Bandaged Trump receives hero’s welcome at Republican convention

Donald Trump held back tears as he entered the Republican National Convention in his first public appearance since his assassination attempt.

Trump, 78, looked emotional as he walked into the conference centre in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on the first day of the convention on Monday.

Wearing a bandage over his right ear, the Republican nominee appeared defiant after Saturday’s shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Trump waved at the packed arena and received a hero’s welcome, with cheering supporters giving him a standing ovation as Lee Greenwood sang “God Bless the USA.”

He greeted his family, before taking a seat between commentator Tucker Carlson and JD Vance, his new running mate.

Donald Trump Jr looked choked up as his father entered the room.

The late-night appearance occurred hours after jubilant delegates nominated the former president to lead their ticket for a third time.

Earlier on Monday, Trump announced that Mr Vance was his pick for vice president in the race to the 2024 election.

He said Mr Vance, an Ohio senator, was “best suited” and would “continue to fight for our Constitution, stand with our Troops, and will do everything he can to help me MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN”.

The Republican convention came just two days after the attempt on Trump’s life.

Trump said his ear had been “ripped through” by a bullet on Saturday, when Thomas Matthew Crooks fired at him from a nearby rooftop.

The incident has prompted a full review by the federal government, and security at this week’s convention has been increased.

Trump has called for national unity since the assassination attempt, in a marked departure from his recent attacks on Joe Biden, the US president.

Mr Biden’s campaign has suspended its political adverts in response to the shooting.

The President said on Monday that his campaign would criticise Trump where “appropriate”, but admitted his previous suggestion his party should put a “bullseye” on their opponent was a mistake.

Republicans have already capitalised on the attempt on their candidate’s life, calling for donations alongside a photo of a bloodied Trump raising his fist seconds after his ear was struck by a sniper’s bullet.

Mr Vance joined other Republicans in raising a fist to Trump when he appeared at the convention.

Republican Party Chairman Michael Whatley told the convention that Americans should show “the same strength and resilience as President Trump”.

Trump did not address the audience, with his acceptance speech scheduled for Thursday.

04:20 AM BST

That’s all for today

Thank you for following our live blog.

The first day of the Republican National Convention has now come to an end.

04:05 AM BST

Chair congratulates Trump and Vance

Michael Whatley, the chair of the convention, congratulated Trump and JD Vance on their nominations as he closed the night’s session.

“Senator Vance, congratulations,” he said.

“President Trump, we are honoured to have you here tonight and on behalf of the entire Republican Party all across America, we are grateful for you to be our nominee for the 47th president of the United States of America.”

Trump fist-pumped and waved at supporters as he was led backstage, with Secret Service agents following closely behind him.

03:45 AM BST

In pictures: Trump makes first public appearance at convention

03:39 AM BST

O’Brien: Trump is ‘one tough son of a b---h’

Sean O’Brien, president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, is currently on stage and has referred to Trump as “one tough son of a b---h”.

His remarks drew a huge round of applause from the audience.

“You can have whatever opinion you want, but one thing is clear: President Trump is a candidate who is not afraid of hearing from new, loud and often critical voices,” he said.

“I think we all can agree whether people like him or they don’t like him, in light of what happened to him on Saturday, he has proven to be one tough son of a b---h.”

03:35 AM BST

Amber Rose: Trump is not ‘racist’

Actress and model Amber Rose has spoken at the convention, rebutting the assertion that Trump is racist.

“The first person I knew who supported Donald Trump was my father. I was shocked,” she said.

She continued: “My entire family is racially diverse and I believed the Left-wing propaganda that Donald Trump was a racist.

“My father said, ‘No, he’s not Amber, what are you talking about?’ And when I insisted, he said, ‘prove it.’ So to prove my father wrong, I did my research and looked into all things Donald Trump.

“People have to do their research. I watched all the rallies, and I started meeting so many of you, his red-hat wearing supporters. I realised Donald Trump and his supporters don’t care if you’re Black, white, gay or straight – it’s all love.”

03:08 AM BST

Trump appears emotional as he makes grand entrance

Donald Trump Jr had tears in his eyes as his father headed towards the stage.

Trump walked across the room to Lee Greenwood’s “God Bless the USA” and smiled as he joined his running mate, JD Vance, in the stands. 

Trump looked emotional as he clapped at the convention, next to Byron Donalds, Mr Vance and Mike Johnson.

Trump saluted at the end of the song and joined chants of USA. He looked as if he was holding back tears.

03:06 AM BST

Trump arrives at Republican National Convention

Donald Trump has entered the Republican convention hall with a bandage covering his right ear.

02:47 AM BST

Kamala Harris ‘ready’ to debate JD Vance

Kamala Harris is ready to take on JD Vance in a vice-presidential debate, the Biden campaign has said.

The potential head-to-head may give the Democrats a chance to regain momentum ahead of November’s election after Joe Biden’s disastrous performance against Donald Trump last month.

“Vice President Harris is prepared to debate JD Vance. We have accepted the proposal from CBS News to participate in that debate, and we feel very good,” a spokesman for the Biden campaign said.

Mr Vance has not officially agreed to the debate, having been named as Donald Trump’s running mate just hours ago. Trump said he had accepted a debate invitation from Fox News on behalf of his yet-to-be-selected running mate in May.

The Biden campaign claimed that Ms Harris is well-positioned to draw contrasts with Mr Vance, whom they labelled a “rubber stamp for Donald Trump”.

The stakes may be higher than at previous debates, since both candidates will have to show they are presidential material who could take over if their running mates, who are 78 and 81 years old respectively, cannot fulfil the duties of their office.

Ms Harris is reported to have called Mr Vance after he was named as Trump’s running mate on Monday, but he did not answer. The vice president left a voicemail message instead.

02:22 AM BST

Tense exchanges as Biden criticises media

“I don’t plan on having another performance on that level,” Joe Biden says of his debate.

His NBC interview has had a few tense moments with Lester Holt, with the US President repeatedly criticising the media for not drawing more attention to Donald Trump’s failings.

