MILWAUKEE – Former President Donald Trump has arrived in Milwaukee for the Republican National Convention a day after he was targeted in an attempted assassination at a campaign event.
Trump’s airplane touched down Sunday, the day before the four-day event kicks off with thousands of Republicans coming together to formally elect him as their 2024 presidential nominee.
The shocking scenes of violence at his Saturday campaign rally that injured his right ear, killed a spectator and injured another set a dark backdrop for the convention, which is typically four days of party pageantry, political speeches, policy platforms and the presidential nominee’s keynote address.
The attack on Trump has put a heightened focus on safety and security of the event.
The former president said in a social media post earlier Sunday that he was going to delay his trip by two days because of the attempted assassination “but have just decided that I cannot allow a ‘shooter,’ or potential assassin, to force change to scheduling, or anything else.”
Anyone who arrives within blocks of the RNC is greeted by fences, security stations and more police officers than you can count.
Dozens of agencies from states all over the country are at the event assisting with security and people who showed up from Florida like Jennifer Bash and Jamie Miller told News4JAX they can’t help but notice.
“This is my first convention,” Bash said. “For everyhing to transpire. I feel very safe.”
Miller, who came in from South Florida, said he noticed a change after the attempted assassination.
“We came in on Saturday. The difference between Saturday and Sunday was incredible,” Miller said. “Tere were like 10 times as many noticeable personnel between Saturday and Sunday but that could have been planned months in advance.”
The Secret Service said they didn’t add more security than what was planned. News4JAX spoke with another Floridian at the convention who said feels as secure at the RNC as anywhere in the country.
“I’m at the safest place in America. That’s how good security is. If feel comfortable, I feel relaxed. Keep it moving. People are still having a good time. People are more hurt, not on edge, people are more hurt that someone would want to take a shot at the president. Period,” he said.
Trump is not expected to speak at the RNC until Thursday night.