Veteran William Pekrul, 98, says he would re-enlist if Trump was president

Bill Pekrul, a 98-year-old veteran who landed on the Normandy beaches in World War 2, brought he house down.

Republicans suggested his speech was more coherent than those delivered by President Joe Biden, 81.

Pekrul, a father of 11 chiulkdren, said:

America is still worth fighting for. People say America is an idea, but I believe it is much more than that. America is our home.

With President Trump back as Commander-in-Chief, I would go back to re-enlist today. And I would storm whatever beach my country needs me to.

Joe Biden’s campaign blasted J.D. Vance just as his convention speech ended, linking him to the Project 2025 conservative policy platform cooked up by his former aides and casting him as beholden to Trump.

It was testament to Vance’s still emerging bio that Biden’s camp focused more on Trump than on him.

‘J.D. Vance is unprepared, unqualified, and willing to do anything Donald Trump demands,’ said campaign spokesman Michael Tyler.

The statement called him ‘the poster boy for Project 2025,’ which it mentioned 5 times in a short release.

“Backed by Silicon Valley and the billionaires who bought his vice presidential selection, Vance is Project 2025 in human form – an agenda that puts extremism and the ultra wealthy over our democracy,’ Tyler said. ‘An agenda that cuts health care, bans abortion, slashes Social Security and Medicare, and is a rubber stamp for Donald Trump to become a dictator on “day one” and “terminate” our Constitution as he wishes.’

In a convention that has featured repeated testimonials from Donald Trump’s family members about his character (his son, his daughter in law, his granddaughter, and his son’s fiancée have all spoken, with Lara Trump as a keynote speaker), it was VP nominee J.D. Vance who started to pick apart parts of Joe Biden’s policy record.

‘When I was in the fourth grade, a career politician by the name of Joe Biden supported NAFTA, a bad trade deal that sent countless good American manufacturing jobs to Mexico,’ said Vance.

‘When I was a sophomore in high school, a career politician by the name of Joe Biden gave China a sweetheart trade deal that destroyed even more good middle class jobs. And when I was a senior in high school, Joe Biden supported the disastrous invasion of Iraq. And at each step of the way, in small towns like mine in Ohio, or next door in Pennsylvania, or in Michigan and other states across our country, jobs were sent overseas and children were sent to war.

Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor for DailyMail.com in Milwaukee

If there was any doubt that J.D. Vance’s primary mission is to help Trump shatter Joe Biden’s Blue Wall, he confirmed it by shutting down a cheer from his home state.

When the Ohio native took the stage, the home state delegation burst into cheers of ‘O-H-I-O.’ Their senator joined them at first, cheering out each letter. Then he tamped it down and issued a caution. ‘We’re going to chill with the Ohio love. We gotta win Michigan, too,’ he said, referencing the neighboring and much more politically competitive state.

He may have felt some misgivings. When later in his convention speech he introduced himself as attending The Ohio State University, he loudly stressed the article – which football fans at the University of Michigan sometimes refuse to include when discussing their gridiron rival.

‘I’m sorry Michigan. I had to get that in there,’ Vance said. That prompted an unexpected taunt from the Michigan delegation, which broke out into chants of ‘Let’s Go Blue!’ – the cheer of the reigning national champions at U of M.

'Come on! We've had enough political violence,' he quipped.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Donald Trump's oldest grandchildren Kai Madison Trump, 17, appeared for the first time on stage for a speech at an event for her grandpa.

She hinted a political ambitions and shared her reaction to hearing the former president was shot.

On Saturday, I was shocked when I heard that ‘he has been shot,’ and I just wanted to know if he was OK. It was heartbreaking that someone would do that to another person.

A lot of people have put my grandpa through hell, and he’s still standing. Grandpa, you are such an inspiration.

Donald Trump Jr. gave up part of his remarks at the Convention on Wednesday to allow his daughter a shot at the microphone.

Ohio Senator J.D. Vance's wife Usha made her primetime debut Wednesday night when she introduced her husband as Donald Trump's running mate ahead of his speech at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, WI.

'It's safe to say that neither J.D. nor I expected to find ourselves in this position, but it's hard to imagine a more powerful example of the American dream,' Vance said. 'I'm grateful to all of you for the trust you have placed in him and in our family.'

The 38-year-old Ivy-League educated litigator was with the senator on the convention floor when he was officially nominated as vice presidential pick for the Republican 2024 ticket on Monday.

But Wednesday night viewers from around the world watched as she gave her first public remarks at the Fiserv Forum since he was announced as the former president's pick.

During an all-Senate briefing with the Secret Service earlier Thursday, DailyMail.com learned that lawmakers were told that Trump would-be assassin Thomas Matthew Crooks, 20, had posted on a popular gaming platform before his shooting rampage.

