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FORMER PRESIDENT DONALD Trump has arrived in Milwaukee, where later today the Republican National Convention will begin.
Trump is to be formally named as the Republican nominee for president run during the week.
The convention, of course, comes in the wake of Trump surviving an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania at the weekend.
So what can we expect from this week’s RNC?
The convention is being held over four nights at the 18,000 capacity Fizerv Forum in the Mid-Western city of Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
It’s estimated around 50,000 people have travelled to the city for the event.
Wisconsin is a swing state in the US. Trump narrowly lost to Biden in the 2020 elections. In 2016, Trump narrowly secured a win over Hilary Clinton.
Trump will unveil his vice-presidential pick during the week, and on Thursday, will conclude the convention with an acceptance speech.
In his first interview since the attempted assassination, which saw two people die, including the shooter, the former president told The Washington Examiner that his Thursday speech will be “a lot different than it would’ve been two days ago”.
“The speech I was going to give on Thursday was going to be a humdinger,” he told the paper.
“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.
More than 2,400 delegates will gather to approve a party platform and formally nominate Trump to represent the party.
Trump reportedly called Milwaukee “a horrible city” last month during a meeting with House Republicans on Capitol Hill and US media outlets reported that he would be staying in Chicago for the convention and commuting to Milwaukee for his speech. He has since insisted that he will in fact be staying in Milwaukee and refuted claims he had called the city “horrible”.
Trump’s wife, Melania Trump, is set to make a rare appearance at the convention, though she is not scheduled to speak.
Two of his sons, Eric and Donald Jr, as well as his daughter-in-law Lara Trump are due to take to the podium. Lara Trump, who married Eric in 2014, is a former television presenter who was chosen by Trump to take up the role of co-chair of the RNC earlier this year.
The convention, which is televised, will hear from a number of high-profile Republicans – including two of the frontrunners for the role Trump’s of vice-president.
Two US senators, J.D. Vance of Ohio and Marco Rubio of Florida, have emerged as the apparent favourites for the role. North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum, who had initially run against Trump for the nomination, will also speak at the convention.
J.D. Vance was previously a corporate lawyer and then a venture capitalist in the tech industry before publishing his 2016 memoir ‘Hillbilly Elegy’. During the 2016 presidential elections, Vance told journalist Charlie Rose he “was never a Trump guy”, though he eventually aligned with Trump. The 39-year-old has been serving as the junior US senator from Ohio since 2023.
Marco Rubio is also a lawyer, who has been serving as the senior US senator from Florida since 2011. He is a 53-year-old father of four. In 2016, he ran against Trump in a primary, and the pair fell into an argument about the size of the later-president’s hands. They later worked together during Trump’s first term in office.
Trump’s running mate could be announced as early as today, and will address the convention on Wednesday.
The RNC has four themes, one for each day, that play on Trump’s notorious “Make America Great Again” catchphrase, US media outlets have reported.
‘Make America Wealthy Once Again’ is slated for today, while tomorrow is centered on ‘Make America Safe Once Again’. Wednesday will be dedicated to ‘Make America Strong Once Again’, and on the final day, in which Trump is set to make his acceptance speech, the theme ‘Make America Great Once Again’ has been assigned.
A number of politicians and public figures have emerged in support of Trump in the presidential race following the attack on the former president.
Billionaire hedge fund manager, Bill Ackman announced that he would be endorsing Trump in the presidential run in a post on X, while Elon Musk tweeted: “I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery”, alongside a short video of Trump raising his fist in defiance as blood streaks across his face at the ill-fated rally.
I fully endorse President Trump and hope for his rapid recovery pic.twitter.com/ZdxkF63EqF
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) July 13, 2024
With reporting from AFP
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Incoming comments about how they could afford rent if they didn’t have a few drinks on the weekend.
@D: but back in my day ……. * angrily shakes fist*
@Keelan O’neill: back in my day rent for the year was easily covered by summer work.
