the Trump campaign
Rep. Steve Scalise, R-La.
Sean Parnell, Republican candidate for Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District
Maximo Alvarez, Cuban immigrant and businessman
Former U.N. Ambassador and South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley
Donald Trump Jr., the president’s son
Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.
1:50 p.m. Republicans nominate Trump to second termThe Republican Party has officially renominated Trump for president with a total of 2,550 delegates — all of the delegates available.RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel took the stage to officially declare Trump and Pence as the Republican nominees for president and vice president.House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy then took a swipe at Biden, saying, “The difference between our convention and the DNC is that our nominees show up.”Biden and other speakers at last week’s Democratic National Convention did not travel to the host city of Milwaukee due to coronavirus concerns.The president will formally accept the nomination from the White House on Thursday night.
12:45 p.m. Trumps makes first RNC appearanceJust before Trump took the stage in Charlotte, Florida State Sen. Joe Gruters, the chairman of the Florida Republican Party, announced Florida’s 122 votes for Trump — despite them already being included in the tally. Though Trump was already well over the top when Florida announced its delegates, the RNC put up a graphic prepared for the moment when Trump secured the required number.After suggesting his supporters chant “12 more years” instead of “four more years,” Trump declared the country’s economic recovery was in a “super V-shape” and fired off attacks against mail-in voting.”This is the greatest scam in the history of politics, I think, and I’m talking about beyond our nation. They act like they are aggrieved by saying this, saying such a horrible thing, we are not patriotic by saying this. No,” Trump said. “We voted during World War I. We voted at the voting booth during World War II. The pandemic we are doing very well — and people know how to handle it — look at the crowds. They are doing very well. It’s very safe.”
Shouts of “four more years” break out as Pres. Trump begins remarks after being renominated at the RNC.”If you want to really drive them crazy, you’ll say ’12 more years,"” Trump tells the crowd. https://t.co/Yy5Oqy2xtt pic.twitter.com/EGEIDO3V1h
— ABC News (@ABC) August 24, 2020
Trump went on to accuse Democrats of using the pandemic to push a political agenda — while Democratic lawmakers back in Washington grilled postmaster general Louis DeJoy over controversial operational changes to the Postal Service which Democrats argue were designed to slow the mail and help Trump win the election.“They’re using COVID to defraud the American people — all of our people — of a fair and free election,” rump claimed, though Democrats would argue it is the Trump administration misleading the public. “We can’t do that. Don’t let them give you the Post Office stuff.”
The president also said that “China will own our country” if Biden is elected, before repeating a familiar claim that he has done for the Black community than anyone.”Nobody has done more for the historically Black colleges and universities than Donald Trump. Nobody, nobody has done more for the African-American community,” Trump said, with the exception of President Abraham Lincoln, he added.Notably, Trump’s political opponent Kamala Harris, Democratic nominee for vice president, is the first HBCU graduate to be nominated for national office by a major political party.Before he concluded his remarks, Trump again hinted that Democrats will take the election away — the same claim Democrats make about Republicans.”This is the most important election in the history of our country. Don’t let them take it away from you,” he said.
12:15 p.m. Republicans reach threshold to renominate Trump for presidentAfter Pence wrapped his remarks, the roll call vote continued with Nevada, whose 25 delegates technically put Trump over the top to have enough votes to once again secure the nomination.Florida, Trump’s adopted home state, was the only state moved out of alphabetical order, which would have allowed for the state to put Trump over the top — but it was Nevada’s delegate on the screen when Trump surpassed the 1,276 delegate threshold to win the nomination.Despite Florida not being seen at the microphone to announce the state’s 122 delegates, nor the secretary officially announcing a record of the votes, those votes were included in the RNC’s delegate tally, putting Trump over the top.With Nevada,1,284 delegates have renominated Trump as the party’s nominee, surpassing the 1,276 delegate threshold to win the nomination.The president is expected to speak briefly in Charlotte but will formally accept the nomination on Thursday night, when he delivers his speech from the White House South Lawn.11:48 a.m. Trump touches down in Charlotte, Pence takes the stageAs Trump touched down in Charlotte, Vice President Mike Pence took the stage in the convention center to deliver remarks.”It is a joy to be with you at the 2020 Republican National Convention here in North Carolina,” Pence said. “I heard there a unanimous vote a little bit earlier, and I’ll have more to say that at Fort McHenry on Wednesday night.”Pence also teased Trump’s incoming appearance, saying, “You might just see a friend of mine at the Republican National Convention today because we wanted to say, ‘thank you."”Pence’s speech was primarily a call to action to vote in November to preserve conservative values.”This movement led our nation back in 2016. And I just know each and every one of you, we’re going to do your part this year to reelect this president and reelected Republicans with strong sound conservative principles every day,” he said.
11:00 a.m. Roll call vote to renominate Trump underwayThe convention has begun a state-by-state roll call vote on the renomination of President Donald Trump.After tests and temperature checks, 336 delegates representing 50 states, five territories and Washington, D.C., are participating in the process from inside the ballroom of the Charlotte Convention Center. They have been asked to wear masks and practice social distancing.Trump and Pence are scheduled to land in Charlotte around the time delegates plan to announce the results of their vote and are expected to make an appearance at the convention.9:30 a.m. Republicans renominate Pence for VPDelegates renominate Vice President Mike Pence with a unanimous vote Monday morning ahead of their roll call vote on Trump.Former Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker delivered a brief speech making the nomination.The vote received a standing ovation from RNC delegates.Convention speakers:Those scheduled to speak on the first night include:Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C.House Republican Whip Steve Scalise, R-La.Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.Rep. Jim Jordan, R-OhioNikki Haley, former ambassador to the United NationsRepublican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDanielDemocratic Georgia state Rep. Vernon JonesCharlie Kirk, founder of Turning Point USAKimberly Guilfoyle, national chair of the Trump Victory Finance CommitteeMark and Patricia McCloskey, St. Louis couple that went viral after waving their guns at Black Lives Matter protestersDonald Trump, Jr., eldest son of the president
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