J.D. Vance describes the moment Trump called to ask him to be his vice president… and makes an embarrassing admission

From Kelly Laco, executive editor of politics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

Trump’s VP nominee JD Vance disclosed the details of his call with the former president earlier today during an interview with Fox News’ Sean Hannity.

He said he didn’t know whether it was ‘good or bad’ news and was embarrassed by his son, 7, making noise in the background.

Trump ‘actually has me put my seven-year-old son on the phone. You think about this. Everything that happened, like I just got shot at a couple of days ago and he takes the time to talk to my seven-year-old. Is a moment I’ll never forget.’

Vance then disclosed details of their phone conversation.

He [says] that look, I have to save this country. I think you’re the guy can help me in the best way, you can help me govern.

You can help me in some of these midwestern states … Pennsylvania, Michigan and so forth.

And he said rightfully that we have been very, very close for a long time, but especially since I endorsed you in 2022. A I would not have won that race without Donald Trump’s endorsement and the president’s trust then, and his partnership since then has been something I value a great deal.

Model and rapper Amber Rose was the only quasi-celebrity to speak at Monday night’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, telling the crowd ‘this is where I belong.’

“Today’s Democrat agenda, their policies, are a clear and present danger to America, to our institutions, our values and our people,” Johnson said in remarks before the convention audience in Milwaukee.

He said the teleprompter had given him the wrong version of his speech. The one he read was written last week before the Trump shooting – and had since been updated with toned-down rhetoric.

“That speech was written last week. They literally loaded the wrong speech,” Johnson told PBS.

“I had taken that out. Instead I’d loaded about that we needed a somber moment in history. We should heed President Trump’s call to unite.”

“We must heal and unify this nation. I didn’t know how to take that out without screwing up the teleprompter.”

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien addressed the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, marking the first time a leader of the union has addressed the GOP convention.

‘Today the teamsters are here to say we are not beholden to anyone or any party,’ O’Brien said.

‘We will create an agenda and work with a bipartisan coalition ready to accomplish someone real for the American worker.’

He said it was an ‘honor’ to be the first teamster in its 121 year history to address the RNC.

O’Brien also said Trump had the backbone to open the doors to the convention and said no other nominee in teh race would have invited the teamsters into the Milwaukee arena.

He also said the former president has proven to be a ‘tough SOB’ after the attempt on his life on Saturday.

While O’Brien touted the work of some Republicans, he said there is still a need for change noting some in the party who still stand in active opposition of labor unions.

He called for trade policies that put American workers first and make it easier for companies to stay in the United States.

‘What could be more important to the security of our nation than a long term investiment in the American worker?’ he said.

Teamsters President Sean O’Brien hailed Trump’s fortitude during a speech to the Republican convention – a first for the boss of his union.

‘In light of what happened to him on Saturday, he has proven to be one tough S.O.B.,’ said O’Brien, earning applause. Trump, still in the hall, mouthed thank you and looked up at the crow.

He made several remarks about the unexpected appearance of a union boss at a party that has often sided with management over labor demands. It comes following a Reuters report that the 1.3 million-strong union is considering making no endorsement in the race, a potential blow to President Biden, who it backed in 2020.

By Emily Goodin, senior U.S. political reporter in Las Vegas

President Joe Biden gave his first public comments on J.D. Vance, on Monday and talked to DailyMail.com about whether he has faith in his Secret Service detail.

On his way to Las Vegas for a two-day campaign trip, Biden stopped to talk to reporters on the tarmac at Joint Base Andrews. He said of Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick: ‘A clone of Trump on the issues. I don’t see any difference.’

And when DailyMail.com asked him if he had faith in his Secret Service detail, Biden said: ‘Yes i do.’

The president has defended the Secret Service, who are being criticized for letting a shooter get on a roof so close to the security perimeter at Trump’s rally, allowing a clear shot at the former president.

Biden had a more visible security presence with him during his travel to the West Coast. Four agents flanked Marine One when it landed at Joint Base Andrews and the agents formed a tight perimeter around the president when he landed at Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas.

An individual was apparently ‘chased down and apprehended’ outside of Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee where Donald Trump has just entered.

There have been several homeless wandering near the highly-guarded gates throughout the day.

Several local firefighters responded to one individual earlier Monday who appeared to be suffering from heat stroke.

It’s a blistering hot midwest day with temperatures skyrocketing to nearly 90 degrees. Severe thunderstorms are now rolling in.

President Biden said his mental acuity has been ‘pretty damn good’ and defended his fitness to serve as he bats down calls for him to step aside and not run for a second term.

The 81-year-old Commander-in-Chief sat down for an interview that was at times combative with NBC Nightly News anchor Lester Holt at the White House where Biden was pressed on his disastrous debate performance last month.

Holt asked Biden who he listens to on the ‘deeply personal issues’ like decisions to stay in the race or not.

‘Me,’ Biden said defiantly. ‘I’ve been doing this a long time, but the Idea I’m the old guy. I am. I’m old, but I’m only three years older than Trump, number one. And number two, my mental acuity has been pretty damn good.’

Biden claimed he has gotten more done than any president has in a ‘long, long time.’

Former President Donald Trump seated family members, key political allies and his newly picked VP choice – Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance – in the box where he was seated during his cameo Monday night at the Republican National Convention.

In the box’s front row were former Fox News host Tucker Carlson, Rep. Byron Donalds, Trump, Vance, House Speaker Mike Johnson and his wife Kelly.

Behind them, Kimberly Guilfoyle and her fiance Donald Trump Jr., Eric Trump and his wife Lara Trump, co-chair of the Republican National Committee and Tiffany Trump and her husband Michael Boulos.

Former President Donald Trump made a dramatic entrance into his convention, sporting an bandage over the ear wounded by a would-be assassin’s bullet.