It’s a nice idea but it’ll do no good, the rents will increase and the students will still pay it.
They have to be more radical (not talking about violence) but they need to make a bigger stand. For example, they could protest outside the new accomodation being built and stop work going on there, obviously this isn’t a good thing but it’s just an idea if they want to really put their foot down.
@John Black: Rents will NOT increase if people all stand together and say enough is enough! Rents are extortionate and FFG are happy for this to stay so they keep the REITS happy. FFG don’t care about the electorate. People need to stand together
This is all based on Supply and Demand, Ireland is currently one of the most attractive places in the world for international students to come and study. People who can afford to send their children to study abroad can also well afford these new increases.
@Cynical: so true, and that’s why the new accomodation currently under construction is more like a set of penthouses rather than basic student accommodation
@John Black: Irish Universities are not even in the Top 100 of the world. It has nothing to do with student accommodation! There only building student accommodation for the tax breaks
Jesus I wish I thought of that when i was in college, and they had much more land back then too!!!!
Referendum needed to fix the defective Irish Constitution to permanently solve the housing / Rent / Accommodation crisis … else, your great grand kids will face the same … important to bring your ‘young’ brains to the Polling booths …
https://www.change.org/p/irish-housing-crisis-referendum-on-family-homes
They have a case.
So at it’s lowest end (€749) it will increase by €30 per annum, few less shots one weekend and it’s sorted. This is a nothing article. We see article after article about how the cost of living is increasing on a monthly if not weekly basis. Even over a 8 or 9 month academic year equates to about 3.50 a month, for accommodation where transport and utilities are a non factor this is a bargain. Wait til these students decide to live and work in the real world and they will see what hardship is really like or will the carrot of taking their degrees overseas be dangled in from of the next government?
@Ian Breathnach: so based on what it’s like when they finish college and get to experience hardship by having a job (whatever that means) this is isn’t an issue?
10k a year to just have somewhere to live while going to college (and don’t forget fees/“registration costs” on top of this) seems like an issue to me…
Also, how is this an equal start for kids? Someone living in an urban area, close to a university can stay at home with their parents but if you live outside a commutable distance you could be hit with these substantial costs just to be able to attend university.
I know my kid’s college choices will be influenced by what and where we can afford to send them.
@Pilib: are you suggesting free accommodation to all students? Is an additional 3.50 a month extortionate? No. In the grander scheme of things does living on campus save money as I stated? Yes. Do you not expect your children to work while in college/university? Are you going to give them a few euro for pints during the week too? The point I’m making is it’s a small increase, regardless of what you think, it is not a huge amount ie one less coffee a month. Minimum wages have increased, obviously these students firmly believe that these properties and the college for that matter run on fresh air. Typically people don’t care how much it costs to run things, the behind the scenes maintenance and upkeep. People are outraged when it is suggested they pay for the services they receive.
@Ian Breathnach: I think you’re missing the point, the issue is that the price is already extortionate and the increase is rubbing salt in the wounds. 4% increase isn’t much if the original rent was reasonable but it is extortionate already.
As much as you like to think it, these students aren’t scroungers, they have no problem paying for accommodation if it’s a fair price but colleges are using it to squeeze every cent out of students, they’re taking advantage of them.
@John Black: explain to me how it is extortionate?
@Ian Breathnach: you pay 8000 for an 8 month lease , so 1000 per person per month, to share an apartment with 5 other people, thats 6000 per month for a basic apartment, now it’s your turn to explain to me how that’s not extortionate.
How can a college charge 48k for an apartment for only 8 months when “greedy landlords” get slammed for charging 24k for a 12 month lease?
@John Black: well, you don’t have to commute so no transport fees, all utilities are included and on site security 24/7 and depending on what halls you are living in there are other “luxuries”. Now I’m open to correction but you say apartment, but aren’t these ensuite rooms with communal living spaces?
Students will have Less money for drink and drug consumption
No one cares it’s the new progressive Ireland, so suck it up snowflakes
have your say