Biden interview: President Joe Biden defended himself against criticism of his anti-Trump rhetoric that had been spotlighted in the shooting’s aftermath — but admitted it was a mistake to say it was “time to put Trump in a bulls-eye.”
Shooting investigation: As they search for a motive in the Trump attack, investigators are scrutinizing the shooter’s movements and trying to confirm a timeline of his actions.
Takeaways from Day 1 of the Republican National Convention
From CNN's Eric Bradner
Former US President Donald Trump appears with a bandaged ear on the first night of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on July 15.
Rebecca Wright/CNN
Donald Trump stole the show at the Republican National Convention on Monday night in his first public appearance since surviving an assassination attempt two days ago.
Here are the top takeaways from the RNC’s first night:
Trump picks Vance Trump called Vance just 20 minutes before publicly announcing his VP pick on Truth Social, a source told CNN.
The choice reflects Trump’s belief that Vance is an effective communicator who can sell Trump’s populist agenda.
Vance now vs. then Vance is something of a double-edged sword for Republicans, who are betting on his ability to communicate Trump’s message but will have to contend with the senator’s own history.
Prior to running for his Senate seat in 2022, Vance was a strident critic of Trump — material Democrats are certain to replay for the duration of the campaign.
VP also-rans get their moments Delegates and convention-watchers heard from several other Republicans who Trump considered for the vice presidential nod, including South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin, New York Rep. Elise Stefanik, Florida Rep. Byron Donalds and South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott.
Ron Johnson’s Ron Burgundy moment Two days after the shooting, many Republican speakers delivered cooler-than-usual rhetoric — except Wisconsin Sen. Ron Johnson, who called Democratic policies a “clear and present danger to the country.”
Johnson’s spokesperson said it was a mistake, and that the senator delivered an old version of his remarks that had been erroneously loaded into the teleprompter instead of a new version calling for unity.
The FBI and DHS warn of possible retaliation in response to Trump assassination attempt, Politico reports
From CNN's Jalen Beckford
In a rare joint intelligence bulletin, the FBI and Department of Homeland Security warned Monday of potential “retaliatory acts of violence” in response to the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump, according to Politico.
The bulletin didn’t mention any specific targets, according to Politico, but noted that extremists have conducted or plotted attacks against “political or ideological opponents” in the past.
The warning comes as law enforcement agencies investigate the events and potential motives leading up to the assassination attempt.
As CNN previously reported, Capitol Police said Monday that they are already “operating in a heightened threat environment” due to threats against lawmakers, adding that they are working with “federal, state and local partners on a comprehensive plan to protect the Members of Congress” during both the Republican National Convention and the Democratic National Convention.
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Biden puts the focus on policy in return to campaign trail after attempt on Trump’s life
From CNN's Kayla Tausche
Returning to the campaign trail for the first time after an assassination attempt on his predecessor, President Joe Biden is expected to point to policies – not personality – to make the case against former President Donald Trump.
In advance of public events in Nevada today, Biden unveiled new actions to lower housing costs, including a plan to cap rents charged by certain landlords. Officials say the moves are aimed at easing a significant financial burden felt by voters.
But it also allows Biden to sell voters on the substance of his proposals, instead of attacking his rival’s morals and bellicose personality.
The Biden campaign has pledged to stay away from more divisive rhetoric in the wake of the assassination attempt.
Biden told NBC News that he meant to “focus on him, focus on what he’s doing” when he referenced putting Trump in a bullseye during a call with donors, even as he slammed Trump’s refusal to accept the 2020 election outcome and other campaign trail rhetoric.
During the interview with Lester Holt, Biden conceded that using the term “bullseye” was a mistake.
A senior adviser told CNN the campaign’s directive was to use discretion on all Trump-related matters “until further notice.”
Democrats outraise GOP opponents in second quarter
From CNN's David Wright, Matt Holt, Fredreka Schouten and Alex Leeds Matthews
Second-quarter fundraising reports show Democrats outraised Republicans in competitive congressional races, while several vulnerable Senate Democrats burned through cash.