He walked in to Lee Greenwood’s ‘God Bless the USA.’

A camera showed him approaching down a red carpet, with a solemn expression.

Greenwood spoke over his own backing band to praise Trump.

He spoke of his dramatic survival, then spoke in religious terms. ‘We have believed for so long that God will make some changes in this country. And he’s about to make a change in the current administration and send them home,’ said Greenwood.

He hailed his ‘defiance against somebody that tried to kill him. You will not take this man down.’

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Sen. Tim Scott (R-S.C.) took stage Monday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The senator lauded the ‘miracle’ of Donald Trump surviving the assassination attempt on Saturday.

Scott, once a 2024 primary contender against Trump, said:

On Saturday, the devil came to Pennsylvania holding a rifle, but an American lion got back up on his feet.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Fla.) spoke at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin as part of the Monday evening program.

The first day of the event was focused on Doanld Trump’s platform for economic policies.

Donalds, once floated as being on the running mate shortlist for Trump, talked about being raised by a single mom and her determination to get him a good education.

Donalds’ wife Erika traveled to Milwaukee for the convention with her husband.

Bob Unanue, the CEO of Goya Foods, gave Vice President Kamala Harris’ nickname a Spanish refresh.

During his Monday night Republican National Convention speech, Unanue referred to the VP as the White House’s border czar.

‘Que Mala Harris,’ Unanue said. ‘That means so bad.’

Harris was tasked with handling migration into the U.S. from Northern Triangle countries, which got her blamed for many of the administration’s immigration woes.

From Kelly Laco, executive editor of politics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

JD Vance told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that criticism of his support of abortion bans and that ‘women should stay in violent marriages’ has been ‘twisted.’

First of all, Democrats have completely twisted my words here. And as you know, both me and my mom actually were victims of domestic violence.A way to say that ‘Vance is supporting woman staying in violent marriages’ I think it’s shameful.

It’s shameful for them to take a guy with my history and my background and say that that’s what I believe. Is not what I believe. It’s not what I said. I think, Sean, it’s evidence of the Democrats’ complete inability to talk about the future. 

What are Republicans running on? Delivering the peace and prosperity that Donald Trump already delivered in his four years. What are Democrats running on? Lies and complete distortions of people’s records. That is something I think the American people are going to reject, they’re too smart for it.

Police notified the Secret Service there was a ‘suspicious person’ in the area around Donald Trump’s rally before the gunman opened fire.

Local law enforcement notified the federal agency after members of the crowd warned them that would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was behaving strangely near the security perimeter, NBC News reported.

It’s not clear how long before the shooting Trump’s protective detail received the alert, but the latest bombshell report raises more questions about what could have been done to stop Crooks.

A new report also surfaced on Monday night that Crooks was spotted on the roof just 130 yards from the stage 26 minutes before he opened fire.

The world’s richest man is putting his money where his mouth is.

Tesla founder and X owner Elon Musk is planning to pour $45 million a month into a new Super Political Action Committee to support Donald Trump’s reelection effort, according to the Wall Street Journal.

America PAC will focus on registering voters and ensuring they vote early, in an effort to challenge Democratic get-out-the vote drives.

‘Yes, Joe must go,’ said Virginia Governor Glenn Youngkin as he kicked off his speech at the Republican National Convention. He

He also asked for ‘God’s grace’ to be on the victims of the shooting at Trump’s rally in Butler, PA over the weekend.

‘We thank him for protecting our next president, Donald J. Trump,’ Youngkin said.

The Virginia governor recently joined Trump for the first time on the campaign trail at a rally in Virginia after the debate.

This was his first speech at the convention. He highlighted pro-business policies his state in remarks where at times it sounded like he was yelling.

Youngkin touted winning the race for governor in Virginia in 2021 and said the GOP will win the state again this year.

‘I believe this year Virginia will elect another Republican outside businessman as President of the United States,’ he said.

Alabama Sen. Katie Britt took a second crack at speaking before a major national TV audience after her GOP response to the State of the Union got ridiculed on ‘Saturday Night Live.’

In that speech, Britt told a graphic story about woman who was sex trafficked by cartels at age 12 and repeatedly raped, only to have fact-checkers point out that it didn’t happen under President Biden and that it took place in Mexico.

SNL also tore into her mannerisms, and Britt’s convention speech was toned down from her kitchen table Biden response, delivered from her kitchen.

This time, she grounded her remarks in economic issues. ‘With President Trump, that tough choice was one which job open to accept now. It’s which second job to take just to pay the bills.

She stuck to generic uplifting rhetoric, ‘We will defeat decline, dust off our dreams, and forge our future because families across our nation deserve better,’ she said.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Eric Trump says his father is full steam ahead and ‘not deterred’ by the assassination attempt at his Pennsylvania rally.

The former president’s middle son told CNN at the GOP Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Monday that his dad is aware of how close he was to greater injury – or even death – on Saturday.

Describing the moments after the shooting by would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, Eric said:

He was in the hospital, and I get a call from him and he cracked a little joke, and I knew the Donald Trump I know, the father I know, is back. It was incredibly scary, but again, just a remarkable person.

I love the man, he’s remarkable father. He’s been a great guy to me. Obviously, you know, there’s no one that supported him the way I have. I stood on the stage every single day for the last eight, nine years of politics in our family. I run our company. He’s just a special guy, he is a big part of my life. He’s my best friend, and yeah, to see him get shot at, it’s unthinkable.

Republican National Convention attendees and delegates say they love JD Vance as Donald Trump’s vice presidential running mate, but some don’t know who the freshman senator from Ohio is.

Trump announced Vance as his running mate Monday afternoon on Truth Social as MAGA fans gathered in a packed Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

To much applause, blaring country music and flashing lights, the 39-year-old Marine Corps veteran, ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ author and lawmaker entered the convention and accepted his official VP nomination.