“Sometime come and talk to me about what we should be talking about, ok? The issues,” he says as the interview concludes.

02:18 AM BST

Biden: I screwed up in debate

Joe Biden is asked about Democrats who have urged him to drop out of the presidential race. “We knew this was going be a close race from the moment [Trump] announced,” he says.

“If you look at all the polling data, polling data shows a lot of different things but there’s no wide gap between us. It’s essentially a toss-up race.”

He says of the debate: “I had a bad, bad night I wasn’t feeling well at all... I screwed up.”

Mr Biden then goes on to criticise the media for its coverage of Trump’s debate performance, asking: “Why didn’t the press talk about all the lies he told?”

Asked about his contact with Barack Obama, he says he has not spoken to the former president in about two weeks. Asked who he listens to about staying in the race, he answers: “Me. I’ve been doing this a long time.”

02:14 AM BST

Biden: We’ll continue campaigning on Trump’s legal issues

Joe Biden says he will continue campaigning on Donald Trump’s legal issues despite the shooting on Saturday. “Sure, I can talk about what I think is appropriate,” he says.

02:12 AM BST

Violence is ‘never, never, never appropriate’

Joe Biden is asked if the shooting on Saturday was a “massive security failure”.

He answers: “I’ve had two meeting. in the Situation Room with all the intelligence communities of FBI, Secret Service Center and I’ve asked for a totally independent analysis. And well see what happens in that.”

He again hits out and Trump on the January 6 riots, accusing him of supporting violence in the past.

“When you say there’s nothing wrong with going to the Capitol, breaking in threatening people... and then you say you’ve got forgive people for that, that was just a normal response?

Mr Biden continues: “Violence is never appropriate. Never, never, never in politics.”

02:09 AM BST

I don’t know if shooting will change race, says Biden

Asked if the shooting on Saturday will change the trajectory of the race, Joe Biden answers: “I don’t know. And you don’t know either.”

02:08 AM BST

Biden defends Trump criticisms

Lester Holt suggests that Joe Biden is not “turning down the heat”. Mr Biden pushes back, saying he can criticise Donald Trump without descending into violent rhetoric.

“The idea of saying that you didn’t win the election when every court in the land... said we won”, he says. He goes onto criticise Donald Trump for using the word “vermin”.

02:06 AM BST

Biden: Trump call was cordial - but his language is unacceptable

Joe Biden says his phone call with Donald Trump was “very cordial”, adding: “I told him how concerned I was.”

He continues: “My first reaction was My God - look there’s so much violence... there’s no place at all for violence in politics in America and we’ve reached the point where it’s become too commonplace.”

Mr Biden goes onto to criticise Trump’s language on the January 6 riot and Charlottesville white supremacist rally.

He acknowledges it was a mistake to say Trump should be put in a “bullseye” but defended his criticisms of his Republican rival.

“I’m not the guy that said I want to be a dictator on day one, I’m not the guy that refused to accept the outcome of the election,” he says.

02:02 AM BST

Biden interview being broadcast

Joe Biden’s interview with Lester Holt is now being broadcast on NBC News. You can follow the latest updates here.

01:59 AM BST

Trump: Biden ‘couldn’t have been nicer’ after shooting

Donald Trump said his phone call with Joe Biden in the aftermath of his attempted assassination on Saturday was “very nice”.

Trump, who has appealed for national unity since the a gunman opened fire at him while he was on Pennsylvania on Saturday, added: “He couldn’t have been nicer.”

Asked if the incident had changed him, the former president said “I don’t like to think about that” but said it “has an impact.”

01:49 AM BST

Musk ‘to spend $45 million a month on pro-Trump PAC’

Elon Musk is reportedly planning to donate $45 million a month to a group working to elect Donald Trump, having endorsed the Republican minutes after the rally shooting on Saturday.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Mr Musk, the richest man in the world, intends to back a political action committee called America PAC. Formed in June, it focuses on registering voters and convincing them to vote early.

It has previously been reported that the billionaire gave an “undisclosed sum” to the group.

01:35 AM BST

Trump and Vance to make joint appearance at RNC

Donald Trump and JD Vance are expected to attend tonight’s convention in their first joint appearance since the former president announced his running mate. Both men will appear in the family box, CNN reports.

01:12 AM BST

Biden: Trump wanted ‘complete agreement’ from running mate

Joe Biden said Donald Trump selected JD Vance as his running mate because he “agrees completely” with him.

The US President told NBC News, in an excerpt from an interview to be broadcast tonight: “It’s not unusual, he’s going to surround himself with people who agree completely with him.

“Even though, if you go back and listen to some of the things JD Vance said about Trump,” he added, apparently alluding to the Ohio senator’s previous criticisms of the Republican.

The Biden campaign has previously labelled Mr Vance, 39, a “rubber-stamp for Donald Trump”.

12:42 AM BST

Reports: Trump to appear at RNC

Donald Trump is expected to appear at the RNC tonight, according to US media. It will mark his first appearance before supporters since a gunman shot at him at a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

12:30 AM BST

Vance and Harris teams working to set up call

JD Vance did not answer a phone call from Kamala Harris, the vice president, because it came from an unknown number and he could not call back, according to CNN.

Mr Vance’s team is said to be in contact with Ms Harris’ staff and is working to set up a call between the two.

It is possible that the vice president will challenge Donald Trump’s new running mate to a debate, after the Biden campaign said she was ready to go head-to-head with him.

12:25 AM BST

Pictures: Vance’s name hastily added to Trump signs

12:15 AM BST

Watch: RNC speeches get underway on first night

12:07 AM BST

‘Trump has pulled off another triumph’

Donald Trump’s choice of JD Vance for vice president is very exciting, and illustrates how Trump has conquered and transformed his party.

When Trump ran with Mike Pence in 2016, it was a same-sex wedding to the Republican establishment. Pence was an orthodox conservative; insiders hoped that he might temper his boss. Vance, by contrast, is a total product of the populist revolution.

Born to a blue-collar family in southwest Ohio, with a traumatic upbringing made famous by his book Hillbilly Elegy, Vance embodies the left-behind people Trump seeks to represent – ground down by low paid work and an unhealthy culture (his mother struggled with addiction).