House Democrats in most competitive races posted big hauls
Democratic candidates outraised their GOP opponents in 21 of the 22 House races rated as Toss-ups by The Cook Political Report with Amy Walter, the most competitive category. Republicans hold a razor-thin majority in the House.
Outside groups poised for big role
The reports also show the leading outside groups and super PACs hauling in huge sums as they prepare to blitz the battleground airwaves with campaign advertising.
In the fight for the Senate, the Senate Majority PAC, which is affiliated with Senate Democratic leader Chuck Schumer, raised $44.3 million and entered July with $124.3 million banked.
Trump’s growing Silicon Valley appeal
The Wall Street Journal reported Monday that Elon Musk – who endorsed the former president Saturday less than an hour after he survived the assassination attempt – is prepared to plow about $45 million a month into a new group, America PAC, recently launched to support Trump’s bid.
How Trump landed on JD Vance as his vice presidential pick
From CNN's Alayna Treene, Steve Contorno and Kaitlan Collins
Forrmer President Donald Trump shakes hands with his vice presidential pick JD Vance during the 2024 Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on July 15.
Rebecca Wright/CNN
The political marriage between President Donald Trump and Ohio Sen. JD Vance wasn’t an instant match. Earlier this year, as Trump was working to seal the GOP nomination, Vance had yet to even be approached by the Trump campaign about the possibility of joining him on the ticket. The first time Vance’s team began to realize that Trump was formally considering him was when he received vetting paperwork for the running mate process in June.
The relationship blossomed in the spring and summer over joint appearances at campaign events and closed-door fundraisers in California, where Vance, a former venture capitalist, helped Trump connect with wealthy tech entrepreneurs, such as Vance’s close friend, prominent investor David Sacks.
Their final meeting before Monday’s decision took place at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club on Saturday, sources told CNN. One source familiar with the discussion described their time together as “the final interview before getting the job.”
Lobbying for North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum and Florida Sen. Marco Rubio continued until the final hours. But Vance ultimately had the backing of voices with tremendous sway, including the former president’s eldest son, Donald Trump Jr., former Trump senior adviser Steve Bannon, and Tucker Carlson.
That trio argued that Vance had the strongest relationship with Trump and that he would be the most loyal if selected, according to multiple sources familiar with the discussions.
They also argued that Vance can appeal to working-class voters, who are seen as essential to winning the key battleground states in November, given his upbringing in a poor Rust Belt town. The sources said Vance’s wife, Usha Chilukuri Vance — the child of Indian immigrants — was someone they thought could appeal to minority voters.
JD Vance "overwhelmed with gratitude" after being named as Trump’s VP pick
From CNN's Kit Maher
Ohio Sen. JD Vance said late Monday night that he is “just overwhelmed with gratitude,” after officially being selected as former President Donald Trump’s running mate.
Vance appeared alongside Trump on the first night of the Republican National Convention after the pair was formally nominated as the GOP ticket for the 2024 presidential election.
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Analysis: GOP sees divine intervention in Trump’s triumphant return
From CNN's Stephen Collinson
Donald Trump has gone from an insurrection to a resurrection.
The searing picture of a nation in dystopian decline that defines the ex-president’s politics was largely missing on the first night of the Republican National Convention.
In its place was a sense of the divine — a pulsating belief in miracles among thousands of Republican delegates and a feeling that God spared their hero after he was nearly killed in an assassination attempt in Pennsylvania on Saturday.
Thousands of Trump supporters in Milwaukee on Monday night hailed their leader, elevating him from MAGA superhero to saint-like status.
Trump, a white bandage over his wounded right ear, stood below the stands of the Milwaukee Bucks NBA arena. He didn’t speak to the crowd, but mouthed “thank you” over and over again.
Usually, Trump’s face projects anger or rage or sarcasm. But on Monday night, it wore unusual emotion. It looked as if tears welled in Trump’s eyes. A man who normally projects strength and seeks to dominant every room he enters betrayed a trace of wistfulness and vulnerability, as might befit someone coming to terms with their life being saved by a stroke of luck and a turn of the head.
Trump’s supporters have long seen him as a God-like figure and his own campaign has played into the trope with advertising. He’s styled himself as the secular prophet who leads a populist movement.