It appeared the entire room had been Vance fans for years once the news came across the loudspeakers, given how loud the roar of approval was.

But when DailyMail.com pressed the MAGA fans on what they admire most about the Ohioan, his youth and good looks and military service were top of mind. But some revealed they did not know much about him at all.

Donald Trump said President Joe Biden was ‘very nice’ on their call after the assassination attempt.

While the former president said he isn’t ‘changed’ after the event, he acknowledge that it had an ‘impact’ on him.

Speaking with ABC News host Jonathan Karl over the phone on Monday, Trump said of Biden:

It was very nice. He couldn’t have been nicer.

Trump said the ear that was grazed during the attack in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday is fine and he’s hoping the bandage will be off by the time he speaks on Thursday at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

President Joe Biden rejected claims he is in cognitive decline and insisted his ‘mental acuity has been pretty damn good’ as he defended his decision to stay in the presidential race.

The 81-year-old said he might be ‘old’ but Donald Trump is only three years younger as he returned to campaign mode less than 48 hours after his opponent was shot on stage.

He told NBC News’ Lester Holt: ‘I’ve gotten more done than any president has in a long time in three-and-a-half years. I’m willing to be judged on that.”

‘I understand why people say, ‘God, he’s 81 years old. Whoa. What’s he gonna be when he’s 83 years old, 84 years?’ It’s a legitimate question to ask.’

U.S. Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle told ABC News she won’t be resigning in her first on-camera interview since the stunning security failure that led to an attempted assassination on Donald Trump.’

‘It was unacceptable. And it’s something that shouldn’t happen again,’ she said.

But Cheatle does not plan on resigning despite acknowledging ‘the buck stops with me.’

‘I am the director of the Secret Service, and I need to make sure that we are performing a review and that we are giving resources to our personnel as necessary.’

There was some South Carolina on South Carolina crime Monday after Sen. Tim Scott wasn’t picked to be former President Donald Trump’s VP.

Nalin Haley, the son of former U.N. ambassador and South Carolina governor Nikki Haley, posted on X: ‘BREAKING: Tim Scott calls off wedding.’

Scott was long questioned about his bachelor status and appeared to be single when he first launched his 2024 presidential campaign – vying for the GOP nomination against both Trump and Haley.

But then the Republican started talking about a girlfriend – identified as Charleston-based interior designer Mindy Noce – and pulled her onstage at the conclusion of the Miami debate.

He proposed to Noce after dropping out of the presidential race and after deciding to endorse Trump, despite the fact that Haley, as governor, had appointed him to the U.S. Senate.

The wedding is set for early August – meaning Scott would have been married the final months of the campaign had Trump picked him in the veepstakes.

Business Insider’s Bryan Metzger screengrabbed Nalin Haley’s X post, as the young man’s account is private.

Ohio Senator JD Vance was officially nominated for Vice President.

He was joined on the floor by his wife attorney Usha Vance as it was announced.

Vance’s name was submitted for nomination by Republican Ohio Senate candidate Bernie Moreno.

In classic Trump style, the ex-president and former TV boss dragged out anticipation for who he would be selecting as his second-in-command.

He finally announced via a Truth Social post on the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin that freshman Sen. Vance, 39, would be joining his ticket.

DailyMail.com caught up with elected Republicans and other leaders in the party to get their reactions moments after the announcement.

As the 2024 Republican National Convention kicked off in downtown Milwaukee, a group of anti-Trump and anti-GOP organizers began a showing conservatives how unwelcome they really are.

The self-proclaimed anti-fascists, pro-Palestinians protestors, LBGTQ advocates, communists and more gathered blocks away from the RNC HQ at Fiserv Forum for the ‘March on RNC 2024,’ Monday afternoon.

Attendees at the event revealed exclusively to DailyMail.com they were there to highlight their disagreements with the Republican platform – and to make Republicans feel alienated less than 48 hours after 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks attempted to take the life of Trump.

Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance arrived with his wife Usha to the Republican National Convention Monday after getting the call from former President Donald Trump that he would be his ticket-mate.

The Vances stepped out onto the convention floor to the song America First by Merle Haggard.

The 39-year-old best-selling author signed autographs and posed for pics after Trump dramatically revealed he was the winner of the veepstakes, with NBC reporting that Vance received a call that he got the job 20 minutes before Trump made it official on Truth Social.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Presidential candidates Donald Trump and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. met Monday morning in Milwaukee, Kennedy’s campaign spokesperson Stefanie Spear confirmed to DailyMail.com.

Yes, Mr. Kennedy met with President Trump on Monday to discuss national unity, and he hopes to meet with leaders of the Democratic Party as well. And no, he is not dropping out of the race. He is the only pro-environment, pro-choice, anti-war candidate who beats Donald Trump in head-to-head polls.

Trump publicly said Monday on Truth Social that he believed Kennedy deserved Secret Service protection in the aftermath of his own assassination attempt and because both Kennedy’s father and uncle – Sen. Robert F. Kennedy and President John F. Kennedy – were assassinated in the 1960s by shooters.

President Joe Biden ordered Secret Service protection for Kennedy Monday after the Trump shooting in Pennsylvania.

In a post on X, Kennedy said the meeting with Trump was about ‘national unity’ and assured supporters that he would not be dropping out of the race.

A number of Kennedy family members are publicly supporting Biden and have voiced concerns that RFK Jr. will play spoiler and tilt the election toward Trump.

Kennedy is making appearances along the sidelines of this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has thanked President Joe Biden for finally granting him Secret Service protection.

The Independent presidential candidate has been asking for a security detail since he started campaigning.

He said the assassination of his uncle John F. Kennedy was a sufficient reason for him to have agents.

