Theme: ‘Great American Story’
Who is scheduled to speak each night of the convention.
The Republican National Convention is scheduled to begin Monday, featuring virtual elements as well as live events in Charlotte, North Carolina, Baltimore and Washington. President Donald Trump is likely to accept the presidential nomination from the White House on Thursday.
The theme of the convention is “Honoring the Great American Story,” and Republicans will speak from historic locations in and around Washington. Vice President Mike Pence is likely to give his speech from the Fort McHenry national monument in Baltimore on Wednesday.
The Trump campaign released the lineup of speakers for the four-night event, which includes Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-Fla.; former United Nations ambassador Nikki Haley; House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, RCalif.; South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem; and Sens. Tim Scott, R-S.C., and Joni Ernst, R-Iowa. First lady Melania Trump and Trump’s four adult children are also slated to speak.
Several non-lawmakers are to speak at the convention as well, including Mark and Patricia McCloskey, the St. Louis couple that brandished guns as Black Lives Matter protesters passed their home in June and faced felony charges before they were dropped.
Other speakers include: Nick Sandmann, a high school student criticized after an encounter with Nathan Phillips, a Native American demonstrator, in 2019; former Planned Parenthood director and current anti-abortion activist Abby Johnson; and Andrew Pollack, father of a student killed in the Parkland High School shooting in Florida in 2018.
Alice Johnson, a grandmother who was freed from prison by Trump at Kim Kardashian’s request, will speak this week. Johnson was sentenced to life without parole in 1997 because of her role in a drug-dealing ring.Trump commuted her sentence to time served in June 2018.
As the Democratic National Convention did, each night of the RNC will have a different sub-theme.
Monday night will be “Land of Promise,” Tuesday will be “Land of Opportunity,” Wednesday will be “Land of Heroes.” Thursday, when Trump will give his acceptance speech, will be “Land of Greatness.”
Among other speakers slated for Monday:
House Republican Whip Steve Scalise of Louisiana
Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio