RNC 2024 Day 1 updates: Bandaged and emotional, Trump makes 1st appearance since assassination attempt
Chants of "we love Trump" could be heard as he entered the RNC.
The first day of the Republican National Convention has wrapped up in Milwaukee -- marked with an appearance by former President Donald Trump just two days he was wounded in an assassination attempt at a Pennsylvania rally on Saturday evening.
Despite the shooting, the gathering of more than 50,000 attendees, including an expected 2,400 Republican delegates, is slated to maintain its original programming as a time to bring the party together -- but now newly energized by Trump's amazing survival and raised-fist show of defiance.
One of the most anticipated moments of Trump's campaign happened Monday when Trump named 39-year-old Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance as his running mate.
Latest headlines:
'I love this guy': Charlie Kirk gets a warm welcome
Many in the arena stood up to cheer on Charlie Kirk -- the CEO of Turning Point USA, a nonprofit organization that advocates for conservative politics at schools and universities -- as he walked onto the stage.
"I love this guy," one woman said.
Kirk opened up with a joke about his outreach work to young voters, telling the audience he's gone to college campuses so they don't have to -- which received a hearty laugh from attendees.
-ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler
Conga lines break out at the RNC
On the left side of the stage, near where delegates from New York and Tennessee are stationed, a conga line has broken out.
Many participants are waving "Trump" signs in the air.
Trump expected to make RNC appearance tonight
Trump is expected to make an appearance at the Republican National Convention Monday night, multiple sources told ABC News. He is not expected to speak.
A large motorcade recently left the hotel where Trump is staying and appears to be heading in the direction of the venue.
-ABC News' Rachel Scott, John Santucci, Katherine Faulders and Kelsey Walsh
Tepid response to Noem
Unlike the crowd's roar for recent speakers, the response to South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem has been more muted -- though she's still garnering applause for hitting Republican talking points on COVID and the economy.
ABC News' digital team can see more people leaving their seats and walking on the convention floor as Noem speaks. That's compared to the attention devoted to South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott and Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin.
Noem has garnered the biggest response when talking about Trump and the attempted assassination attempt, as the crowd erupted in a chant of, "Fight, fight, fight."
-ABC News' Alexandra Hutzler