He wrote on the platform 'July 13 will be my premiere, watch as it unfolds.'

They were also told that Crooks searched Trump multiple times in July on his laptop.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent in Milwaukee

J.D. Vance hits primetime on Wednesday evening, when he will appear in front of the Republican Party convention as Donald Trump's running mate, using his tough childhood to talk directly to a forgotten American.

'Some people tell me I've lived the American Dream, and they are right,' he will say.

'But the American Dream that always counted most was not starting a business or becoming a senator or even being here with you fine people, it was becoming a good husband and a good dad, and of giving my family the things I never had as a kid.'

The first term senator is on a meteoric path, from hardscrabble upbringing amid the ravages of his mother's addiction via the Marines to Yale Law School and now on to the Trump campaign.

But he is little known outside political circles despite a bestselling memoir, 'Hillbilly Elegy,' which later became a movie starring Glenn Close.

Donald Trump Jr. floated that a number of characters were running the country in lieu of 81-year-old President Joe Biden during his Republican National Convention speech Wednesday night:

Who's running things? Does anyone really know? Is it Jill? Is it Hunter? Barack Obama? Maybe it's the ghost of Cornpop?

Several fraternity brothers from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill who defied pro-Gaza protestors by banding together to keep the American flag from touching the ground received a loud and warm welcome from RNC attendees Wednesday.

The fraternity brothers became a viral sensation overnight for their patriotic heroics in defending the Old Glory from protestors who had torn it down off a campus flag pole in late April this year.

When the group took the stage at the RNC Wednesday one could have believed a battalion of war heroes had just returned from service overseas, but that reception was not for the military but for the fraternity brother's militant defending of the flag.

'We did not let it fall. It was all about respect. Not just for the cause but for everything the flag stands for,' one fraternity brother said to huge roars.

'Too many people have sacrificed everything for it. The least we could do is keep it flying. and tonight we are proud to honor our flag again.'

This morning, newly elected Member of Parliament Nigel Farage was listening to the King's Speech in London. This evening he is Milwaukee to provide moral support to his friend Donald Trump.

He arrived in time to hear J.D. Vance speak. But he made slow progress through the main concourse being stopped every yard or two for selfies.

Kari Lake, running for the Senate in Arizona, spotted him and made a beeline to say hello.

Farage told DailyMail.com that he had known Vance since before he entered politics and would bring something very special to the Trump campaign

The American dream. What's happened to the American dream? He is the guy that came from not just humble but a deprived background, who succeeded in the Marines, succeeded with a degree in law succeeded in business. And in a sense, this is the Trump succession. This is the MAGA legacy.

By Morgan Phillips, U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Gold star families who lost loved ones who were part of the 13 US service members got a standing ovation after a gut-wrenching video played at the convention of them describing in detail the moment they learned they had lost their sons and daughters until the moment Biden checked his watch when their bodies were returned to the U.S.

The crowd chanted ‘never again’ in between their speeches.

Christy Shamblin, mother-in-law to Sgt. Nicole Ghee said Biden had not met with them while Trump had spent 6 hours with them at Bedminster.

Trump remained standing as the family members took to the stage to speak.

As Herman Lopez, father of the late Hunter Lopez, read off each of the 13 names, the crowd chanted them back.

Former president Donald Trump staged another dramatic entrance to Day Three of his convention, this time walking into a packed hall to James Brown's 'It's a Man's World.'

Trump, who is known to curate the playlists for his campaign rallies, came in with a version of the funk star's recording accompanied by Luciano Pavoratti, another Trump favorite.

Trump raised his fist as he entered, once again wearing a bandage on his ear, on a night when speakers called for a muscular U.S. foreign policy to take intimidate adversaries and avoid 'forever wars.'

It was a night where his backers finally got to some of the red meat attacks and his vice presidential pick J.D. Vance was ready for the biggest platform of his life.

Florida Republican Rep. Mike Waltz slammed Joe Biden for focusing diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives over operational readiness.

Waltz, the first former Green Beret elected to Congress, joked that Biden would send troops to war in the Middle East with 'electric tanks.'

'He's focused on renaming bases,' Waltz said of Biden. 'He's focused on DEI.'

'Here's my favorite, he's focused on building electric tanks..'

'Has anybody seen the charging stations in the Middle East for Biden's electric tanks?' he said to applause.

Donald Trump Jr.'s partner and former Fox News host Kimberly Guilfoyle was the first speaker after Donald Trump entered the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin on Wednesday.

Guilfoyle was fired-up and kept her voice at a high level throughout her remarks.

President Donald Trump staged another dramatic entrance to Day Three of his convention, this time walking into a packed hall to James Brown's 'It's a Man's World.'