For Trump’s millions of American fans, Monday night was a validation of their faith in God and the ex-president and the righteousness of his mission.
President Joe Biden sat down with NBC’s Lester Holt on Monday in his first interview since the assassination attempt against former President Donald Trump.
Here are some of the key takeaways:
Biden grateful Trump’s OK but slams his rhetoric
He mentioned Trump’s comments after the rally of White supremacists in Charlottesville, Virginia, in 2017 — when Trump said there were “very fine people on both sides” — and the former president’s denial of the 2020 election that led to the 2021 insurrection at the Capitol.
Biden declines to speculate on shooting’s impact on election
He said he is more focused on Trump’s health and safety at this time.
President admits his “bullseye” comment was a mistake
During a July 8 call with donors, Biden said: “It’s time to put Trump in the bullseye,” according to a summary of the call provided by his campaign.
“I meant to focus on him. Focus on what he’s doing. Focus on his policies, focus on the number of lies he told at the debate,” he said.
Biden feels safe with the Secret Service
He said the agency continued to have his “full confidence” and it was an “open question” whether the Secret Service should have anticipated the shooting.
JD Vance is no surprise as Trump’s VP pick
Biden pointed out the staunchly anti-Trump views Vance held before he became a senator: “If you go back and listen to some of the things JD Vance said about Trump…,” Biden said, laughing as he trailed off.
Analysis: Delegates broadly approve of Trump's VP pick — but there are still questions
From CNN's Jeff Zeleny
Trump looks at the crowd at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, on Monday, July 15.
Bernadette Tuazon/CNN
Republicans got their first look at the Trump-Vance ticket tonight.
The admiration was clear, even as vice presidential nominee JD Vance gave former President Donald Trump a bit of space as they settled into their new partnership at the Republican National Convention on Monday.
Talking to delegates here, there is broad approval for Trump’s choice, but questions remain about what Vance brings to the ticket.
One Wisconsin Republican said he still worries whether Trump can win the suburban counties here — and said he is eager to hear Nikki Haley speak at the convention tomorrow.
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Vance calls for "full-scale investigation" into assassination attempt
From CNN's Kit Maher
Donald Trump’s vice-presidential pick, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, has called for a “full-scale investigation” into the assassination attempt against the former president.
“We need to understand what happened because clearly mistakes were made,” Vance told Fox News on Monday night.
Vance said he was playing mini golf with his kids when the assassination attempt happened Saturday in Butler, Pennsylvania.
“I don’t know enough about the security protocols, but I was a United States Marine. And 150 yards is not nearly enough of a security perimeter,” Vance said.
But Vance did not repeat his claim that the Biden campaign’s rhetoric “led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination,” which he shared in a post on X shortly after the shooting.
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Snipers were inside the building where gunman attempted to assassinate Trump
From CNN's Whitney Wild
Snipers were stationed inside the building where a gunman climbed the roof and attempted to assassinate former President Donald Trump, a source familiar with the investigation tells CNN.
The source said the local sniper team hailed from the Butler County Emergency Services Unit.
The team, according to the source, was located on the second floor providing overwatch of the crowd at the rally.
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Analysis: Democrats will try to hammer Vance as "a clone of Trump"
From CNN's Jeff Zeleny
Democrats were eagerly watching the Republican convention tonight, too, focusing their attention on the newest man in the race: Sen. JD Vance.
While there’s no question the race will revolve around Donald Trump, Democrats believe Vance offers significant opportunities — on abortion, his previous criticism of Trump, and more.
President Joe Biden called Vance “a clone of Trump.” That was no accident. It’s a bumper sticker message Democrats will continue to use.
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Here's what happened on the first day of the Republican National Convention
From CNN staff
Former US President Donald Trump and Senator JD Vance, appear during the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee on Monday, July 15.
Rebecca Wright/CNN
Donald Trump appeared at the Republican National Convention on Monday night after officially becoming the Republican nominee for president earlier in the day. The event comes two days after the former president survived an assassination attempt.