But the shooting of Donald Trump has led to a reckoning inside the Secret Service and Biden administration over the level of protection for presidents and candidates.

The tech malfunction caused the speaker to comment ‘and there goes the teleprompter.’

Then the song ‘American Man’ started blasting over the speakers causing laughter to break out among attendees.

Donald Trump Jr. called a MSNBC reporter a ‘clown’ on the floor of the RNC Convention.

The reporter asked him about whether his father would ‘put children in cages’ again if elected.

That trigged Don Jr., who demanded he ‘get out of here’ and slammed him as a liberal ‘MSDNC reporter,’ referring to the Democratic National Committee (DNC).

‘A clown is an understatement,’ he reportedly added.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Rapper 50 Center currently has a scheduling conflict that could prevent him from performing at this week’s Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

But a spokeperson for 50 Cent told DailyMail.com not so fast.

‘As of now I dont have him going there,’ his publicist said, ‘he’s slated to be somewhere else.’

The rapper has flirted with being a Trump supporter, but has said he voted for President Joe Biden in the 2020 election.

He chimed in onstage and online after the Trump assassination attempt Saturday, posting a Trumpified version of his 2003 album Get Rich or Die Tryin’ and commenting, ‘Trump gets shot and now I’m trending.’

The Biden-Harris 2024 Campaign immediately hit Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick on Monday afternoon, picking over his hardline abortion position and MAGA credentials.

Biden-Harris 2024 Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon said

Donald Trump picked J.D. Vance as his running mate because Vance will do what Mike Pence wouldn’t on January 6: bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law and no matter the harm to the American people.

She said billionaires and corporations had been rooting for him and that his position on the ticket would make it even easier to show voters the huge choice ahead of them, between uniting the country or making the rich wealthier.

This is someone who supports banning abortion nationwide while criticizing exceptions for rape and incest survivors; railed against the Affordable Care Act, including its protections for millions with preexisting conditions; and has admitted he wouldn’t have certified the free and fair election in 2020.

The ex-president’s son Don Jr. says that other rumored VP contenders Sen. Marco Rubio, Florida, and Gov. Doug Burgum, North Dakota, will still be involved in the campaign.

President Trump has one of the most dynamic, young leaders in the country in @JDVance1

We also have incredible patriots like Governor @DougBurgum, Senator @marcorubio, and countless others who will work their tails off to get my father elected this November!

Our party has never been more unified!

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said an independent review into the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump will begin in a matter of days.

He said the Biden administration will make the review public once it is complete.

Speaking at a White House Mayorkas also said he has ‘100 percent confidence’ in the U.S. Secret Service and its Director Kimberly Cheatle.

Former President Donald Trump officially became the Republican nominee at the convention in Milwaukee – seizing another lifetime achievement just two days after he dodged a would-be assassin’s bullet.

It happened after his adopted home state of Florida gave him his 125 votes.  It set off cheers inside the Fiserv arena, video fireworks, and house band playing ‘Celebration.’

Iowa state party chair Jeff Kaufmann has officially nominated Donald Trump as the Republican nominee.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin and Sarah Ewall-Wice, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Biotech entrepreneur Vivek Ramaswamy responded in real-time to Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance’s selections as Donald Trump’s running mate.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Republican Convention, the fellow Ohioan responded to the announcement with:

I will simply do everything in my power to make sure that Trump-Vance’s ticket is successful… This is the single most formidable political ticket in my life.

He then spoke with DailyMail.com about Trump’s decision:

‘Here’s the deal about J.D. Vance,’ Biden wrote on his political account on X.

‘He talks a big game about working people. But now, he and Trump want to raise taxes on middle-class families while pushing more tax cuts for the rich.’

Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell was loudly booed as he tried to nominate former President Donald Trump for his home state of Kentucky.

McConnell was on the Milwaukee convention floor and appeared alongside his wife, Trump’s former Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao, who quit the administration over the January 6 Capitol attack.

The top Senate Republican appeared to be speaking into a mic that wasn’t turned on but his appearance was overwhelmed by the booing.

McConnell had a falling out with the MAGA movement after criticizing Trump over January 6 but remains the most powerful Republican in the U.S. Senate until early next year, when he’ll step down from that prestigious leadership role.

Biden’s Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Majorkas, speaking at the White House, said:

Adjustments have been made to the former president’s detail, to the current President’s detail, as well as to the Vice President’s detail.’

Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said the U.S. Secret Service will provide an ‘appropriate level of security to Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump’s running mate, J.D. Vance.

‘Senator J.D. Vance was born and raised in Appalachia, served our country as a U.S. Marine, and is regarded as one of the most thoughtful Senators in Congress. He possesses a profound understanding of the anxieties of working families and has both the lived experience and the policy expertise to help President Trump deliver a government worthy of the people it is supposed to serve,’ Speaker Mike Johnson said.

‘Trump needs a vice president with innovative ideas and the ability to articulate them to every single American voter and Senator J.D. Vance fits that mold perfectly.’

President Joe Biden has ordered Secret Service protection for independent candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, the homeland security chief said Monday. Mayorkas said:

In light of this weekend’s events, the President has directed me to work with the Secret Service to provide protection to Robert Kennedy Jr.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent

When Donald Trump named J.D. Vance as his pick for vice president it completed an extraordinary journey from former Marine and bestselling author with a neat line in Never Trump rhetoric to the ultimate MAGA loyalist.

It could have been very different, were it not for his wife and her legal background.

Vance met Usha Chilukuri, the child of Indian immigrants, at Yale Law School in 2013. While his career took him into venture capital before embarking on the manuscript that would become ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ and a culture phenomenon, making sense of a forgotten America that mystified the country’s liberal elite, she was pursuing federal clerkships.