Read Tim Stanley’s take on Trump’s new running mate here.

11:57 PM BST

Another look at the Trump-Vance campaign plane

11:56 PM BST

Vance’s name included on Trump jet

JD Vance’s name has been plastered over Donald Trump’s private jet after he was selected as the former president’s running mate.

Images from senior campaign aides shows the Boeing 757 decorated with “Trump” in bold red letters, with “Vance” in a smaller font underneath.

11:48 PM BST

Pictured: Delegates on the convention floor ahead of RNC speeches

11:44 PM BST

Trump ‘urges RFK Jr to drop out of race’

Donald Trump has urged Robert F Kennedy to drop out of the presidential race and endorse him in the interests of “national unity”.

The two men are said to have met this morning in Milwaukee, where the Republican National Convention is taking place.

Trump appears to have suggested the move would bring the country together, echoing previous appeals for “unity” after a gunman attempted to assassinate him as he held a rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

Polling averages put Mr Kennedy at around nine per cent in an election where the margins are extremely tight, meaning his endorsement of Trump could have a dramatic impact. However, he appears to have declined to do so.

“Lots of rumours going around about my meeting this morning with President Trump,” Mr Kennedy wrote on social media.

“Our main topic was national unity, and I hope to meet with Democratic leaders about that as well. No, I am not dropping out of the race.”

Stefanie Spear, the Kennedy campaign’s press secretary, claimed the 70-year-old was the “only pro-environment, pro-choice, anti-war candidate” in the race.

11:41 PM BST

Harris ‘will not give an inch’ in Vance debate

Senator Elizabeth Warren has claimed Kamala Harris will not “give an inch” when she debates JD Vance, as the Democrats lay down a challenge to Donald Trump’s new running mate.

“The VP will take it to JD Vance. I’ve known her for nearly 15 years, while she’s been in every kind of fight on behalf of working families, and she is strong,” Ms Warren said on a Biden campaign call with reporters.

“She knows what she’s talking about and she doesn’t give an inch.

“And she has the better end of the argument... The debate is going to have two parts to it. It’s how strong our Vice President is and how good her economic issues are.”

11:24 PM BST

Pictured: Vance appears with his wife, Usha, on the convention floor

10:56 PM BST

Trump’s security to be increased during RNC

Donald Trump’s security will be ramped up during the RNC following the attempt on his life on Saturday, the Homeland Security secretary has said.

Alejandro Mayorkas said: “Both prior to and after the events of this past weekend, the Secret Service enhanced former President Trump’s protection, based on the evolving nature of threats to the former President and his imminent shift from presumptive nominee to nominee.

“This includes enhancements related to securing the former President during the Republican National Convention this week.

Mr Mayorkas did not clarify how Trump’s security would be enhanced “as they involve sensitive tactics and procedures” but said it involved “personnel and other protective resources, technology, and capabilities”.

He added that Secret Service protection would be provided to Robert F Kennedy, the independent candidate whose father and uncle were assassinated in the 1960s.

10:48 PM BST

Liz Truss praises Trump’s ‘leadership’ at Republican convention

10:47 PM BST

Biden admits ‘mistake’ with Trump ‘bullseye’ comment

Joe Biden has said it was a mistake to talk about putting Donald Trump in a “Bullseye” after a gunman attempted to assassinate the former president on Saturday,

“It was a mistake to use the word,” Mr Biden said in an interview with NBC News, to be broadcast later tonight.

“I meant focus on him. Focus on what he’s doing. Focus on his policies, focus on the number of lies he told at the debate,” he added.

10:14 PM BST

Kamala Harris ‘leaves Vance a voicemail’

Kamala Harris, the vice president, called JD Vance after he was named as Donald Trump’s running mate, CNN reports. Mr Vance does not appear to have answered and Ms Harris left him a voicemail.

10:00 PM BST

Vance ‘a rising star - but has a way to go’

JD Vance has just entered the convention floor here in Milwaukee and is taking selfies and shaking hands as he makes his way through the crowd before he is formally nominated as the Republican vice presidential candidate.

The crowd was shouting “JD, JD, JD” as he was introduced. But the reception is far more muted than it has been for any of the Trump family members who have been spotlighted on the floor today.

It’s a reminder than Mr Vance may be a rising GOP star, but he still has a way to go to introduce himself to a wider audience.

09:53 PM BST

JD Vance greeted by RNC crowd

JD Vance has appeared at the RNC and is being greeted by the crowd after being selected as Donald Trump’s running mate. The Ohio senator is going around greeting delegates on the convention floor with his wife, Usha.

09:27 PM BST

Trump Jr ‘aggressively lobbied’ for Vance selection

JD Vance’s selection as Trump’s running mate comes after an aggressive lobbying campaign by the Republican nominee’s son, Donald Jnr, with whom the Ohio senator has developed a strong friendship.

Don Jnr is said to set much store by Mr Vance’s ability to be an effective communicator.

He will make a formidable opponent for Kamala Harris in the vice presidential debates - something insiders say Don Jnr has cited many times while making his case for Mr Vance’s selection.

Ms Harris’ former aides appear to agree. The vice president believes of all of Trump’s potential picks, Mr Vance “would pose the greatest threat” to her in a head-to-head, according to her former communications director Ashley Etienne.

“He’s an incredible debater,” she told CNN last month. “I think it’s going to be a challenge to see the two of them face to face.”

09:26 PM BST

How Vance can take Trump’s message to the Rust Belt and suburbs

JD Vance selection as the Republican vice presidential candidate offers Donald Trump’s 2024 bid several assets.

The 39-year-old Ohio senator is an extremely talented media performer and campaigner.

He has the political intelligence to disseminate Trump’s message to both working-class voters in the Rust Belt and highly educated voters in the suburbs.

That is thanks to his unusual background. His ascent from humble origins in a depressed Ohio steel town to a lucrative career in Silicon Valley have given him first-hand experience of both worlds.