Trump, who is known to curate the playlists for his campaign rallies, came in with a version of the funk star's recording accompanied by Luciano Pavoratti, another Trump favorite.

Trump raised his fist as he entered, once again wearing a bandage on his ear.

Gov. Glenn Youngkin, Gov. Greg Abbott, Sen Marco Rubio, Speaker Mike Johnson, Rep. Lauren Boebert joined him in the friends and family box.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer visited President Joe Biden at his Rehoboth Beach home last weekend and urged him to drop his presidential bid, multiple sources now say.

The hosts of the Ruthless Podcast said during a taping at the Republican National Convention Tuesday that Schumer had been driven to Biden's house in Delaware and told the president to bow out.

ABC News' Jonathan Karl reported a similar story Wednesday night calling it 'a blunt one-on-one conversation' and said that the top Senate Democrat 'forcefully made the case that it would be best if Biden bowed out of the race.'

But Schumer's office continues to sow doubt that the conversation went down that way.

'Unless ABC's source is Senator Chuck Schumer or President Joe Biden the reporting is idle speculation. Leader Schumer conveyed the views of his caucus directly to President Biden on Saturday,' a spokesperson told DailyMail.com Wednesday evening.

President Joe Biden is growing more receptive to calls to drop out and is asking his inner circle if Kamala Harris has a better chance of winning in 2024, a new report states.

CNN's Jeff Zeleny says a senior Democratic adviser told him that behind the scenes, the embattled 81-year-old os 'not as defiant' as he is in public.

'It is still unclear where he’s going to land,' the advisor told Zeleny, 'but he seems to be listening.'

The calls for Biden to drop out keep growing within the Democratic party and questions remain about his future in the race.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Joy Reid and Jen Psaki are hoping Joe Biden's recovery from COVID-19 will turn around the news cycle and show 'strength' of an elderly man continuing to campaign after contracting the virus for a third time.

The two MSNBC hosts compared the president's future recovery to Donald Trump flying to Milwaukee for the Republican Convention the day after he was shot in an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

Reid said on air:

[Trump's] survival of that and bouncing right back and going to his Convention is being conveyed in the media world as a sign of strength.

This current President of the United States is 81-years-old and has COVID. Should he be fine in a couple of days, doesn't that convey exactly the same thing? That he's strong enough – older than Trump – to have gotten something that used to really be fatal to people his age. So if he does fine out of it and comes back and is able to do rallies, isn't that exactly the same?"

Psaki, who served as Biden's first White House Press Secretary before joining the liberal network, replied:

It shoud.

The White House announced Wednesday that Biden tested positive for coronavirus during a western campaign swing.

CNN political commentator Van Jones gave a brutal assessment of the state of the 2024 race after Joe Biden was diagnosed with COVID just days after Donald Trump survived an assassination attempt.

If you pull back and look at this thing. Strength versus weakness.

A bullet couldn't stop Trump. A virus just stopped Biden.

You've got the nominees of this party getting their butts kicked.

Biden's butt is getting kicked by his own party. The Democrats are coming apart. The Republicans are coming together that's what's happened.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The mayor of East Palestine, Ohio turned on President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

Speaking to the Republican National Convention in Mikwaukee, Wisconsin, Mayor Trent Conaway railed against the president for his failure to swiftly respond to the disaster of a train derailment that caused a chemical runoff that uprooted his town.

I know a thing or two about train wrecks now. And let me tell you, that’s what the Biden administration has been.

Before Biden derails our entire nation, we need to act.

By Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Texas Gov. Greg Abbott railed against Joe Biden's 'open border' agenda during his remarks at the Republican National Convention Wednesday evening.

His most enrapturing moment came as he outlined Donald Trump's plan to mass deport migrants who crossed into the U.S. illegally.

'Trump will enforce the immigration laws,' Abbott said. 'He will fight the Mexican drug cartels.'

'And he will arrest the criminal illegal immigrants and put them behind bars or send them back!'

A frenzied audience loudly agreed, chanting 'Send them back!' in response.

Wednesday night is Veep night with the big speech from Trump's running mate J.D. Vance. It his chance to tell America who he is.

Rep. Nancy Mace was on the convention floor ahead of his appearance. She was easy to spot in a shocking pink dress.

She said Vance had a powerful story as the son of a drug addict who became a Maine and made it to Yale. That's the Middle America story that could bring Pennsylvania, Michigan in to Trump.

She seemed to know his story well...

I watched Hillbilly Elegy on Netflix on Sunday night to get to know him a little bit better.

Our hidden cameras have recorded over 3,500 drug packers and others dressed in camouflage marching north through our ranch.

These are not asylum seekers. It looks like and it feels line an invasion because it is!

Today is the third time Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID.

The first time was on July 21, 2022, when he had mild symptoms.

