Remarks for Night One of the Republican National Convention – Part One
President Trump’s 2020 Convention honors the great American story, the American people that have written it, and how President Donald J. Trump has empowered them to succeed. The convention highlights the progress that has been made under President Trump’s leadership, the hardworking Americans that make it possible, and how he will continue to make America great. While Democrats attack our country and sow division, President Trump is implementing an agenda that puts the American people first.
Timothy Cardinal Dolan
Opening Prayer
Charlie Kirk
Remarks as Prepared:
Good evening,
It is an honor to be with you tonight. My name is Charlie Kirk, and I run the largest pro-American student organization in the country, Turning Point USA, fighting for the future of our Republic.
Speaking to you in my personal capacity tonight as a 26 year old, I have a chance to view the state of our country as someone who sees the angst of young people and the challenges facing new parents forming families. I am here tonight to tell you -- to warn you -- that this election is a decision between preserving America as we know it, and eliminating everything that we love.
For decades ruling class leaders in both parties sold out our future -- to China, to faceless corporations, and to self-serving lobbyists. They did it to preserve their own power and enrich themselves. All while rigging the system to hold down the good and decent middle-class patriots striving to build a family and pursue a decent life.
All of this changed dramatically in 2015 when a billionaire named Donald Trump put his own life of luxury on the line. From the moment he came down that famous escalator he started a movement to reclaim our government from the rotten cartel of insiders that have been destroying our country.
We may not have realized it at the time, but this fact is now clear:
Trump is the bodyguard of western civilization.
Trump was elected to protect our families -- our loved ones -- from the vengeful mob that wishes to destroy our way of life, our neighborhoods, schools, church, and values. President Trump was elected to defend and strengthen the American way of life.
The American way of life means you follow the law, you work hard, you honor God, you raise your kids with strong values, and you work to create a civil more stable country and life for the ones you love.
America is a remarkable and improbable creation centered around central biblical ideals: That man is flawed by nature, that government must be created to protect, NOT grant rights, that life, liberty, and property are essential, and that only a moral people can preserve such a Republic.
America is a gift from God, preserved only by heroes who dared to fight and protect it as their own.
In this country it means you can speak your mind without retribution -- without being kicked off of social media by a self-righteous censor in Silicon Valley. It means you can freely practice your religion and that church is more essential than a casino. And it means that we judge people on actions not on their immutable characteristics.
All of this is under attack by a group of bitter, deceitful, vengeful, arrogant activists who wish to tear down this gift we have been given. We are locking up pastors, but releasing violent criminals from prison, we are kicking doctors off of social media, yet promoting Chinese state-funded Propaganda on major tech platforms. The left is judging people solely on the color of their skin, not on how they act or the values they hold.
Once again, as the guardian of America, Donald Trump is shielding the innocent from the selfish ambition of the selfish elites.
This election is the most critical since 1860, when a man named Lincoln was elected to preserve the union from disintegration. This election is not just the most important of our lifetime -- it is most important since the preservation of the Republic in 1865.
By reelecting Trump, we will ensure that our kids are raised to love America, not taught to hate our beautiful country.
Young kids will get so excited about the founding of our country, parents will have to calm their kids down at the dinner table because they are fired up about the brilliance of Jefferson, the toughness of Teddy Roosevelt, the strategic insight of Patton, the perseverance of Lincoln, the humility of Washington, or the ingenuity of Benjamin Franklin.
We will build monuments to heroes, not burn down our cities. We will be a country that rises to higher heights, that dreams big, thinks big, and can achieve the impossible. A country that values our heroic journey, the complexities of our past, but clearly communicates to the generation rising that we have to be grateful -- not angry -- that we live in America.
We will be a country that makes it easier to have many children, to live quiet and peaceable lives and to worship your God without a tyrant getting in your way. We will be a country that has its best 100 years ahead of us, and can build a future where America remains the greatest country ever to exist in the history of the world.
All of that is within our grasp to make sure we secure four more years for my friend, the defender of western civilization, our champion, my friend, the 45th President of the United States, President Donald J. Trump.
Rebecca Friedrichs
Remarks as Prepared:
I’m Rebecca Friedrichs, a veteran California public-school educator. I’m here to give voice to America’s great teachers because our voices have been silenced for decades by unions who claim to represent us.
They do not.
When other dedicated teachers and I served within the unions, we spoke up in defense of children, parents, scientific fact and American values. For our trouble, we were brutalized, booed off the platform, barred from committees, shouted down, and even spit upon by union leaders.