His former boss, the billionaire entrepreneur Peter Thiel, remains a close friend and staunch supporter of his political career.

Mr Vance has relied on his Silicon Valley ties as he campaigns for Trump, playing an instrumental role in encouraging West Coast donors to contribute to his war chest.

09:23 PM BST

The rise of JD Vance, the Hillbilly the Left couldn’t cancel

This is probably unwise to admit, in the wake of JD Vance’s victory in the Republican primary election for the Senate seat of Ohio, but I quite liked Hillbilly Elegy when it was published in 2016.

The book, which became a 2020 film starring Amy Adams and Glenn Close, was his story of bootstrapping his way from a volatile Rust Belt family, in one of the poorest regions of the country, up to the highest levels of Ivy League education.

Vance described his childhood hardship with a flinty eye. He loved his protective grandmother, but he was “the abandoned son of a man I hardly knew and a woman I wished I didn’t.”

Read Jessa Crispin’s piece on JD Vance from May 2022 here.

09:17 PM BST

Pictured: Trump siblings celebrate as father wins Republican nomination

09:09 PM BST

Defeated VP contenders back Vance

Marco Rubio and Doug Burgum, the two other names on Trump’s shortlist of potential running mate picks, have issued messages of support for JD Vance.

Mr Burgum, the Governor of North Dakota, praised Mr Vance’s record of “service” and said he would be a “powerful voice for the America First Agenda.”

“I look forward to campaigning for the Trump-Vance ticket to Make America Great Again” he added.

Mr Rubio, the Florida senator who took on Trump for the Republican nomination in 2016, published a brief message on social media. “#TrumpVance2024!!!” he wrote.

08:50 PM BST

How Vance’s selection is a blow to future Ukraine funding

JD Vance’s selection throws the future of US support for Ukraine into doubt - should he and Donald Trump win the election in November.

The Ohio senator has previously voted against the $60 billion support package for Kyiv and said he remains opposed to “virtually any proposal” that would prolong the “gruesome” war.

He said in a New York Times opinion piece in April that Ukraine could not overcome its manpower disadvantage, and that the US should be seeking to broker peace with Vladimir Putin. In practice, this would mean ceding large areas of Ukrainian territory to Russia.

Mr Vance claimed Washington had sought to prolong the war “because it’s been good for American business”, saying the notion was “grotesque”.

08:43 PM BST

Vance ‘will bend over backwards for Trump’

The Biden campaign has claimed JD Vance would seek to ban abortion across the country and refuse to certify election results after he was selected as Donald Trumo’s running mate. It said in a statement:

08:40 PM BST

Vance: Biden’s dangerous rhetoric caused Trump shooting

JD Vance, who has just been selected as Trump’s running mate, blamed Joe Biden for sparking the attempt on Donald Trump’s life on Saturday.

Mr Vance, has previously suggested the former president was “America’s Hitler”, said: “The central premise of the Biden campaign is that President Donald Trump is an authoritarian fascist who must be stopped at all costs.

“That rhetoric led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.”

08:33 PM BST

Trump becomes official Republican presidential nominee

Donald Trump has become the official Republican presidential nominee after receiving the votes of enough delegates at the Republican National Convention.

Trump has been the presumptive nominee for months. But it was the vote of RNC delegates in Milwaukee that made it official Monday afternoon.

Trump hit the necessary threshold with votes from his home state of Florida.

08:29 PM BST

Trump’s statement in full

08:28 PM BST

Who is JD Vance?

JD Vance made his name with the 2016 memoir “Hillbilly Elegy,” a best-selling account of his Appalachian family and modest Rust Belt upbringing, which gave a voice to rural, working-class resentment in left-behind America.

Critics have pointed to numerous awkward remarks one-time “Never Trump guy” Vance has made in the past, including calling the billionaire an “idiot,” “noxious” and “reprehensible” and suggesting he was “America’s Hitler.”

Vance reinvented himself as a Trump supporter in recent years and ultimately won the ex-president’s key endorsement in the 2022 Ohio Senate race.

08:20 PM BST

MAGA caps and Trump memorabilia: Inside the Republican National Convention

The roll call to officially nominate Donald Trump as the Republican 2024 candidate has begun here at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

A delegation from each state is given a turn to speak on the floor and announce how many votes it is casting for the candidate.

Trump’s crowning as the nominee was never in doubt, but a stroll around the convention site offers a vivid illustration of just how in thrall to the former president the GOP has become.

Red “MAGA” caps are everywhere. Many attendees are braving the sweltering heat to browse the stalls outside to browse the MAGA memorabilia.

Trump’s image has been lionised on a range of items available for purchase, from shot glasses to T-shirts.

I even spied a pair of the former president’s golden high top trainers on display at one stand.

Inside the arena, a loud cheer goes up each time Trump’s name is mentioned.

08:17 PM BST

Shouts of JD Vance ring out after running mate selection

Shouts of JD, JD, JD have just gone up at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee ahead of Ohio senator JD Vance’s formal nomination as the GOP vice presidential candidate.

08:06 PM BST

Welcome

Hello and welcome to the live blog. Benedict Smith here. We’ll be bringing you all the updates from the Republican National Convention, where Donald Trump’s running mate is expected to be announced.

08:05 PM BST

Pictured: House Speaker wields gavel as RNC vote gets underway

07:48 PM BST

Vivek Ramaswamy urges the country to come together

Vivek Ramaswamy, a pharmaceutical entrepreneur and political novice who ran in the GOP presidential primary, has distinguished himself as an aggressive voice on the right, saying often that the country is already at war with itself.

So it was notable that in remarks at an event run by the conservative Heritage Institute at the RNC on Monday, he was toning down his rhetoric and urging the country to come together.

“The enemy is not the Democrats, it is an ideology,” Mr Ramaswamy told the crowd at the Heritage Institute’s “Policy Fest” event.

Mr Ramaswamy compared the assassination attempt on Donald Trump to Abraham Lincoln’s assassination, telling reporters after his speech that “Donald Trump, in some ways, has been given the chance now, the second chance that Abraham Lincoln didn’t have to unite a country that, this time, didn’t have to fight a civil war but avoids one.”