He tested positive again nine days later in a 'rebound'.

Peter Navarro gets a huge welcome fromt the arena after being released from a Miami prison.

'This is a beautiful thing. I think you folks just want to know if you can see my MAGA tattoo that I got there.'

'This morning I did walk out of a federal prison in Miami. Joe Biden and his department of injustice put me there,' he said, before going after one of Trump's favorite griveances: judgdes and prosecutors.

'If they can come for me, if they can come for Donald Trump, be careful, they will come for you,' he said, even taking a dig at New York judge Juan Marchan, who presided over Trump's Stormy Daniels hush money case.

Members of Congress learned that the would-be Donald Trump assassin Thomas Crooks was spotted by Secret Service 10 minutes before he walked out onstage, and 20 minutes before he was shot.

On Saturday, 20-year-old Crooks shot multiple rounds at Trump, clipping his ear, injuring multiple attendees and tragically killing former firefighter Corey Comperatore.

After waiting days to learn more of the assassination attempt, lawmakers were briefed by the FBI and Secret Service Wednesday on key details about the ongoing investigation.

Sources on the call told DailyMail.com that over an hour passed from the shooter being spotted to his initial shot. Even more troubling, Secret Service counter snipers saw Crooks on the roof 20 minutes before he shot the former president.

At 5:52 p.m. the 'suspicious' shooter was spotted on the roof by counter snipers.

Rep. Matt Gaetz delivered a speech full of well-received zingers, and a few policy promises that not all Republicans are onboard with.

'We saw people in the witness protection program more often than we saw unscripted Biden,' the Florida Republican said, referring to Biden's rare public appearances amid cognitive decline accusations.

'Under Biden, inflation has gotten so bad you can no longer bribe Democrat senators with cash alone. You have to use gold bars just so the bribes hold values,' he said after Sen. Bob Menendez was found guilty of corruption.

'I will be President Trump's strongest ally in Congress to pass term limits. To stop taxpayer funding for political campaigns, to stop members of Congress from becoming lobbyists.'

'For the same reason you don't let the player be the referee, ban members of Congress from trading individual stocks.'

'Appointing Kamala Harris to oversee the border is like appointing Bernie Madoff to oversee your retirement.'

'They can run Biden from the nursing home, Harris, George Clooney, Robert De Niro, whoever they want to run. We are on a mission to rescue and save this country and we ride or die with Donald John Trump to the end!'

President Joe Biden posted 'I'm sick' to X on Wednesday just after it was announced he tested positive for COVID-19 during a west coast campaign swing.

The tweet was actually a fundraising plea with it continuing 'of Elon Musk and his rich buddies trying to buy this election. And if you agree, pitch in here.'

The president's campaign sent out a similar fundraising letter.

Musk officially got behind Republican former President Donald Trump after the 78-year-old survived an assassination attempt Saturday.

Biden did address his COVID-19 diagnosis in the fundraising plea.

'P.S. On a more serious note, I did just test positive for COVID today. But don’t worry too much about me. I’m doing just fine, and I’m still as committed as ever to holding Donald Trump and his rich cronies accountable. Thanks for standing with me.'

'Now I can say I served a president who literally took a bullet for our country,' Rep. Ronny Jackson, Trump's White House doctor, told the crowd.

He made no mention of his nephew, who he previously said was hit by a bullet at the Butler Trump rally.

'Let's not kid ourselves, Father Time has not been kind to Joe Biden,' Jackson, R-Texas, told the crowd. 'China, Russia, Iran and North Korea, they do not respect Biden's 10 am to 4pm schedule.'

'We would not be in this situation right now if not for Joe Biden's staff and his family. They should have compassion for him,' he went on.

'Perhaps the greatest blame lies with his own vice president Kamala Harris. She has not been truthful with us. She has lied to us.'

Jackson added that Harris is as unqualified in 'fitness and character' as Biden is in 'body and mind.'

Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor for DailyMail.com in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Former Trump economic advisor Peter Navarro says he is ‘feeling fine’ now that he’s out of a Miami prison – and would repeat the conduct that got him a four-month prison sentence.

‘Absolutely. It’s not about me. It’s about the Constitution. The doctrine of executive privilege goes back to the days of George Washington,’ he told DailyMail.com at the Republican convention, when asked if he would do it again given what he’s been through.

He was sentenced for refusing to comply with a subpoena seeking documents and testimony in the House January 6 probe. Now, he is set to address the convention in Milwaukee.

‘The American people understand, if they can take me, they can take them,’ he said. As for prison, the economist said, ‘The only thing I can say is the weather wasn’t bad. Everything else was prison.’ He was mum when asked for details of his stint. ‘Talk about that next week. I’m feeling fine,’ he said.