This is how unions treat devoted teachers. But what’s even worse is how their agenda of control deceives Americans and our children.
They’ve intentionally rewritten American history to perpetuate division, pervert the memories of our American Founders, and disparage our Judeo-Christian virtues. Their lenient discipline policies morphed our schools into war zones and they back “defunding police” and abolishing ICE.
Unions collect billions annually from unsuspecting teachers and push this radical agenda into our classrooms against our will.
Why? The only way to keep a free Republic is with a well-educated, moral citizenry that can self-govern. Unions are subverting our Republic, so they undermine educational excellence, morality, law and order.
That’s why they spend hundreds of millions annually to defeat charter schools and school choice – trapping so many precious, low-income children in dangerous, corrupt, and low-performing schools.
To fight back on behalf of children and America, brave teachers brought a lawsuit against unions, and do you know who intervened against us? The Obama-Biden Administration and California Attorney General Kamala Harris! They argued against us at the U.S. Supreme Court. Their comrades labeled us “spawns of satan,” and slandered us in mainstream media.
No matter their abuse, we’ll keep fighting for the country and children we love, just like President Trump. He’s breaking the unions’ grip on our schools; that’s why unions have tried to destroy him since the day he was elected. But President Trump isn’t afraid to fight for what’s right. He won’t back down. His courage gives great teachers renewed hope.
He’s even proposed education freedom scholarships to return control to parents, protect religious liberties, and empower kids to escape dangerous, low-performing schools.
The Republican platform supports educational freedom. The Democrat party does not.
Democrats stand with deceptive teachers unions who pick on loving teachers and little kids. President Trump stands with America’s families, great teachers, and most importantly our children.
So America’s great teachers, let’s stand with President Trump in protection of the kids and country we love!
Tanya Weinreis
Remarks as Prepared:
It is such an honor to be speaking with you today. My name is Tanya Weinreis. I am here from Billings, Montana where I live with my husband, who is my hero - a Marine and retired policeman.
At age 19 I became a businesswoman in the coffee business. Today my husband and I own Mountain Mudd Espresso.
We are not some multinational corporation. Our success isn’t measured by stockholders, but by our neighbors, the people we see at church, and at Jiu-Jitsu school with our son.
Mountain Mudd Espresso really is the American story. A story about hard work and perseverance.
A story not just for entrepreneurs, but also for millions of hard-working men and women who are building their American dream every single day.
A few months ago, just after I had placed a huge order of milk to get ready for a big event the next day, we heard it was cancelled, because of the virus.
Some folks might think, “it’s just some milk.” But for a small business – every penny matters. Those pennies together mean the difference between giving a raise, having to lay someone off, or creating new jobs.
Every single penny matters because every single person matters.
And really, our business was on the brink, like so many others – threatened to be shut down from losses that were not our fault.
That’s why I was scared. I thought of our 50 employees – the Mountain Mudd family. And when I thought of their jobs, I thought of their rent being due, and their kids and their futures, and I felt personally responsible.
And I’m not too proud to admit that I fell on my knees that night and I prayed, “Lord, what do I do?” His words rang clear – “keep on working, it will be ok.”
I had faith. And let me tell you, you have to have faith when your husband is a Marine and a police officer who was shot at on the job serving his community.
And when you run a business, a little faith goes a long way. Faith in Jesus and faith in America.
But, I’m worried that we have a generation of Americans who have been told that the American dream doesn’t exist.
That’s a lie. I know -- because I’ve lived that dream.
It’s why I feel so strongly that we need a champion like our president, President Donald Trump, now more than ever. Someone who believes in the American dream.
The truth is I’m still praying for our leaders, and I know I’m not alone.
And you know, the Lord and some of our leaders must be on the same page, because they both came through for Mountain Mudd.
My company was one of the first to get help from the PPP loan and Praise God, it has been a lifesaver for us.
Not only were we able keep every single employee but I’m thrilled to say we have been hiring weekly since this all began.
I feel for workers and businesses across America, who are under assault from shutdowns, from riots, and now face the terrifying prospect of Joe Biden coming after everything we’ve built.
I am so grateful that we have leaders like President Trump standing up for us who understand the good local business do in our neighborhoods and are not afraid to fight for us every day.
Thank you President Trump - it is so exciting to be a part of this great American comeback story.
Representative Matt Gaetz (FL-01)
Remarks as Prepared:
I’m speaking from an auditorium emptier than Joe Biden’s Daily Schedule.
But we are a nation of full hearts - and clear minds.
We see the choice clearly:
Strength or weakness.