Trump appeared alongside his running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, with a bandage over his ear, where he was wounded in the shooting. Vance became the official vice presidential nominee on Monday, shortly after Trump called him to tell of his decision.
Here’s a recap of the top moments from the first day of the RNC:
VP pick: Vance said that during a phone call with Trump, the former president told him “You’re the guy who can help me in the best way.” Vance was elected to the Senate in 2022 after receiving a boost from Trump in the primary. That was a reversal from six years earlier when Vance was a key voice in the “Never Trump” movement during the 2016 election.
Speeches: Several lawmakers and other officials spoke, including Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, Sen. Tim Scott, and Rep. Byron Donalds. Here are some of their key quotes:
Sean O’Brien, the general president of the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, said that his union is not “beholden to anyone or any party” and that he wants to work with a bipartisan coalition to “accomplish something real,” but praised Trump for inviting him.
Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn slammed President Joe Biden and said the current administration is “destroying small businesses.”
Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin thanked God for “protecting” Trump from an assassination attempt and argued that reelecting him would deliver a “rip-roaring economy that lifts up all Americans.”
Florida Rep. Byron Donalds talked about his struggle of growing up poor and the realities of financially struggling families in America during the Biden administration.
Alabama Sen. Katie Britt said Biden is “not capable” of his duties as commander in chief as she told attendees Trump is “the change we need.”
South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem praised Trump as a “fighter” and said “the whole world changed” when a gunman shot at him over the weekend.
Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene celebrated Trump’s nomination and slammed Democrats over policy issues including the border crisis and the economy.
South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott attacked Biden and argued inflation is “crushing families” and said the border is hurting working-class families.
Biden interview: Biden defended himself against criticism of his rhetoric that has been spotlighted in the aftermath of the assassination attempt, but said it was a mistake to say it was “time to put Trump in a bullseye.” He said in an interview with NBC News’ Lester Holt that he told Trump how concerned he was in a phone call after the shooting. Several Democratic sources tell CNN there are still private efforts to nudge Biden to step out of the race.
Latest on assassination attempt: The FBI has gained access to the phone of Thomas Matthew Crooks, the Trump rally shooter. Investigators have also conducted “nearly 100 interviews of law enforcement personnel, event attendees, and other witnesses.” Authorities previously said they believed that Crooks acted alone and they had not yet been able to identify his motive.
Vance says Trump looking for "reasonable compromises" on abortion
From CNN's Kit Maher
Sen. JD Vance, Republican vice presidential candidate, attends the first day of the Republican National Convention on Monday, July 15, in Milwaukee.
Win McNamee/Getty Images
Asked to plainly state his view on abortion, JD Vance said the top of the ticket will dominate the Republican Party’s view on the issue, which involves certain exceptions and leaving laws up to individual states.
“My view is that Donald Trump is the leader of the Republican Party and his views on abortion are going to be the views that dominate this party and drive this party forward. His views are very simple,” Vance said.
“You got to follow your heart. You have to believe in reasonable exceptions, because that’s where the American people are, and you’ve got to let individual states make this decision,” he said. “That’s how I think we build some bridges and have some respect for one another.”
In 2021, Vance told Spectrum News 1 that “two wrongs don’t make a right,” when asked if he believes in exceptions for rape and incest.
“It’s not whether a woman should be forced to bring a child to term. It’s whether a child should be allowed to live, even though the circumstances of that child’s birth are somehow inconvenient or a problem to the society,” Vance said at the time. “The question is really about the baby.”
Asked to address criticism for calling rape and incest “inconvenient,” Vance said Monday night, “Democrats have completely twisted my words.”
“What I did say is that we sometimes in this society see babies as inconveniences, and I absolutely want us to change that,” Vance said.
Vance sought to paint Democrats as the ones with a radical position.
“My grandma, the woman who raised me was pro-choice. She used to say ‘safe, legal and rare.’ And I remember, you know, that was her understanding of what the Democratic Party view was,” Vance said.
“Now the Democrats are saying taxpayer-funded up until the moment of birth, unlimited, that’s ridiculous,” he said.