'Joe Biden disgraced their sacrifice and the sacrifice of all Afghanistan veterans, Kamala Harris stood with him when he did,' Rep. Brian Mast, R-Fla., said in the first speech of the evening session of the RNC.

'American service members deserve better and with Donald Trump you know that we don't just get better we get the best.'

By Geoff Earle, Deputy U.S. Political Editor for DailyMail.com in Milwaukee

Former presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy was among the first prominent Republicans to comment on Biden’s new case of covid.

‘I just learned the news. I wish him a speedy recovery,’ he told DailyMail.com as he entered the Fiserv arena in Milwaukee.

The tech entrepreneur doesn’t believe Biden will be on the ballot in November, as Democats including Rep. Adam Schiff urge him to step back. ‘The reality is, our focus this convention is who we are and what we stand for. I’ve said for a long time I’m very skeptical that Biden will remain the nominee, we can’t obsess over what’s going on on the other side.’

‘My message to this entire convention is focus on who we are and what we stand for. That is the best way to insulate ourselves against the risk of whoever they put up.’

Dirk Lohry, a convention delegate from Sioux Falls, Idaho, also sent get-well wishes to the Democrat. ‘I hope he feels better. It’s usually not too serious and he’ll get over it. We always feel sympathy for anybody that gets sick – specially somebody in leadership.’

Biden gingerly boarded Air Force One and headed home after his positive test.

The White House issued a statement confirming Biden's COVID diagnosis and setting out his symptoms. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said he had mild symptoms and would return to his Delaware home.

He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time. The White House will provide regular updates on the president’s status as he continues to carry out the full duties of the office while in isolation.

The White House doctor offered more technical details and said a PCR test would be conducted. His temperature of 97.8F and blood oxygen levels (pulse oximetry of 97 percent) were both normal, he added, and Biden has had a first dose of the COVID drug Paxlovid.

The president presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general mailaise. He felt okay for his first event of the day, but given that he was not feeling better, point of care testing for COVID-19 was conducted, and the results were positive for the COVID-19 virus.

From Emily Goodin, Senior White House Correspondent in Las Vegas

President Joe Biden has tested positive for COVID.

The 81-year-old president was forced to cancel a speech in Las Vegas during a campaign trip.

The White House said:

President Biden tested positive for COVID-19. He is vaccinated and boosted and he is experiencing mild symptoms. He will be returning to Delaware where he will self-isolate and will continue to carry out all of his duties fully during that time.

The President's Doctor said:

The President presented this afternoon with upper respiratory symptoms, to include rhinorhea (runny nose) and non-productive cough, with general mailaise.

Biden is heading home from Las Vegas to isolate in Delaware.

The Trump Campaign on Wednesday laughed off questions about setting up a debate for VP candidates, saying they didn't know who the Democratic VP candidate would be yet.

Kamala Harris has agreed to a debate on CBS News on either July 23 or Aug. 13.

The question took on fresh urgency this week with the nomination of J.D. Vance as Trump's running mate.

But with non-stop speculation about Joe Biden's future t a the top of the Democratic ticket Brian Hughes, senior Trump Campaign adviser, said:

We don’t know who the Democrat nominee for Vice President is going to be, so we can’t lock in a date before their convention. To do so would be unfair to Gavin Newsom, JB Pritzker, Gretchen Whitmer, or whoever Kamala Harris picks as her running mate.

By Emily Goodin, senior U.S. political reporter in Las Vegas

President Joe Biden stopped by The Original Lindo Michoácan Restaurant in Las Vegas to record a radio interview with Univision.

He shuffled as he walked in via the kitchen.

The president went around to talk to patrons and pose for selfies before the interview, which took place in a booth at the restaurant. The interview will air across all Univision-Uforia radio stations starting Thursday afternoon.

Biden didn’t acknowledge questions from the press about Adam Schiff’s call for him to drop out of the presidential race.

And, as reporters shouted questions at him, Biden’s staff shouted over them and told reporters it was time to leave the event.

Donald Trump spent over 10 minutes on stage familiarizing himself with the arena before his speech tomorrow night.

At one point he pointed to his bandaged ear which was hit by a bullet during the assassination attept last Saturday.

It was not clear what he was indicating as he spoke with technical staff about preparations for the speech.

At one point he also pointed up toward the ceiling and appeared interested in the hundreds of balloons there that will be dropped into the arena tomorrow night.

He listened intently as an official appeared to speak to him about the balloon.

Trump also Trump was accompanied on stage by his armed Secret Service detail.

DailyMail.com exclusively reported Wednesday that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy was spotted working out at a Gold's Gym in Milwaukee - but has scrapped his campaign schedule.

Kennedy was originally supposed to appear at the sidelines of the Republican National Convention - virtually at a CNN/Politico Grill event and then in-person at a farmers event in nearby Madison.