First she worked in Kentucky but then she moved to a coveted place at the U.S. Court of Appeals for Washington, DC., where she clerked for Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh.

Friends say it was Kavanaugh’s stormy Supreme Court confirmation in 2018 when he had to ride out multiple accusations of sexual assault that pushed Vance into politics.

From Kelly Laco, executive editor of politics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

Moments after Donald Trump posted his VP pick to Truth Social, the GOP Convention crowd went wild.

The speaker onstage announced that all delegates will be going to ‘Donald Trump and his newly selected Vice President candidate JD Vance!

A loud ‘JAY-DEE, JAY-DEE’ chant started among the attendees on the convention floor

Cheers rang out throughout the wild MAGA supporters and delegates assembled on the floor.

The state roll call is currently ongoing as they each announce their delegates going to Donald Trump.

Democrats’ concerns over the top of their ticket were put on hold after the assassination attempt of former President Donald Trump on Saturday.

The jaw-dropping Trump rally brought calls for Joe Biden to step aside to a halt – and now as the momentum for him to go dies out, some Democrats are convinced they’ll lose the election.

A senior House Democrat told Axios: ‘We’ve all resigned ourselves to a second Trump presidency.’

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Vivek Ramaswamy predicted that fellow Ohioan Sen. J.D. Vance is going to be Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick.

Speaking at the CNN-Politico Grill on the sidelines of the Republican Convention on Monday, the former 2024 contender said he’s really the only choice left after both Sen. Marco Rubio and Gov. Doug Burgum were told they are no longer in consideration.

I think JD is going to be a great vice president… He does leave in his wake a big vacuum.

When asked if he would step up if asked to fill Vance’s position as a Ohio senator, Ramaswamy replied:

If asked to serve then I would strongly consider it.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent in Milwaukee

Donald Trump picked Ohio senator J.D. Vance as his running mate on Monday afternoon, choosing a grassroots favorite ahead of more seasoned political operators.

The former president left it until the last possible moment, using all his showman skills to leave the world guessing, before opting for 39-year-old Vance after the Republican National Convention had already begun in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Trump dropped his announcement on Truth Social, listing Vance’s achievements, citing his work ‘brilliantly’ fighting for American workers and farmers.

Vance swept to national attention when he published his bestselling memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy,’ in 2016, the year Trump was elected president.

He has been a senator for less than two years but has established himself as one of the fiercest defenders of Trump’s ‘Make America Great Again’ agenda, especially when it comes to foreign policy, trade and immigration.

Iowa state party chair Jeff Kaufmann has officially nominated Donald Trump as the Republican nominee. The procedural move brought a big round of cheers inside the Fiserv arena.

The convention is now going through the roll call of votes. Speaker Johnson noted that the order is determined by the convention. The roll call begins with Iowa, and is now going through other states.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin has seen a late-breaking surge on betting markets as a probable pick for former President Donald Trump’s VP.

Betters looked to Youngkin after multiple outlets reported that Trump had phoned Sen. Marco Rubio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and informed them they were not his choice.

Fox News’ Bret Baier reported that Trump would make the announcement today.

PredictIt betters found it most probable that Trump would select Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance, long considered part of his shortlist alongside Rubio and Burgum.

After Vance and Youngkin, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. came in third place.

Earlier Monday, Trump said on Truth Social that he wanted to see Kennedy receive Secret Service protection due to the Kennedy family history – both his uncle and father were assassinated – and on the heels of Trump’s own assassination attempt.

Kennedy was spotted at the gym in Milwaukee Sunday and is expected to attend and hold events on the sidelines of the Republican National Convention this week.

In fourth place on PredictIt was Vivek Ramaswamy, a former 2024 rival of Trump’s who’s also attending the RNC.

Ramawamy was speaking at a Politico-CNN Grill event Monday afternoon as roll call voting kicked off, making it unlikely he was the pick.

In fifth is Trump’s former HUD Secretary Ben Carson, also long considered to be in the veepstakes running.

Police cars were stationed outside Ohio Senator J.D. Vance’s home on Monday morning as speculation he will be Donald Trump’s running mate went into overdrive.

The Hillbilly Elegy author was then spotted leaving his Cincinnati home in an SUV with an escort from law enforcement.

With Marco Rubio and Doug Burgum told they are no longer in the running to be Trump’s VP, Vance’s odds skyrocketed.

From Kelly Laco, executive editor of politics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

The delegates at the 2024 Republican National Convention broke out in boos when the name of Senator Mitch McConnell was mentioned at the opening of the event.

McConnell is serving as the temporary chairman of the RNC during the week-long proceedings.

Donald Trump, 78,  and McConnell, 82, have had a contentious relationship going back to 2020 when the senator refused to say the election was stolen.

Trump for years has lobbed vicious attacks at McConnell, who he’s described as an ‘old crow’ and even a ‘piece of s**t.’

As a result, McConnell dragged his feet on the endorsement and was the last member of GOP leadership in the House and Senate to get behind the former president by a long shot.

North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum received a call notifying him he will not be Donald Trump’s vice presidential pick.

Burgum was running for the presidential nominee in 2024 and dropped out in December 2023 after failing to qualify for the third debate.

Since then he has auditioned for a spot in a potential Trump White House.

First came the gavel, opening proceedings in the vast convention call. Then came the moment of silence for the attack on Donald Trump, and then came Lee Greenwood.

As his Trumpist anthem ‘God Bless the USA’ died away, attendees erupted in a new chant: ‘Fight, Fight, Fight.’

They used the words of Trump second after he was shot through the ear. He got to his feet, raised his fist and shouted: ‘Fight, fight, fight’ on Saturday evening.

From Kelly Laco, executive editor of politics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

According to multiple reports, Florida Senator Marco Rubio is not Donald Trump’s vice president pick.

He was rumored to be in the final running along with Sen. JD Vance of Ohio and North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum.