07:37 PM BST

Pictured: Republican delegates

Republican delegates have been photographed at the RNC.

07:24 PM BST

Trump has made his vice president pick

Donald Trump has chosen his vice presidential candidate, according to CNN.

The outlet reported that a Republican source familiar with the decision said it will be revealed for the first time at 4.37 pm ET (9.37 UK time).

07:21 PM BST

Doug Burgum won’t be Trump’s running mate

North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum has been informed that he will not be selected as Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick, according to Fox News.

07:20 PM BST

Could Glenn Youngkin be a surprise ticket?

Speculation is growing that Donald Trump could select Virginia governor Glenn Youngkin for his vice president nomination.

Mr Youngkin had been considered a potential 2024 presidential candidate by those seeking an alternative to Mr Trump, but ultimately decided not to enter the race, a move that earned Mr Trump’s respect.

Mr Youngkin is also viewed as a reassuring figure by major Republican donor groups, including corporate CEOs, as well as suburban women.

At his first rally after debating Joe Biden last month in Virginia, Mr Trump showered his praise on Mr Youngkin.

“I’m honoured to be here with your governor,” Mr Trump said. “He’s got common sense, he’s got great policy. He’s got the policy that made America great.”

07:11 PM BST

National anthem kicks off convention

The convention and pledge of allegiance kicked off the convention.

It was followed by chants of: “USA! USA! USA!”

07:09 PM BST

Marco Rubio out of the running

Florida Senator Marco Rubio has been informed that he will not be Donald Trump’s choice for vice president, according to Reuters.

Mr Rubio was one of the challengers Mr Trump faced in the GOP primaries leading up to the 2016 election, but later became a staunch ally during Mr Trump’s presidency.

07:06 PM BST

Republican National Convention commences

The Republican National Convention officially began as Chair Michael Whatley gaveled it into session.

He initiated the proceedings with a moment of silence in remembrance of the shooting at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday.

07:05 PM BST

Could Doug Burgum get the job?

Doug Burgum, another of Donald Trump’s former primary opponents, is also in the running for vice president.

The 67-year-old is currently serving his second term as governor of North Dakota.

Mr Burgum had a limited impact as a presidential candidate but has re-emerged on the campaign trail with his endorsement of Mr Trump.

His low-drama demeanour reportedly impressed Mr Trump, something reminiscent of that which led to the selection of former Vice President Mike Pence in 2016.

During an interview on Fox News radio, Mr Trump commented on North Dakota’s near-total abortion ban, which Mr Burgum supported, calling it “a little bit of an issue”.

“I think Doug is great, but he’s taken a very strong stance,” Mr Trump remarked.

06:57 PM BST

‘Direct line of sight’ to Trump should never have happened

Homeland Security has admitted there were failings in the security arrangements to protect Donald Trump at his rally in Pennsylvania.

Alejandro Mayorkas, Homeland Security Secretary, told ABC News that “a direct line of sight like that to the former president should not occur” after Trump’s ear was grazed by a bullet fired by 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks on Saturday.

He added that the gun attack which killed one spectator and hospitalised two others is being investigated through an independent review announced by Joe Biden on Sunday which the Secret Service said it will “participate fully” in.

“When I say that something like that cannot happen, we are speaking of a failure,” Mr Mayorkas, who has previously appealed for calm during the presidential election campaign, also told CNN.

The Secret Service, who are responsible for protecting current and former presidents, defended itself against criticism over failing to detect the gunman, claiming that its agents “moved quickly” during the incident to neutralise the shooter.

06:47 PM BST

Local police fired during assassination attempt

A law enforcement source told CNN that the Butler County Police Department SWAT Team also discharged a weapon on Saturday night at the Trump rally.

This was in addition to weapons fired by the Secret Service and the shooter himself.

Previous audio forensics had suggested that as many as three weapons were fired.

06:40 PM BST

Delegates arrive for RNC

Delegates have begun to arrive at the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Wisconsin.

06:32 PM BST

Marco Rubio in the running for vice president

As Donald Trump’s selection for his vice-president candidate looms, Marco Rubio is also on the cards.

Mr Trump and the 53-year-old had a contentious relationship during the 2016 Republican primary race.

Mr Trump nicknamed him “Little Marco” in reference to his stature, while Mr Rubio made comments about Mr Trump’s small hands.

However, the Florida senator has since worked closely with his former rival, endorsing him early in this primary season.

Mr Rubio spoke at a rally for Mr Trump in Florida on Tuesday.

After the event, the presidential candidate said: “He’s very good... Marco was great last night, very popular. And he’s certainly one of the people that we’re looking at.”

06:17 PM BST

RNC set-up begins

Preparations are being made ahead of the start of the first day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum in Wisconsin.

06:03 PM BST

1,700 US troops assisting RNC

Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh announced on Monday that approximately 1,700 US service members will be involved in supporting the Republican National Convention this week.

The majority will come from the National Guard, with a smaller contingent of active-duty personnel.

She said:

Ms Singh added that the service members will be assisting the FBI, Secret Service, and Milwaukee Metro Police Department in “24/7 operations”.

She emphasised that their deployment was pre-planned and unrelated to the recent assassination attempt.

05:53 PM BST

Biden briefed by Homeland Security

Joe Biden and Kamala Harris were briefed by Homeland Security and law enforcement officials on the investigation into the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.

According to the White House, the briefing took place in the Situation Room and involved the participation of the attorney general, homeland security secretary, FBI director, as well as the director and deputy director of the Secret Service.

05:43 PM BST

Who is vice-president contender JD Vance?

Donald Trump is anticipated to announce his selection for his Republican running mate within the next few hours.

On the list is JD Vance, a 39-year-old junior senator from Ohio, who has campaigned for Mr Trump on numerous occasions in recent months.

After once identifying as a “never-Trumper,” Mr Vance rebranded himself when he sought election to the Senate in 2022, a campaign bolstered by crucial endorsement from Mr Trump.

In office, he has vigorously supported many of the issues that resonate with Mr Trump’s base.