Neither of those political events went ahead as scheduled - as Trumpworld mulls a Kennedy endorsement.

By Nikki Schwab, Chief Campaign Correspondent in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Former President Donald Trump participated in a walk-through of the convention stage Wednesday afternoon flanked by top aides and Secret Service agents.

The GOP nominee, still sporting his large ear bandage, brought along aides Stephen Miller, Margo Martin and Jason Miller as he tried out the podium.

Trump will give a primetime speech Thursday addressing the Republican National Convention.

He's made appearances at the RNC every night thus far after surviving an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania Saturday.

J.D. Vance slammed the 'dishonest' media  on Wednesday when he held his first campaign fundraising event since joining the Trump ticket.

He demonstrated the attack dog credentials that impressed Donald Trump in front of about 200 supporters gathered at a science center on the shores of Lake Michigan.

'The media keeps on saying they want somebody to tone down the temperature,' he said.

'Well, Donald Trump got shot and he toned down the temperature. That's what a real leader does.'

Wednesday is veep day. Later in the evening he hits prime time, delivering the Republican convention's big speech of the day as he is launched on the American public.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The would-be assassinator of President Ronald Reagan urged a message of 'peace' in a post on X just four days after the assassination attempt on Donald Trump.

John Hinckley, 69, wrote:

Violence is not the way to go. Give peace a chance.

Hinckley's motive for shooting the president in 1981 was to earn fame and impress actress Jodie Foster.

He was found not guilty of the assassination attempt on the ground of insanity but remained under institutional psychiatric care for more than 41 years.

Hinckley as granted unconditional release on June 15, 2022 and since then has released music on Spotify and created cat artwork that he sells on Ebay.

Secret Service head Kimberly Cheatle's bizarre statement that her agency didn't properly secure a building used by a would-be assassin to shoot at Donald Trump because of a sloped roof is falling flat with a former top FBI official.

'I think this sort of micro-excuse for this and that just rings hollow,' former FBI Assistant Director Chris Swecker told DailyMail.com, hours after Cheatle floated the excuse.

'I’m looking at that rooftop. Nobody’s saying you have to have somebody on the rooftop. You need to have eyes on the rooftop 100 percent of the time,' he said.

'If they’re too scared to climb up on top of the roof, just keep your eyes on it,' added Swecker, who was brought in to conduct an independent review following the murder of Army Private First Class Vanessa Guillén at Fort Hood in 2020 and served at the FBI under Robert Mueller.

Joe Biden held a train wreck Zoom call with Democrat lawmakers just minutes before the assassination attempt on Donald Trump – and the turmoil possibly saved the president from a flood of calls to end his re-election bid.

Those on the call branded it 'tense' and 'awful' and Biden reportedly had a particularly combative exchange with Rep. Jason Crow of Colorado, a former Army Ranger who served in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Things went so badly that 'had the assassination attempt not occurred an hour later, I imagine 50 people on that Zoom were ready to come out publicly against him,' a participant told the Puck news outlet.

By Charlie Spiering, Senior Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Republicans here at their national convention speak about why they are excited for J.D. Vance to take on Vice President Kamala Harris in a debate, even though the campaigns have not agreed on a specific date.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Donald Trump Jr. will speak with Peter Navarro in a live streamed conversation at the Republican National Convention on Wednesday.

The former White House trade advisor to former President Donald Trump is heading straight from Miami federal prison to Milwaukee, Wisconsin to appear at the Convention, where he is listed as a speaker.

Don Jr. will interview Navarro at 5p.m. Centeral Time on Rumble, the president's eldest son posted to X.

Navarro served a four month sentence for contempt of Congress after he refused to hand over documents or appear to testify to the House Select Committee investigating the January 6 Capitol riot.

The Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., wants the Director of the Secret Service to resign after Trump was shot at a campaign rally on Saturday under her watch.

The rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, resulted in the shooting of the former president and the murder of former firefighter Corey Comperatore despite a massive Secret Service presence.

'I’m going to call for a resignation,' for Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle, Johnson said on Fox News Wednesday morning. 'Look, I think it's inexcusable.'

Johnson also revealed he is setting up a bipartisan task force to investigate the shooting.

He said the special task force would be a 'precision strike' to get to the bottom of how a former president and current presidential candidate could have been so easily targeted.

Delegates on the floor at the Republican National Convention Tuesday night were dancing, taking videos and photos, chanting and celebrating their presidential nominee Donald Trump.

But for one honorary delegate, the bright lights, blasting music and cheers of MAGA loyalists were not enough excitement to keep him awake: Harry was fast asleep.

Harry is a 8-year-old Labrador Retriever who has been stealing hearts on the floor at the Fiserv Forum where GOP delegates have been gathering this week.