But according to reports, he just got a call that he will not be the former president’s No. 2.

Earlier Monday, DailyMail.com exclusively revealed that Trump had not yet offered the gig to anyone yet.

From Kelly Laco, executive editor of politics in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

The 2024 RNC has officially kicked off at 1:00 p.m. CT by Chairman Michael Whatley.

The opening included a moment of silence for the victims of the shooting in Butler, Pennsylvania, over the weekend.

President Donald Trump narrowly escaped an assassination attempt on his life less than two days ago.

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor for DailyMail.com in Milwaukee

Former Trump national security advisor Robert O’Brien is calling on President Joe Biden to shut down the Trump prosecutions.

‘Maek a grand gesture. Start to unite America again,’ he said in an in interview with Kevin Baron, editorial director of Politico Live being conducted at the CNN Grill Monday.

‘He’s the chief executive. He controls Merrick Garland. And these cases were originally hatched we know in the White House,’ said O’Brien – despite the cases being brought by local prosecutors and a special counsel Garland appointed and Biden denying control.

He also called on Democrats to ‘respect’ Judge Aileen Cannon, who dismissed his classified documents case Monday.

‘This is a time for Democrats to put their money where their mouth is. Respect the judge. Reflect the rule of law,’ said O’Brien, a potential contender for secretary of state in a second Trump term.

O’Brien called for the Pentagon to ‘get away from the wokeness,’ and said Europe would still be protected under a Trump Administration.

‘The United States has been there for Europe. We were there before,’ he said.

A local Pennslyvania sheriff has defended the police officer who confronted Donald Trump’s would-be assassin on the roof moments before he opened fire.

Butler County Sheriff Michael Slupe confirmed on Monday that one of his armed officers encountered Thomas Matthew Crooks seconds before he unleashed carnage on the former president’s rally.

The cop, who has not been named, retreated when Crooks pointed his AR-style rifle at him.

Slupe defended the decision and told KDKA he would ‘have done the same thing.’

‘All I know is the officer had both hands on the roof to get up on the roof, never made it because the shooter had turned towards the officer, and rightfully and smartly, the officer let go.

‘I mean, people think the officers are supermen like you hold on the roof with one hand while you are hanging on for dear life and pull a gun out. It doesn’t work that way.

Slupe also said that members of his department were alerted to Crooks’ suspicious behavior before the rally began and started searching for him right away.

Law enforcement and the Secret Service are under intense scrutiny after it was revealed the roof from where Crooks opened fire was flagged as a security risk.

Local police, not the Secret Service, swept the building, but Crooks was still able to climb to the top and take aim at the former president.

He killed a member of the rally crowd and shot Trump in the ear.

Slupe acknowledged that Crooks was in the ‘secondary ring’ of protection when he opened fire.

He said the Secret Service is responsible for the ring immediately around the president, but local police take control of the outer ring.

From Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. politics reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin:

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Former President Donald Trump on Monday called on the Secret Service to start providing protection for independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy has long requested protection from the Secret Service as both his father, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and uncle, President John F. Kennedy, were assassinated while in office.

RFK was running for president in 1968 and speaking at a campaign event at the Ambassador Hotel in Los Angeles when he was murdered by an assassin’s bullet.

Trump survived an assassination attempt at his own campaign rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Trump said on Truth Monday:

In light of what is going on in the world today, I believe it is imperative that Robert F. Kennedy Jr. receive Secret Service protection — immediately. Given the history of the Kennedy Family, this is the obvious right thing to do!

Donald Trump’s campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt has given birth.

She revealed she had welcomed son Nicholas into the world in an adorable Instagram post.

‘July 10, 2024. 11:25PM. The moment our son was born. The moment I officially became a mom. The best moment of my life.

It’s true when they say there’s nothing comparable to the love you feel for your child. My heart has grown bigger than I ever imagined possible. Babies are the ultimate blessing and I’m bursting with gratitude for our beautiful, happy, healthy boy.

Now that I’m a mom, I am also more frightened than ever for the future of our country, especially after the assassination attempt of my boss and former President Trump. We need more love in this world. We need to treat every one of our fellow humans as we want our own children to be treated – with respect.

Nicholas Robert aka Niko. 🤗 My son. I love you. 💙’

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor in Milwaukee

Seasoned Republican congressional investigators are warning about the high stakes for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, who has been called to testify before the House Oversight Committee about the shooting that could have killed former President Trump.

‘Somebody, somewhere has a really, really a lot of serious questions to have to answer,’ House Judiciary and ‘Weaponization’ committee member Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota told DailyMail.com in Milwaukee.

‘I’m not going to guess, I mean, there are 1,000 different ways a screw up can happen. This is a really, really big screw and somebody needs to be held accountable for it really quickly,’ he said, amid new relevations about the failure to secure a building 150 yards away from where Trump spoke Saturday in Pennsylvania.

‘That just can’t happen here. They have to come out and say how this happened. How this was possible?’

Former Oversight Committee chair Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah) told DailyMail.com, ‘I went through it with Director [Julia] Pierson. I went through it with Director [Joseph] Clancy both ended up having to resign after he went through investigations because it was not a pretty picture and this seems to feel smell like that.

‘I know the FBI has taken control of the investigation, but Secret Service had control of the perimeter and the security of the president. I think it’s I think it’s quite interesting that they took this away from Homeland Security and gave it to the Department of Justice. That speaks volumes,’ he said.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

DailyMail.com caught the house band at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee Monday morning practicing what is traditionally former President Donald Trump’s walk-on song: Lee Greenwood’s God Bless the USA.

Video also captures the teleprompter set up for Monday’s speeches and balloons hanging from the rafters, ready for a balloon drop.

Trump arrived in Milwaukee Sunday after surviving an assassination attempt Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.

