A quiet mix of law enforcement, media, Republican National Convention delegates and planners were in and around Milwaukee’s Deer District as temperatures approached 90 degrees Sunday afternoon.
The convention is going on as planned despite an assassination attempt on former President Donald Trump in Pennsylvania Saturday. Trump posted on Truth Social that he would travel to Milwaukee as planned Sunday. He arrived in the city at about 6 p.m.
Trump was injured Saturday when a gunman opened fire at him at a rally north of Pittsburg. One rally attendee was killed and two others were wounded. Secret Service agents killed the shooter, who was identified as a 20-year-old Pennsylvania man.
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Speaking Sunday outside the Fiserv Forum, the main venue for the RNC, state Republican Party chair Brian Schimming said there will be no changes in the schedule of the convention, which is scheduled to begin Monday.
The convention schedule calls for the vice presidential candidate to be nominated Wednesday, with Trump to be nominated as the party’s presidential candidate Thursday, he said.
“Everything for the convention is going on as planned,” Schimming said. “There are no major changes whatsoever at this point to the schedule for the convention that will be held here this week.”
Speaking Sunday at the White House, President Joe Biden said he directed the Secret Service to review all security measures for the convention.
“An assassination attempt is contrary to everything we stand for as a nation. Everything,” Biden said. “It’s not who we are as a nation. It’s not American. And we cannot allow this to happen.”
On Truth Social, Trump said Sunday that he would not alter his plans.
“Based on yesterday’s terrible events, I was going to delay my trip to Wisconsin, and The Republican National Convention, by two days,” Trump wrote, “but have just decided that I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else.”
Reince Priebus, a former Wisconsin state legislator and state Republican party chair, is the chair of the RNC Host Committee. He was Trump’s chief of staff during part of his presidency. Speaking to ABC News’ “This Week” on Sunday, Priebus said he had talked to Trump earlier in the day.
“He is very clear to me, at least for the host committee events, that no, we need to keep moving forward,” Priebus said. “This convention is going to be epic … He is ready to go, and I think the unwavering attitude that he is bringing now to Milwaukee is going to even further energize this crowd.”
Thousands of people are already in Milwaukee for the convention. Organizers have said throughout the planning process that they are anticipating 50,000 people will attend including delegates, law enforcement, media and protesters.
Residents and visitors expressed both confidence and worry about security at the convention following the shooting in Pennsylvania.
Kevin Ruesch lives in a neighborhood adjacent to the RNC security zone. He said the assassination attempt was concerning, but he doesn’t live his life in fear.
“I feel really good with the security measures in place. I think they’ve got competent people taking care of the situations that are going to be unfolding down here,” he said.
But Courtney Robel, who works at a hotel across the street from Fiserv Forum, said she is nervous about her safety.
“Milwaukee already has gun violence issues and I do worry about big crowds of people, and politics can really bring out the ugly in people,” Robel said. “I would like to see everyone coexist. I think that’s too much to ask for, though.”
Audrey Gibson-Cicchino, the RNC coordinator for the Secret Service, said the security plan for the event was 18 months in the making. During a Sunday afternoon press conference, she said the plan has not changed following the assassination attempt.
“We are confident in the security plans that are in place for the event, and we’re ready to go,” she said. Michael Hensle, FBI special agent in charge Milwaukee, said there are no known threats against the RNC or anyone visiting.
“This is probably one of the most secure areas on the face of the planet right now,” said Schimming, the state GOP chair.
A series of welcome events were underway Sunday, including a party planned in the evening on Milwaukee’s lakefront Summerfest grounds.
John Herweh and his wife, Virginia, are delegates from South Dakota. Their daughter, Liberty, 17, is serving as a page for the convention.
John said the assassination attempt is a reflection on how divisive the country has gotten.
He believes the convention will go smoothly, but said there is a heightened awareness of safety now.
“It should be a fun event, it should be a party atmosphere. But this did put a little damper (on it), I guess,” Herweh said.
Liberty said she’s nervous because there will be so many people attending the convention, and security can only do so much.
But her dad was quick to point out they’re thankful for the law enforcement that is securing the perimeter.
“We’ve met a bunch of them. They’re coming from all over the country,” Herweh said. “It’s really nice that they’ve answered the call to come here and help protect us.”
Ronda Vuillemont-Smith, Sandy Hodges and Pam Pollard, all delegates from Oklahoma, said all the security in place, including the miles of fencing, will keep people safe during the convention.
“They’ve taken the appropriate measures,” Hodges said. “Obviously we’re very concerned for President Trump’s safety and making sure he is safe and secure at all times.”
Pollard has attended six national conventions, including one in New York City after Sept. 11, 2001. She said during that event, people could not get within a 10 mile radius of the convention unless they were on a bus.
“Our hearts were heavy, but we weren’t fearful,” Pollard said. “I think that’s a little bit of what we saw yesterday. I think that they (Milwaukee RNC) has made a reasonable decision on being able to let people in Wisconsin continue their business and see your beautiful city.”
Vuillemont-Smith said she refuses to live in fear.
“This is a joyous occasion for Republicans across the country,” she said. “We’re coming to celebrate President Trump and his nomination and hopefully putting him back in the White House. This is a party.”
If delegates were making up their minds to continue their party, protesters are also determined to make their voices heard.
Omar Flores, co-chair of the Coalition to March on the RNC 2024, said the incident didn’t change any plans for its march planned for Monday. He estimates anywhere from 2,500 to 5,000 people may attend.
Flores said he was not concerned about higher tensions or the possibility of violence in the wake of the attempt on Trump’s life.
“We don’t feel concerned about that at this point in time, we’ve always prepared for the worst and are expecting the best,” Flores said.
When asked about his feelings on the shooting, Flores said, “I think Trump breeds a lot of hate, and I think the shooting has nothing to do with us.”
On Saturday, many political leaders nationally and in Wisconsin were trying to smooth tensions and asking Americans to dial back heated rhetoric. That included Biden in his remarks Sunday afternoon.
“Unity is the most elusive goal of all but nothing is more important than that right now. Unity,” Biden said. “We’ll debate and we’ll disagree, that’s not going to change. But we’ll not lose sight of who we are as Americans.”
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