Energy or confusion.
Success or failure.
And Biden knows failure. His own Defense Secretary said, “Biden has been wrong on every major foreign policy and national security decision for nearly four decades.”
He believes in war without winning, war without end.
President Trump doesn’t want us in distant deserts. He wants to fight to save America here and now.
Settle for Biden - that’s the hashtag promoted by AOC and the socialists.
And they will settle because they know it’ll be like Weekend at Bernie’s—and they’ll be pulling the strings.
But instead of a comedy, it’s a horror movie. They’ll disarm you, empty the prisons, lock you in your home, and invite MS-13 to live next door. And the defunded police aren’t on their way.
It’s the only kind of movie they’re making in Hollywood nowadays - that’s if the lights even stay on in California anymore.
By the way, America shouldn’t be giving any more power to the junior senator of a state that can’t even keep its power grid running.
At the Democratic Convention they promise that they’ll stop the madness.
But we didn’t start the fire. And weakness in the White House won’t stop it.
So what do we do?
How about not settling for violence in our neighborhoods or at our border?
Not settling for second-best to cheating China?
And not settling for another round of bad decisions by basement-dwelling Joe Biden?
Americans don’t settle. We advance. We don’t live in basements. We explore the frontier, the horizon, and the stars.
Donald Trump is a builder -- a visionary. The mind is as powerful as any brick and mortar. Americans have always understood this. Because we have always been builders. My great grandfather was a railroad man. In Florida, we watch rockets routinely send our brightest beyond the heavens.
China can keep making cheap plastic. But we have the ideas. And we will keep making the future.
I don’t laugh when I hear the tagline for Space Force – that sometimes your purpose on this planet isn’t on this planet – because I know there are Americans ready to go anywhere in the universe with our flag and our hope.
America is the greatest country that has ever existed. Don’t let any celebrity, athlete or politician tell you otherwise.
President Trump sometimes raises his voice - and a ruckus. He knows that’s what it takes to raise an army of patriots who love America and will protect her.
America is not just an idea or a constitution, it is our home. We must protect our home with unbreakable Made-in-America Strength - strength I see every day in President Donald Trump.
Kim Klacik
Remarks as Prepared:
My name is Kim Klacik, and I’m running for Congress in Maryland’s 7th district.
I’m the first Black female Republican candidate running for a Maryland Congressional seat, ever.
The Democrats have controlled my city, Charm City, for over 50 years and they have run this beautiful place into the ground.
Abandoned buildings, liquor stores on every corner, drug addicts and guns on the street -- that is now the norm in many neighborhoods.
You’d think Maryland taxpayers would be getting a whole lot since our taxes are out of control; instead, we are paying for decades of incompetence and corruption.
Sadly, this same cycle of decay exists in many of America’s Democrat-run cities.
And yet, the Democrats still assume that Black people will vote for them, no matter how much they let us down and take us for granted.
Nope! We’re sick of it and not going to take it anymore. The days of blindly supporting the Democrats are coming to an end.
In Baltimore, we have the highest number of Black Republicans in the entire country running for office this election cycle.
Joe Biden believes we can’t think for ourselves -- that the color of someone’s skin dictates their political views. We’re not buying the lies anymore -- you and your party have ignored us for too long.
We want safety in our neighborhoods. We want jobs and innovation, like tapping the potential of the Port of Baltimore to create manufacturing jobs for Americans. We want lower taxes. We want school choice. We want a chance to get ahead, not just get by! That’s what President Trump promised. And that’s what Trump delivered!
I want Baltimore to be an example to Republicans around the country that we can compete in our inner cities if we reach out to the citizens and deliver real results.
President Trump is bringing this country back roaring. And he’s bringing the American Spirit to life -- for all Americans.
So, I’m asking you to help President Trump complete the Great American Comeback, and I’m asking you to help me make Baltimore great again.
Because even though it’s going to make Democrat politicians furious to hear this from this un-bossed Woman, I’m just going to say it like it is: Donald Trump is hands-down the best president of my lifetime.
Thank you and God bless!
Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel
Remarks as Prepared:
Hi, I’m Ronna McDaniel, Chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, and on behalf of everyone in our Party and President Trump, thank you for tuning in as we kick off this historic convention.
Democrats started their convention last week with Eva Longoria, a famous Hollywood actress who played a housewife on TV.
Well, I’m actually a real housewife and a mom from Michigan with two wonderful kids in public school who happens to be only the second woman in 164 years to run the Republican Party.
And unlike Joe Biden, President Trump didn’t choose me because I’m a woman – he chose me because I was the best person for the job.