He’s expected to kick-off the four-day convention by announcing his VP pick sometime Monday, divulging that information to Fox News’ Bret Baier.

Speaker Mike Johnson said it was a ‘great relief’ and a ‘great day for justice’ after Judge Aileen Cannon tossed out the classified documents case against former President Donald Trump.

‘I think it’s a great result, it’s a great relief to us,’ Speaker Mike Johnson told DailyMail.com in an interview on day one of the Republican National Convention.

Special Counsel Jack Smith was ‘beyond the bounds of what you should be doing,’ said Johnson, ‘so I’m grateful that Judge Cannon recognized that. We’ll see what effect this has on the other cases, but it’s certainly a great day for justice.’

Donald Trump lawyer Alina Habba defended Judge Aileen’s cannon after she dramatically threw out Trump’s classified documents case in Florida. ‘At the end of the day, you can criticize Judge Cannon, and a lot of people do, but she’s looking at the Constitution … They’re looking at rights of the executive branch,’ she told CNN.

She didn’t rule out independent counsels being used in a second Trump administration. ‘If and when we win, we are going to have to be transparent with America. We are going to have to make sure that people are appointed special counsel the correct way,’ she said.

President Joe Biden returns to the campaign trail on Tuesday after pausing political operations in the wake of the assassination attempt on rival Donald Trump.

Biden heads to Las Vegas, where he will spend two days talking to black and latino voters as he struggles to reset his campaign in the new political reality.

As part of the trip, he and his team will be testing the waters on how it can push forward with his candidacy without appearing insensitive to Trump. Several conservatives pointed to Biden’s campaign rhetoric as a reason Trump was targeted. Both sides have spoken harshly of the other.

With time ticking down to the announcement of Donald Trump’s running mate, DailyMail.com can reveal that no one has yet been offered the gig.

The party convention in Milwaukee is expected to reveal the former president’s choice of vice president on Monday.

But a source familiar with the process said late on Monday morning: ‘No one has had it offered to them yet.’

Fox News anchor Bret Baier said the president had told him he would be announcing his decision today.

Donald Trump has revealed he will announce his pick to be Vice President today.

He made the announcement to Fox News’ Brett Baier in a phone call on Monday morning.

Former President Donald Trump took to Truth Social on Monday morning to welcome the dismissal of the Florida documents case against him.

He arrived in Milwaukee on Sunday evening for the Republican National Convention a day after surviving an assassination attempt.

The developments in Florida will provide another filip to a campaign that is on the up after weeks of pressure on his opponent President Joe Biden.

Yet the triumphalist tone is a step away from the messages of unity his allies have trailed for this week.

As we move forward in Uniting our Nation after the horrific events on Saturday, this dismissal of the Lawless Indictment in Florida should be just the first step, followed quickly by the dismissal of ALL the Witch Hunts

A lawmaker briefing with the Secret Service will occur on Tuesday, a source familiar tells DailyMail.com.

In addition, based on the House Oversight Committee’s conversations with the Secret Service, Director Cheatle is expected to appear for a hearing on Monday, July 22.

The source added that more details will be announced soon.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsion

More than 50,000 people are descending on Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention in the wake of an assassination attempt on the Donald Trump.

A shooter hit the former president’s ear during his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania on Saturday before being shot dead by Secret Service. One rally attendee is deceased and two others are injured.

But Trump is still going full steam ahead to Milwaukee this week for the Republican National Convention where he will end the week as the GOP presidential nominee for the third time in a row.

DailyMail.com breaks down all the details of this year’s convention and what to watch as the events unfold and how it’s affected after the historic assassination attempt:

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders has a speaking slot at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Tuesday.

Sanders served as Trump’s White House Press Secretary for two years before she tearfully stepped down from her post to pursue public office in her home state.

The two spoke by phone on Sunday afternoon, a White House official told DailyMail.com.

No other details about the call were available.

The classified documents case against Donald Trump has been dismissed by a federal judge in a bombshell ruling less than 48 hours after he was shot.

The former president was accused of taking highly sensitive files to Mar-a-Lago when he left the White House.

Judge Aileen Cannon threw the case out based on ‘violations’ of the Constitution’s Appointments Clause and Appropriations Clause.

This is a huge win for Trump as he seeks to get his other criminal cases thrown out.

Donald Trump plans to strike a unifying tone at the Republican Convention this week.

He will dial down his rhetoric in a bid to unify America, Axios reported.

Tucker Carlson, who will be speaking at the Convention, told the outlet:

I think it’s real.Getting shot in the face changes a man.

Former President Donald Trump has spoken to one of the odd unanswered questions of Saturday’s assassination attempt: his repeated call for his shoes.

‘Let me get my shoes, let me get my shoes,’ Trump said, as agents secured him and told him his head was bloodied. ‘Let me get my shoes,’ Trump repeated.

He told columnist Michael Goodwin of the New York Post, ‘The agents hit me so hard that my shoes fell off, and my shoes are tight,’ smiling at the observation.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Local Milwaukee businesses protested the Republican National Convention by putting up signs bashing the party.

‘Welcome fiuture fake electors,’ a sign in the window of the Penzeys Spices store reads.

Another on a chalboard outside a local bar says, ‘Horrible city welcomes RNC facists,’ in reference to reports Donald Trump called Milwaukee a ‘horrible city’ during a closed door meeting with Republican lawmakers last month.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter

New video emerged Sunday night showing Donald Trump’s supporters outside the security perimeter pointing at the would-be assassin as he bear-crawled on the roof of a nearby building before opening fire on the former president.

A nearly 50-second clip shows people outside the Butler, Pennsylvnia event looking, pointing and questioning why there was a man on the roof of an industrial building just 130 yards from the stage where Trump was speaking.