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Vance says he doesn't hide from prior criticism of Trump, arguing it could help turn skeptics
From CNN's Kit Maher
Donald Trump’s running mate, Ohio Sen. JD Vance, said he doesn’t hide from his prior harsh criticism of the former president – whom he once called a “moral disaster,” “reprehensible” and possibly “America’s Hitler” – arguing that his initial skepticism could help him “make a good case” to Trump skeptics in 2024.
As CNN’s KFILE reported, Vance said in 2016 and 2017 that Trump was “cultural heroin” and “just another opioid” for Middle America.
“I bought into the media’s lies and distortions. I bought into this idea that somehow he was going to be so different, a terrible threat to democracy. It was a joke,” Vance said.
Vance argued his prior skepticism could be an asset.
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Fact Check: Sen. Marsha Blackburn claims Biden administration hired 85,000 new IRS agents
From CNN’s Katie Lobosco
Sen. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee claimed in her Republican National Convention speech Monday that the Biden administration has hired 85,000 new Internal Revenue Service agents to “harass hardworking Americans.”
Facts First:This claim is false.
The Inflation Reduction Act – which Congress passed in 2022 without any Republican votes – provided an about $80 billion, 10-year investment to the IRS. The agency plans to hire tens of thousands of IRS employees with that money – but only some will be IRS agents who conduct audits and investigations. Many people will be hired for non-agent roles, such as customer service representatives. And a significant number of the hires are expected to fill the vacant posts left by retirements and other attrition, not take newly created positions.
The 85,000 figure comes from a 2021 Treasury Department report that estimated the IRS could hire 86,852 full-time employees — not solely enforcement agents – over the course of a decade with a nearly $80 billion investment.
Fact Check: Biden on the special counsel’s findings about his handling of classified docs
From CNN’s Jack Forrest
In an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt on Monday, President Joe Biden claimed that it was concluded he did nothing wrong in his handling of classified documents after he left the office of vice president.
Facts First:This claim needs context. CNN reported that while special counsel Robert Hur’s report released earlier this year did not charge Biden with a crime, it found the president willfully retained classified information, including top-secret documents, and knew he was in possession of some documents as far back as 2017. Biden also shared some of that information with the ghostwriter of his 2017 memoir.
Hur decided not to charge Biden primarily because he found that nothing proved a willful intent by Biden to illegally hold on to classified information and because of his cooperation with the investigation.
During his testimony to Congress in March, Hur was pushed by Democratic lawmakers to declare Biden’s innocence — something he refused to do.
Media personality Amber Rose says families were "safer, wealthier and stronger" under Trump
From CNN's Danya Gainor
Amber Rose speaks during the first day of the 2024 Republican National Convention on Monday, July 15.
Andrew Caballero-Reynolds/AFP/Getty Images
Amber Rose, a media personality and influencer, said Monday that American families were “safer, wealthier and stronger” under former President Donald Trump.
Rose claimed that high grocery and gas prices didn’t exist under Trump and that wanting a better country for the next generation is something that unites all parents, regardless of political affiliation.
“I’m here tonight to tell you, no matter your political background, the best chance we have to give our babies a better life is to elect Donald Trump president of the United States,” Rose said.
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Burgum says Trump called him "Mr. Secretary," hinting at a possible Cabinet role
From CNN's Veronica Stracqualursi
North Dakota Gov. Doug Burgum, who was on the shortlist to be Donald Trump’s running mate, said the former president addressed him in a phone call as “Mr. Secretary” – suggesting that he may be interested in Burgum for a potential Cabinet role.
“I got a call and had a great conversation with the president. And he said, ‘Hey, Mr. Secretary,’” Burgum told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins at the Republican National Convention while discussing how he received the news that he wasn’t selected as Trump’s running mate.
“There’s going to be a lot of work to do between now and then. That’s going to be the focus.”
He praised Ohio Sen. JD Vance as a “solid pick” for the Republican ticket and for being a “small town guy like me. What’s not to love about someone who grew up in a small town?”
Burgum touted Trump’s “strength” and “courage” in the face of this weekend’s assassination attempt and argued that Trump is “uniting” the nation and the Republican Party.