This is perhaps the largest political event Harry has attended to date. But this is not his first political rodeo, and in a world of deep political divisions, it turns out that having Harry around helps bridge the political divide.

Congressman Adam Schiff is calling on President Biden to exit the presidential race, making him the latest top ranking Democrat to do so amid concerns over whether the president can win against Donald Trump.

While the choice to withdraw from the campaign is President Biden's alone, I believe it is time for him to pass the torch,' Schiff said in a statement on Wednesday.

'And in doing so, secure his legacy of leadership by allowing us to defeat Donald Trump in the upcoming election,' he continued.

Families of the 13 service members who were killed during the botched Afghanistan withdrawal are supporting Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention.

The families spoke exclusively with DailyMail.com at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, minutes before Trump's arrival to the arena on night two of the convention.

Their kids were among the 13 Americans and some 170 Afghans who died days later when a suicide bomber detonated an explosive in August 2021. To date, not a single Biden administration official has taken responsibility for the loss of life.

Darin Hoover, who lost his son Taylor Hoover, a 31-year-old Marine Corps staff sergeant in the attack, said he wants to ensure 'what happened to our kids never happens again' by getting Trump reelected.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Donald Trump's granddaughter Kai Trump, 17, announced Wednesday that she will make remarks on Day Three of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee.

Kai, Donald Trump Jr.'s eldest daughter of five siblings, confirmed her speaking slot with an Instagram story post on Wednesday morning where she wrote:

I am honored to be speaking at the RNC at 9 pm (CDT)

While Trump's grandchildren have made some rare appearances at his political events over the years, Kai's remarks on Wednesday evening will be a first.

Pictured above: Don Jr. brings three of his kids, including Kai, on stage with him at Trump's rally in Doral, Florida on July 9.

By Jon Michael Raasch, U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

The Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., wants the Director of the Secret Service to resign after Trump was shot at a campaign rally on Saturday.

The rally resulted in the shooting of the former president and the murder of former firefighter Corey Comperatore.

'I’m going to call for a resignation,' for USSS Director Kimberly Cheatle, Johnson said on Fox News Wednesday morning.

'Look, I think it's inexcusable,' he added.

Cheatle is expected to appear before a congressional committee next week to answer questions on the massive security failure.

By Sarah Ewall-Wice, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee:

President Biden's campaign responded to Nikki Haley's convention speech last night as it has been actively courting Haley voters since her exit from the GOP primary.

'Her supporters, while they were voting for her in the primary, I think it's more important to point out what they were voting against. They were voting against Donald Trump and an extreme MAGA agenda, one that would put democracy at risk,' said deputy campaign manager Quentin Fulks.

He said it was no surprise what Haley did last night but argued her voters are going to see through it.

'Unfortunately, last night Nikki Haley lost her way in speaking to those people,' he said.

From Rob Crilly, Chief U.S. Political Correspondent in Milwaukee

If Monday was the resurrection, with talk of miracles and divine intervention when a bandaged Trump made his first public appearance after being shot, then Tuesday was the healing.

At the second day of the Republican convention in Milwaukee, the former president was lauded by former opponents who months ago called him unhinged or rubbished his election prospects.

'America has an amazing ability to self-correct,' said Nikki Haley, Trump's last primary opponent.

'In this moment, we have a chance to put aside our differences and focus on what unites us and strengthens our country.'

It was healing. Up to a point.

By Katelyn Caralle, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin

Gov. Ron DeSantis tore into President Joe Biden during his remarks at a breakfast wtih Florida GOP members, delegates and members of the state's legislature.

I was pretty hard on Joe Biden last night. Everything I said was true. But, you know, in the spirit of unity, I just want to say that I sure hope he ends up with the Democratic nomination… I think that’s the best possible scenario for Republicans. And so I hope he sticks it out.”

The Florida governor said Biden's debate performance put on blast how unfit he is to serve another term.

There's people that will look at this and realize that, you know, it's one thing to have a bad debate because we all make mistakes, you can put your foot in your mouth, you can do different things. But it wasn't just any kind of bad debate. It was that he exposed the problem that is not fixable.

DeSantis, a former 2024 primary candidate, did not mention Trump during his speech 25-minute speech on Wednesday morning.

DeSantis gave remarks during a 'unity' section of the Republican Convention on Tuesday evening in Milwaukee, Wisconsin after Nikki Haley, a fellow ex-rival to Trump.

Nearly two thirds of Democrats say Joe Biden, 81, should withdraw from the presidential race and let his party nominate a different candidate, according to a new poll.

The result undercuts Biden's claim that 'average Democrats' are still with him even if some 'big names' are turning on him.

The new survey by the AP-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research was conducted as Biden works to salvage his candidacy two weeks after a disastrous debate performance.