‘Look, they’re all pointing,’ the man behind the camera is heard saying as it pans from the stage to the warehouse roof where a figure is seen crawling. ‘Yeah someone’s on top of the roof – look.’

‘He’s on the roof!’ a woman yells 40 seconds into the video as Trump is heard in the background continuing his remarks.

Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, was killed by U.S. Secret Service after his assassination attempt on Trump at his rally Saturday.

Donald Trump’s would-be assassin purchased 50 rounds of ammunition just hours before the shooting, according to bombshell reports.

The Secret Service also did not sweep the roof where gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks opened fire at the former president.

The horrifying new developments reported by CNN come as the Secret Service faces mounting questions over how the 20-year-old managed to get just 130 yards from where Trump was speaking in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Crooks shot Trump in the ear with an AR-style rifle his father purchased legally.

Multiple witnesses have said they warned law enforcement that a gunman was crawling on the building, but didn’t respond before he started shooting.

‘Look, they’re all pointing,’ the man behind the camera is heard saying as it pans from the stage to the warehouse roof where a figure is seen crawling. ‘Yeah someone’s on top of the roof – look.’

The roof where Crooks lay down with his weapon was flagged as a security concern, and was swept by local law enforcement not the Secret Service.

When Donald Trump arrived in Milwaukee last night there was one very visible sign of how the Secret Service had changed its posture around the former president.

Trump usually walks down the steps from Trump Force One alone, all the better to appear commanding in photographs and videos.

But yesterday a Secret Service agent was two steps behind, in a sign of how everything has changed in the wake of Saturday’s shooting.

Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle has confirmed Donald Trump’s security detail has been increased for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee this week after the assassination attempt.

Embattled Cheatle is facing calls to resign after gunman Thomas Mathew Crooks managed to crawl on a roof just 130 yards away from where Trump was speaking and open fire.

I would like to start by extending my deepest condolences to the family and friends of Corey Comperatore, who was killed during the assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump’s life in Butler, Pennsylvania, Saturday, as well as those who were injured during this senseless act of violence.

Secret Service personnel on the ground moved quickly during the incident, with our counter sniper team neutralizing the shooter and our agents implementing protective measures to ensure the safety of former president Donald Trump.

Since the shooting, I have been in constant contact with Secret Service personnel in Pennsylvania who worked to maintain the integrity of the crime scene until the FBI assumed its role as the lead investigating agency into the assassination attempt. I have also been coordinating with the protective detail for former President Trump and have briefed President Biden on the details of the incident.

The Secret Service is working with all involved Federal, state and local agencies to understand what happened, how it happened, and how we can prevent an incident like this from ever taking place again. We understand the importance of the independent review announced by President Biden yesterday and will participate fully. We will also work with the appropriate Congressional committees on any oversight action.

The incident in Pennsylvania has understandably led to questions about potential updates or changes to the security for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee. The U.S. Secret Service, in conjunction with our Federal, state and local law enforcement and public safety partners, designs operational security plans for National Special Security Events (NSSE) to be dynamic in order to respond to a kinetic security environment and the most up-to-date intelligence from our partners.

I am confident in the security plan our Secret Service RNC coordinator and our partners have put in place, which we have reviewed and strengthened in the wake of Saturday’s shooting. The security plans for National Special Security Events are designed to be flexible. As the conventions progress, and in accordance with the direction of the President, the Secret Service will continuously adapt our operations as necessary in order to ensure the highest level of safety and security for convention attendees, volunteers and the City of Milwaukee. In addition to the additional security enhancements we provided former President Trump’s detail in June, we have also implemented changes to his security detail since Saturday to ensure his continued protection for the convention and the remainder of the campaign.

The Secret Service is tasked with the tremendous responsibility of protecting the current and former leaders of our democracy. It is a responsibility that I take incredibly seriously, and I am committed to fulfilling that mission.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas has admitted the shooting of Donald Trump was a ‘failure’ by the Secret Service.

The Biden cabinet member also said gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks should have never been able to get into the ‘direct line’ of sight to be able to open fire.

He spoke out on multiple morning shows and pointed to the independent review ordered by President Joe Biden.

On CNN, he rejected the ‘baseless’ and ‘irresponsible’ allegations that requests to increase Trump’s protective detail had been denied.

He was also grilled about a report suggesting the Secret Service didn’t even sweep the roof where Crooks started shooting and left it up to local law enforcement.

Mayorkas deferred to the independent review and said the federal government always works with police in the area.

MSNBC did not air Morning Joe – its signature morning politics show – on Monday, instead airing breaking news coverage of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.

The decision was made in part to avoid a potentially embarrassing moment for the network.

There were worries one of the guests on the program’s roundtable might make an inappropriate comment on live television that could be used to attack the network and the program, CNN reported.

The network is known for having guests that tilt toward progressive and Democratic politics.

Some of Trump’s supporters have blamed the ‘liberal media’ for the attempt on the former president’s life.

Cesar Conde, the chairman of NBCUniversal News Group, appears to have been behind the decision to yank the show.

The hosts Joe Scarborough and Mike Brzezinski are vehement Trump critics and have often clashed with the former president

Trump told the New York Post:

The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle. By luck or by God, many people are saying it’s by God, I’m still here.

The roof from which gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, shot at Donald Trump had reportedly been flagged as a potential security problem by the Secret Service before the assassination attempt, according to a report by NBC News.

Crooks climbed on to the roof of a building belonging to a glass research company which was 150 yards from where Trump was speaking on a stage in Butler, Pennsylvania. A source told NBC News:

Someone should have been on the roof or securing the building so no one could get on the roof,”

The Secret Service had indicated the building should be under the jursdiction of local law enforcement because it was outside the rally perimiter, according to the report.

Crooks is pictured here in 2021.