Mr Vance has indicated his role in the Senate could be more beneficial to a future Trump administration, though he has not ruled out the possibility of becoming vice president.

“I want to help him however I can,” he said recently.

05:28 PM BST

Activists arrive at RNC

Demonstrators have begun arriving for the first day of the Republican National Convention (RNC) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

05:21 PM BST

Vice president announcement expected 9.30 UK time

According to Reuters, the Trump campaign will announce Donald Trump’s pick for his vice-presidential running mate at approximately 4.30pm ET (9.30 UK time today at the Republican National Convention.

05:18 PM BST

Trump calls for Kennedy Secret Service detail

Donald Trump has called for Robert F. Kennedy, who is running as an independent candidate in the presidential election, to be protected by the Secret Service.

He wrote on Truth Social:

The Secret Service is authorised to provide protection for major presidential and vice presidential candidates, as well as their spouses, within 120 days of a general presidential election.

04:58 PM BST

Trump addresses case dismissal

Donald Trump has addressed US District Judge Aileen Cannon’s decision to dismiss his classified documents criminal case.

He called them “just the first step”, urging for the dismissal of other cases against him which he labelled as “witch hunts”.

Mr Trump wrote on Truth Social:

04:45 PM BST

Trump Media stock soars

Following the former president’s assassination attempt, shares of Trump Media and Technology Group surged over 30 per cent on its first trading day.

As the company’s largest shareholder with over 114 million shares, Donald Trump saw a substantial increase in his net worth, adding hundreds of millions of dollars.

Trump Media is the parent company of Truth Social, the former president’s social media platform.

04:35 PM BST

Vice president choice ‘within next few hours’

Donald Trump is set to announce his vice presidential choice within the next few hours, according to two sources familiar with the matter who spoke to CNN.

Earlier on Monday, Mr Trump had informed Fox News that he planned to reveal his selection today.

04:26 PM BST

US Secret Service to ‘participate fully’ in investigation

US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle said her agency would “participate fully” in the review of the security arrangements at Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania

The agency has faced heavy criticism for lapses which enabled Thomas Matthew Crook to climb onto a roof and get a clear line of sight on the former president.

Crook clambered onto the roof of the American Glass Research Building which was approximately 150 metres away from the podium.

CNN reported that the Secret Service did not sweep that area, which was outside the perimeter of the secure zone, leaving the task to local law enforcement.

Questions have been raised about the size of the perimeter and why nobody intervened when rally attendees flagged they had seen Crook climb onto the roof.

Ms Cheatle, who was appointed to the post by Joe Biden in 2022, said she was confident about the security arrangements for the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

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

04:00 PM BST

Jill Biden phoned Melania Trump after shooting

First Lady Jill Biden phoned Melania Trump following the attack on her husband at his campaign rally.

The call took place on Sunday afternoon, the White House said without providing further details. Mr Biden and Trump spoke to each other on Saturday night.

Following the shooting, Mrs Trump has called for unity as she recalled watching the bullet fly past the former president’s head.

“When I watched that bullet strike my husband, Donald, I realised my life, and Barron’s life, were on the brink of devastating change,” she said.

03:53 PM BST

Trump to ‘announce VP candidate today’

Donald Trump is expected to announce his pick for his vice presidential running mate on Monday, Fox News reporter Bret Baier reported.

The likely contenders include Florida senator Marco Rubio, Ohio senator J.D. Vance and North Dakota governor Doug Burgum.

03:48 PM BST

Trump: ‘I am supposed to be dead’

Donald Trump said he is “supposed to be dead” and went on to describe the attempt on his life as a “surreal” experience.

“I’m not supposed to be here, I’m supposed to be dead,” the former president said in one of his first interviews after a gunman opened fire at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, killing a spectator, wounding two and grazing Trump’s ear.

“The doctor at the hospital said he never saw anything like this, he called it a miracle,” Trump told the New York Post en route to Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention.

He also praised the secret service agents responsible for killing the shooter. “They took him out with one shot right between the eyes…They did a fantastic job,” he said. “It’s surreal for all of us.”

Speaking about the moment he raised his fist in the air after the gun attack, he said: “I just wanted to keep speaking, but I just got shot.”

03:43 PM BST

Trump shooter bought 50 rounds of ammunition hours before attack - report

The gunman who targeted Donald Trump in an assassination attempt had purchased 50 rounds of ammunition at a local gun store prior to the shooting, according to a new report.

A senior law enforcement source told CNN that Thomas Matthew Crooks bought the large amount of bullets just hours before the attack on Saturday.

More than 20 guns were registered to the shooter’s father according to records, a law enforcement source also told the outlet, who added that all were purchased legally.

03:26 PM BST

Roof where attacker perched was flagged as ‘security vulnerability’

The rooftop that a would-be assassin perched on to shoot at Donald Trump on Saturday was identified as a “security vulnerability” prior to the campaign rally.

The high position, 150 yards from the stage erected for Trump’s speech, was designated as a potential weak point by the Secret Service days before the event, NBC reported, citing two sources familiar with the agency’s operations.

The roof of the building in Butler, Pennsylvania allowed gunman Thomas Matthew Crooks a direct line of sight to the former president as he opened fire, killing one spectator, injuring two and hitting Trump’s right ear.

CNN reported that the Secret Service did not sweep the building before the event, instead leaving local law enforcement to conduct security in that position, who were supposed to have stationed a counter-sniper team at the site.

03:09 PM BST

Trump’s classified documents case dismissed

A US federal judge has dismissed the classified documents case made against former president Donald Trump.

In a ruling on Monday, Judge Aileen Cannon said the appointment of special counsel Jack Smith, who brought the case, violated the Constitution.

Trump had pleaded not guilty last year to 40 federal counts accusing him of retaining sensitive national security documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate in Florida after leaving office in 2021 and allegedly obstructing US government efforts to retrieve them.

Lawyers for Trump had argued that Mr Smith was illicitly appointed and that his office was improperly funded by the Justice Department.

Judge Cannon said: “In the end, it seems the Executive’s growing comfort in appointing ‘regulatory’ special counsels in the more recent era has followed an ad hoc pattern with little judicial scrutiny.”

02:30 PM BST

Motive behind Trump shooting still unclear

The motive behind a 20-year-old gunman’s attempt on the life of Donald Trump remained a mystery two days later with the suspect having been shot dead.

The FBI, which has taken the lead in the investigation, has been unable to identify an ideology that may have driven Thomas Matthew Crooks to attack the former president.

The agency said on Sunday that the social media accounts of Crooks, who was described by classmates as a “loner”, contained no threatening language, nor had they found any history of mental health issues.

They said he acted alone and they had yet to identify a motive.

02:11 PM BST

Watch: Moment Trump shooter crawls on roof

Footage circulating on social media shows the moments before a would-be assassin fired a volley of shots at Donald Trump.

The video, which shows Thomas Matthew Crooks shuffling around on the roof as a spectator attempted to alert security, has added to the criticism facing the Secret Service over its failure to prevent the attack on the former president.

“Can you see him?” asks one man. “Yes, he’s lying down,” answers a woman.

As Crooks rolls around, a male voice can be heard shouting “officer”, while two women cry “he’s on the roof”.

01:52 PM BST

Homeland Security admits ‘failure’ in security at Trump rally

Homeland Security secretary Alejandro Mayorkas admitted there had been lapses on the security arrangements at the Trump rally in Pennsylvania.

“When I say that something like that cannot happen, we are speaking of a failure,” he told CNN.

“We are going to analyse through an independent review how that occurred, why it occurred and make recommendations and findings to make sure it doesn’t happen again.”

Mr Mayorkas, who appealed for rhetoric to be toned down during the campaign, added: “We are in a heightened threat environment, our incredible protective services adapt to that environment and make changes that are necessary.”

01:29 PM BST

No changes to security plan at Republican convention

The Secret Service has said it has no plans to change its security for the Republican National Convention in the aftermath of the attack on Donald Trump at a rally on Saturday.

Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the RNC’s coordinator with the Secret Service, said she was “not anticipating any security changes”,

“We are confident in the security plans for this event and we are ready to go,” she said last night.

The agent added that the convention in Milwaukee, which Trump is expected to speak at on Thursday, was already deemed a “national security event” - the highest level it can be designated.

01:22 PM BST

Bots push conspiracy theory that Trump shooting was staged

Bot accounts promoting the theory that Donald Trump’s assassination attempt was staged have helped to generate almost 600 million views for a wave of misinformation, writes James Titcomb.

The social media analysis company Cyabra found that 45pc of profiles on X, formerly known as Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok spreading the theory that the shooting was orchestrated by Mr Trump were fake accounts.

The hashtags #fakeassassination, #stagedshooting and #stagedbytrump were widely used across the four social networks, it said.

Cyabra said the #fakeassassination and #stagedshooting hashtags received 404,000 engagements, such as likes, comments and retweets, and may have been viewed up to 595 million times.

Read more here.

01:13 PM BST

Watch: Moment Trump turns head as bullet passes

12:49 PM BST

‘Shooting makes me stronger’ and ‘Bulletproof’: Trump T-shirts go viral

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump has spawned a frenzy of online merchandise emblazoned with a picture of Donald Trump just after he was shot.

Within hours of the shooting, businesses and independent sellers scrambled to create slogans and merchandise in what has become the latest in a long line of Trump products.

The slogans “Bulletproof”, “Legends Never Die”, “Grazed but not Dazed”, “Shooting Makes Me Stronger” quickly appeared on cheap T-shirts.

”(The sales) exceeded my expectations. I didn’t expect that Trump would have so many fans,” said Zhong Jiachi, 28, owner of Paxinico, an online clothing merchant.

He sold around 40 T-shirts with the image of Trump in the 24 hours after Trump was shot.

12:21 PM BST

Trump shooter’s neighbours allowed to return to homes

Residents who lived close to the home of Trump’s would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks were allowed to return to their homes on Monday morning.

Crook’s neighbours in Bethel Park, Pennsylvania were forced to evacuate after the FBI swarmed the area and searched the home of the shooter’s parents.

CBC News reported that agency had left the scene after collecting evidence.

12:01 PM BST

Trump uses picture of his bloody face to fundraise

Donald Trump’s website featured the now-famous image of him bloody and with his fist raised to urge supporters to donate to his campaign in the wake of this weekend’s shooting.

The website redirected prospective donors to a page on fundraising platform WinRed that shows a black and white image of the former president that Trump himself described as “iconic”.

It shows the Republican candidate’s defiant face streaked with blood and his fist high above his head after a bullet pierced his upper right ear at a rally in Pennsylvania. The image was captioned with the words “FEAR NOT” written in upper case letters.

The page also carried Trump’s signature and gave visitors to the website options to contribute at different levels.

11:47 AM BST

King writes to Trump

The King has written privately to Donald Trump after the former US president survived an assassination attempt, Buckingham Palace said.

The King’s message was delivered on Sunday via the UK embassy in Washington DC. Buckingham Palace said the contents of the correspondence would be kept private.

It is understood Charles’s message was in keeping with prime minister Sir Keir Starmer’s conversation with Trump, in which he condemned the violence, expressed his condolences for the victims and their families, and wished the former president and those injured a quick recovery.

11:28 AM BST

‘Trump is looking indestructible’

Surviving an attempt on his life on Saturday has added to Donald Trump’s “aura of indestructibility”, the former UK ambassador to the US has said.

“It was another extraordinary example of the indestructibility of Donald Trump,” Lord Darroch told Sky News.

“For a bullet to hit his ear, for others to whiz past him... he actually captured the moment at the end by raising his fist in that iconic photograph.

“He really does have an aura of indestructibility about him.”

11:12 AM BST

Trump says he raised fist knowing ‘the world was looking’

Donald Trump has described the moment he raised his fist in the air as blood dripped down his face after being grazed by a bullet in an assassination attempt on Saturday.

“It’s hard to describe what that felt like, but I knew the world was looking,” he said in his first interview after a gunman opened fire at his rally in Pennsylvania on Saturday, killing a spectator and injuring two.