Only about 3 in 10 Democrats are extremely or very confident that Biden has the mental capability to serve effectively as president, the poll found.

The poll was conducted mostly before Saturday's assassination attempt on Donald Trump at a campaign rally in Pennsylvania.

Milwaukee business owners say they are leaning toward backing former President Donald Trump over Joe Biden this election as the MAGA frenzy descends upon their city.

A number of business owners and managers with locations closely situated to the Republican National Convention exclusively talked to DailyMail.com.

From fine art appraisers to fine beer distributors, the entrepreneurs say that the crowds flocking to the four-day event at Fiserv Forum have been good for business, but others closer to the security perimeter have not been so lucky.

Some of these business owners have yet to make a decision about who they will support in November, but very few plan to back President Joe Biden.

'I'll be voting, voting Republican,' Erik, a beer and spirits distributor, told DailyMail.com outside the back of his truck while making a shipment Tuesday morning.

The Democrat governor of California took a swipe Elon Musk said he was moving the HQs of X and SpaceX from California to Texas.

By Sarah Ewall-Wice, Senior U.S. Political Reporter in Milwaukee:

Democrats held a press conference in Milwaukee on Wednesday where they attacked the Republican National Convention and Donald Trump picking JD Vance as his running mate, zeroing in on the Ohio senator's anti-abortion stance.

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz, Biden Deputy Campaign Manager Quentin Fulks, and Texas Congresswoman Veronica Escobar were joined by  Amanda Zurawski, a woman who nearly died when she was unable to get an abortion and was told she would have to wait after she learned her wanted pregnancy was not viable and she suffered severe health complications.

'I am one of many women in our country whose life has been put at risk because of Donald Trump and JD Vance's anti-reproductive freedom agenda,' said  Zurawski. 'We have been robbed of our freedom. I'm just one of those women.'

The Biden campaign has been hampered by concerns over President Biden's fitness to serve since the debate with some Democratic lawmakers even calling for the president to step aside. 

But the Biden campaign pushed back, saying it will continue to make the case and zero in the issues including abortion which has been galvanizing for Democrats since Roe v Wade fell.

'Many women are living through it,' said Fulks. 'Our campaign is going to continue to talk about the issues.'

The House and Senate are expected to receive unclassified hearings on the assassination plot against Donald Trump on Wednesday.

The Secret Service is expected to brief members on the shootings and the security at the Butler, Pennsylvania, rally where Trump was shot and former firefighter Corey Comperatore was killed.

The briefing for the Senate is expected at 3 p.m. and the Senate session is at 3:30 p.m., PunchBowl News reports.

Officials from the FBI are expected to attend the briefing as well.

Results from a brand new Forbes survey between July 13, the day of the Trump assassination attempt, and July 15 don't show a huge bump in the ex-president's favor.

The results have Trump up 51% to Biden's 49% in a matchup.

That two percent difference is well within the margin of error and not the widely anticipated 'Trump bump' after he narrowly escaped death.

His iconic fist pump yelling 'fight, fight, fight' moment may not be as impactful as predicted in a dire sign for his campaign.

Iran's reported plot to assassinate Donald Trump is alarming but not surprising, Republicans say, adding that Biden needs to make clear an attempt would be an act of war.

The Secret Service ramped up security around Donald Trump after receiving intelligence of an Iranian assassination plot in the weeks before he was shot at the Pennsylvania rally, a bombshell report revealed Tuesday.

Despite the heightened security, 20-year-old gunman Thomas Mathew Crooks was still able to climb on a roof just 130 yards away from the former president and open fire with a clear line of sight.

Former Trump economic advisor Peter Navarro was released from federal prison in Miami Wednesday after serving a four-month sentence, with plans to head to the Republican convention in Milwaukee.

Navarro was jailed after being convicted of failing to comply with a congressional subpoena for testimony and documents as the House probed Trump’s election overturn effort.

He wrote about a political plan he termed the ‘Green Bay Sweep,’ off a Green Bay Packers play, involving repeated efforts to block state vote tallies when Congress counted the electoral votes for president.

Leaders of Donald Trump’s Republican convention have listed Navarro among speakers in Milwaukee.

The head of the U.S. Secret Service has admitted the agency was 'solely responsible' implementing security when Donald Trump was shot by a would-be assassin.

Director Kimberly Cheatle had previously said local law enforcement had responsibility for the building from which gunman Thomas Crooks, 20, hit the president with a bullet on Saturday at a rally in Pennsylvania.

Cheatle has now told CNN:

At that particular site, we divided up areas of responsibility but the Secret Service is totally responsible for the design and implementation and the execution of the site.

What I was trying to stress was that we just divided up areas of responsibility and they provided support to those areas