Here’s What to Expect as Republicans Gather for Their National Convention

WASHINGTON — Beginning this weekend, some 50,000 people will descend on Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to either participate in or witness the Republican Party nominating a candidate for president and laying out its vision for the country for the next four years.

While there’s little suspense heading into the convention — former President Donald J. Trump has been the GOP’s presumptive nominee since securing the backing of a majority of delegates in March — there nevertheless promises to be plenty of hoopla as an estimated 2,429 delegates and a press delegation numbering in the hundreds gather in the 18,000-seat Fiserv Forum, home of the Milwaukee Bucks.

Heading into this last pre-convention Friday, much of the speculation surrounding the convention has focused on who Trump will nominate to be his vice president, with most published reports suggesting the choice will likely boil down to Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., Sen. J.D. Vance, R-Ohio, or perhaps North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

Another area of speculation appeared to be largely resolved Friday morning — sources close to the campaign, speaking on background, say former First Lady Melania Trump will attend the convention.

Her presence is particularly noteworthy, given her almost complete absence from the 2024 campaign trail and her decision not to appear at all with her husband during his recent hush-money trial in New York.

However, despite word that she’ll be in Milwaukee, it remains unclear whether she’ll actually speak at the convention or play any other formal role in the proceedings.

Confirmed speakers include Donald Trump Jr., Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, and Iowa GOP Chairman Jeff Kaufmann.

In order to win the Republican nomination, a presidential candidate must receive the support of a majority of the delegates present — a number the RNC puts at 1,215.

Coming into the convention, Trump can count on the committed votes of 2,265 of the delegates, and earlier this week, his lone challenger for much of the primary season, former South Carolina Gov. Nikki Haley, released her 97 delegates and encouraged them to vote for Trump.

Despite the gesture, Haley will not be in attendance at the convention.

Her spokeswoman, Chaney Denton, told reporters this week that Haley, who served as Trump’s United Nations ambassador before running against her former boss in several early primary and caucus states, wasn’t invited to the convention.

“She’s fine with that. Trump deserves the convention he wants,” Denton said. “She’s made it clear she’s voting for him and wishes him the best.”

Two other early Trump challengers, DeSantis and entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy, garnered 9 and 3 delegates, respectively, during the primaries. Both endorsed Trump shortly after dropping out of the race.

Party Seeks to Moderate Its Platform

With Democrats hammering away at the GOP over its stance on abortion, the Republican National Committee this week adopted a platform that appears to modify the party’s official position on the issue.

Where previous Republican Party platforms had supported the passage of a federal regulation imposing a 20-week abortion ban, the latest iteration, adopted by the RNC’s platform committee on Monday, says Republicans “will oppose late-term abortion, while supporting mothers and policies that advance prenatal care, access to birth control, and IVF (fertility treatments).”

The abortion provision goes on to reiterate Trump’s stated view that the U.S. Constitution “guarantees that no person can be denied life or liberty without due process, and that the states are, therefore, free to pass laws protecting those rights.” 

That language is a marked departure from the platform the Republican Party adopted when Trump ran in 2016, a platform that adhered to strict, conservative views on issues like gender, sexual orientation and abortion. The party approved an identical platform in 2020, when the coronavirus pandemic made convening to consider changes almost impossible.

The delegates will vote to officially confirm the new platform from the convention floor next week.

Also being closely watched is the influence Project 2025 will have over the platform. The group, headed by former senior Trump administration officials, is calling for a sweeping overhaul of the federal government.

Among Project 2025’s goals are expanding presidential power, drastically cutting federal agencies like the Department of Education, and firing as many as 50,000 government workers to replace them with Trump loyalists.

Trump himself has been trying to distance himself from Project 2025 in recent days, but members of the group have reportedly played a significant role in creating the party platform.

Life Inside a Secure Bubble

Once the convention — which runs July 15-18 — gets up and running, the delegates will spend much of their time in a protective cocoon created by the U.S. Secret Service and local law enforcement.

While the city has said it plans to maintain its ordinary level of police, fire, EMS and other services for its residents, multiple streets will be closed to street parking during the convention, and two portions of downtown will be designated security zones.

As a result, city residents and visitors are asked to expect delays throughout the week and plan accordingly. 

When it comes to trash services, mail and package delivery, schedules will be shifted for service to occur in the overnight and early morning hours. 

According to a plan unveiled by the Secret Service last week, the areas immediately around the Fiserv Forum and two smaller venues being pressed into service for the convention, the UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena  and the Baird Center, will be “hard” security zones, featuring a “pedestrian restricted perimeter.”

During the convention, businesses in the area will not be accessible to the general public and the only people allowed in will be credentialed or ticketed convention attendees and event volunteers.

Everyone entering this zone will be expected to undergo a security screening.

Outside of the hard security zone is a “vehicle screening perimeter.” Credentials aren’t required to access that zone, but anyone trying to drive a vehicle through the area will have to pass through one of five vehicle checkpoints. 

The restriction also applies to rideshares, taxis and food delivery services. On the plus side, pedestrians and bicyclists will be freely able to enter this area.

The public security map and comprehensive traffic plan, including a complete list of parking restrictions, road closures and maritime restrictions, are available here.  

Incidentally, all deliveries entering either perimeter will first have to go through a remote delivery site for screening.

“The goal of the U.S. Secret Service and our partners is to ensure a safe and secure environment, while minimizing impact to the public,” Assistant Special Agent in Charge Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the U.S. Secret Service’s 2024 RNC coordinator, said. 

“We understand that security for an event this size will have an impact on the city, and we appreciate residents’ patience and understanding as we work to keep convention attendees, volunteers and the public safe during this event,” she added.

It should also be noted that the Secret Service and local law enforcement has designated two demonstration areas, one on the north side of the security zone, near the Fiserv Forum, and the other, on the south side, near the Baird Center, as well as a formal march route.

Milwaukee Police Chief Jeffrey Norman has said officers will show patience with demonstrators throughout the event but will not tolerate violence or property destruction.

As many as 4,500 officers from outside law enforcement agencies may be assisting the Milwaukee Police Department during the duration of the event.

Busy Days, Festive Nights

While collective party business will be the focus of most delegate activities, that’s far from all of what they’ll encounter while in Milwaukee. The delegations themselves will hold meetings at which they’ll hear from a number of prospective candidates for the 2028 contest.

Among the most sought after speakers in this regard are former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who sat out the 2024 contest, and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.

A number of advocacy groups, such as the Heritage Foundation, Moms for Liberty, the American Jewish Committee, America First Policy Institute and the Faith and Freedom Coalition will also be hosting sessions for the delegates.

For example, the U.S. Concealed Carry Association will be hosting an hourlong Second Amendment policy forum at the Pfister Hotel in downtown Milwaukee Tuesday morning.

In addition to representatives from the USCCA, the event will also feature Trump campaign senior advisor Chris LaCivita and Reps. Wesley Hunt, R-Texas and Scott Fitzgerald, R-Wis.

Katie Pointer Baney, managing director of government affairs for the organization, said hosting such talks in conjunction with major political gatherings like the RNC convention is “more critical than ever.”

“Americans across the country need to be informed on how their elected officials are committed to protecting our Second Amendment rights, and frankly all of our constitutional rights,” Pointer Baney said.

“The USCCA is proud to host a policy symposium event as part of our partnership with Milwaukee’s 2024 Host Committee, and we look forward to a candid and open dialogue with some of the nation’s top Second Amendment advocates and policymakers,” she said.

The convention will also feature a number of film screenings, with titles such as “Reagan,” starring actor Dennis Quaid as the former president and conservative icon; “The Theocracy of Terror” (a film about Iran); and “Trump’s Rescue Mission: Saving America.”

Much of their travel to and from networking events will be aboard a number of buses collectively called the “GOP Express.”

The RNC master calendar of events can be found here.

Those hoping to cut loose during the convention can take heart in the passage of a temporary state law that will allow bars within a 14-county radius of Milwaukee to remain open until 4 a.m. during the convention.

The first big event on the libation front is the invitation-only “Red, White and Brew” party at the 75-acre Henry Maier Festival Park on the shore of Lake Michigan. The site is the traditional home to the city’s annual Summerfest musical festival.

After that, the “official” watch party for the convention will convene each night of the event at the Drink Wisconsinbly Pub, across the street from the Fiserv Forum.

With that, about all that’s left to say are the immortal words drafted by the cartoonists Friz Freleng and Chuck Jones, and sung by the immortal Warner Brothers’ voice artist Mel Blanc: “Overture, curtains, lights; This is it, you’ll hit the heights. And oh what heights we’ll hit; On with the show this is it.”

The Democratic National Convention will be held in Chicago, Illinois, less than 100 miles south, as the crow flies, from the site of the Republican convention, Aug. 19-22.

Dan can be reached at [email protected] and @DanMcCue