“I knew that history would judge this, and I knew I had to let them know we are okay,” Trump told the Washington Examiner on Sunday.

The former president added that he was determined to reassure the nation that “America goes on, we go forward, that we are strong”.

Trump also revealed that his last-minute turn of his head is what saved his life from the bullets of shooter Thomas Matthew Crooks. “Had I not done that in that moment, well, we would not be talking today, would we?”

10:54 AM BST

Watch: Biden asks America to settle differences at ‘battle box’

In a speech attempting to calm the nation’s nerves after a would-be assassin targeted Donald Trump, President Joe Biden referred to the ballot box as the “battle box” twice.

“To call for action at the ballot box, no violence on our streets, that’s how democracy should work,” Mr Biden said.

However, just a few seconds later, he referred to the ballot box as the “battle box” twice in quick succession.

“In America, we resolve our differences at the battle box, that’s how we do it, at the battle box, not with bullets.”

10:27 AM BST

Pictured: Crowds gather in support of Trump

10:16 AM BST

Trump: I won’t attack Biden in convention speech after shooting

Donald Trump is set to deliver a “whole different speech” at the Republican National Convention to unite the nation instead of using the moment to attack his rival Joe Biden.

In his first interview since the attempted assassination, the former president told the Washington Examiner: “The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger.

“Had this not happened, this would’ve been one of the most incredible speeches. Honestly, it’s going to be a whole different speech now.

“It is a chance to bring the country together. I was given that chance.”

09:59 AM BST

Watch: Trump arrives in Milwaukee after assassination attempt

09:46 AM BST

Victim of Trump shooting died while protecting his family

A former fireman was killed while shielding his family from bullets as a gunman opened fire at a Donald Trump rally on Saturday.

Corey Comperatore, 50, dived in front of his wife and daughter to shield them as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks shot at the former president with a semi-automatic rifle in Pennsylvania.

Allyson Comperatore said that her “real-life superhero” father had saved her life, calling him “the best dad a girl could ask for”.

“He threw my mom and I to the ground… he shielded my body from the bullet that came at us...He truly loved us enough to take a real bullet for us. And I want nothing more than to cry on him and tell him thank you,” she wrote on social media.

Read the full article here.

09:23 AM BST

Secret Service denies diverting security resources to Jill Biden

The Secret Service has denied claims that it diverted resources from Donald Trump’s rally in Pennsylvania toward a Jill Biden speech.

The first lady was speaking in Pittsburgh at the same time that the former president was in Butler County on Saturday evening.

Reports surfaced, citing Secret Service sources, that extra resources had been allocated to Mrs Biden to cover her event, whilst Trump’s regular detail had overworked and was supplemented by agents from different field officers.

A spokesman for the agency said: “We did not divert resources from FPOTUS Trump and protection models don’t work that way.

“As far as ‘field office teams’, these are the candidate nominee operations teams that are added during election years for the heavy travel tempo.”

08:49 AM BST

‘Trump’s split-second head turn saved his life’

Donald Trump’s slight turn of his head in the split-second before shots rang out at his campaign rally on Saturday is likely to have saved his life, an expert has said.

The former president had wanted to “use and reference the jumbotron” right before Thomas Matthew Crooks began firing at him, Dan Scavino Jr, a senior adviser to Trump, said on Sunday.

Israeli special forces veteran Aaron Cohen told Fox News this small head movement was responsible for saving him from the assassin’s bullet that was mere centimetres from being fatal.

“It’s very clear to me that had the president’s head been straight, and if that round had gone into the ear, it would have been lights out,” Mr Cohen said. “The fact that he just happened to be turned this way with that shot coming in is what saved his life.”

08:36 AM BST

Trump’s shooting will transform this election - just not in the way you think

The attempted assassination of Donald Trump is symbolic of a democracy at its breaking point, writes Frank Luntz in a comment piece for The Telegraph.

The polling paints a pretty bleak picture: over 80% believe the country is more divided now than at any time in their lifetime. A similar majority believe the US is seriously off on the wrong track. And the level of trust and confidence in the democratic institutions that govern the country, and the people who run them, are at historic lows.

As leaders from both political parties rush to condemn the other for using rhetoric specifically designed to incite and divide, the American public sinks further and further into a morass of pessimism and polarisation. I was an active part of an increasingly loud chorus warning that violence was the logical outcome of the political hate in America today.

And so it has.

Read the full piece here.

08:21 AM BST

Policeman ‘spotted shooter’ in rooftop confrontation

A police officer saw the shooter who attempted to assassinate Donald Trump but was unable to stop him before he opened fire, a local police chief has revealed.

County Sheriff Michael T. Slupe told CNN that a policeman spotted Thomas Matthew Crooks crawling up the rooftop at a critical moment on Saturday but could not engage him at the campaign event in Pennsylvania.

Sheriff Slupe said that an officer, responding to calls of a suspicious person on the roof, had hoisted himself up to see what was happening but Crooks had turned his gun on him.

He said the officer let go of the ledge in order to save his own life before the gunmen opened fire at the crowd. He admitted that the gunman being allowed a direct line to Trump was “obviously” a failure.

The Secret Service are facing serious questions about their security operation at the event as a spokesman recently confirmed that the agency relied on local units to fill out significant parts of its specialized protective units.

07:55 AM BST

Trump shooter rejected from high school rifle team

Thomas Matthew Crooks, who tried to assassinate Donald Trump, was rejected from his high school rifle club for being a “bad” and “dangerous” shot.

Crooks, a 20-year-old kitchen worker, opened fire at the former president’s rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, killing one spectator, injuring two others and grazing Trump on Saturday.

His classmate Jameson Myers told ABC News that Crooks was rejected and asked not to return after a pre-season session with the rifle team at Bethel Park High School.

“He didn’t just not make the team, he was asked not to come back because how bad of a shot he was, it was considered like, dangerous,” said Mr Myers.

07:41 AM BST

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We’ll be bringing you the latest updates in the wake of the Trump shooting.

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