Four years ago President Trump started a movement unlike any other, and over the next four days we will hear from a few of the millions of hardworking, everyday Americans who have benefited from his leadership.
If you watched the DNC last week, you probably noticed that Democrats spent a lot of time talking about how much they despise our President, but we heard very little about what they actually plan to do.
Maybe it was an oversight, but more likely it’s because they don’t want you to know just how radical their policies really are.
But you deserve to know. You deserve to know about their plans to raise taxes on 82% of Americans, even as we are coming out of a global pandemic.
You deserve to know that they would ban fracking and eliminate fossil fuels, which would kill millions of good-paying jobs and raise the cost of driving our cars and heating our homes.
You deserve to know that they want a complete government takeover of our healthcare system, so moms like me won’t be able to take our kids to the same pediatrician they’ve been seeing for years.
You deserve to know that they believe people who come to our country illegally should receive the same benefits as American citizens.
And you deserve to know they want to defund law enforcement, even as we see crime spike two, three, and even fourfold in our major cities.
At stake in this election is far more than two competing governing philosophies – two very different visions are being presented for our future.
Democrats have chosen to go down the road to socialism.
We see it a different way, and this week we are going to show the American people a different way.
President Trump and Republicans are fighting for the values that have defined our country from the beginning – liberty, justice, equality – and our convention is going to celebrate everything that makes America the greatest nation on Earth.
We are going to share how President Trump’s policies have uplifted Americans of all backgrounds and empowered them to reach their full potential in life.
We are going to showcase all that President Trump and Republicans have achieved the past four years, and cast an aspirational, forward-looking vision about what we can achieve in the next four.
Tonight begins a new chapter in the Great American story – story that has inspired the world for generations and a story where the best is yet to come!
Thank you for watching, God Bless you and God Bless America!
Amy Johnson Ford
Remarks as Prepared:
My name is Amy Ford, and I’ve been a Registered Nurse for 17 years.
I’m from the small town of Williamson, West Virginia, where I’ve lived my entire life, the daughter of a nurse and a coal miner.
Even though I was the youngest of four children, I was always somewhat of a caretaker. It came natural for me.
So it felt right to follow in my mother’s footsteps and become a nurse.
And this March, when COVID19 sent our country into crisis, I knew I had to help any way I could.
I deployed to New York in April, and then to San Antonio, Texas, working as a crisis COVID relief nurse in both states. And I’ll tell you, in New York, Gov. Cuomo's lack of action made my job treating patients who had their worlds turned upside down that much harder.
But even as I contended with those challenges, I noticed something go very right in our healthcare system.
President Trump recognized the threat this virus presented for all Americans early on, and made rapid policy changes. And as a result, telehealth services are now accessible to more than 71 million Americans, including 35 million children.
Prior to COVID, telehealth was not covered or reimbursed under Medicare, Medicaid or CHIP. This left our most vulnerable populations with no other choice but to have an in-person, office visit with their physicians, increasing their risk of exposure to COVID 19 exponentially.
The expansion of telehealth services has also resulted in the integration of video visits between patients and their families, allowing loved ones to have contact and visualization, as well as a better understanding of care.
Telehealth has been essential during this pandemic. And let me be clear so that the media cannot twist my personal story to fit their narrative;
As a healthcare professional, I can tell you without hesitation, Donald Trump's quick action and leadership saved thousands of lives during COVID19. And the benefits of that response extend far beyond Coronavirus.
Telehealth will continue to aid many that are just unable to find transportation or a way to the doctor for regular checkups.
This is especially true in rural America. I live in a town of about 2,000 people. We do not have buses, trains, trolleys or Ubers available to us. In addition, the unavailability of services can also hinder treatment for many.
So the increased accessibility of telehealth afforded to millions of Americans has truly been lifesaving for many.
And we have President Trump to thank.
Dr. G.E. Ghali
Remarks as Prepared:
I am Dr. G. E. Ghali, an oral and maxillofacial surgeon, and chancellor of a large academic medical and research center in Louisiana. I feel uniquely positioned to share how President Trump’s decisive leadership led to a rapid and efficient response to the coronavirus pandemic. I know this as a health professional, and as a COVID patient.
The COVID-19 pandemic exploded into our great nation at an intensity unparalleled in history. But our medical investigation and drug development systems were not designed for a pandemic. The devastating effects of the coronavirus demanded immediate changes at the regulatory level. A prompt response led by President Trump cleared away the red tape that usually makes drug approvals a long and drawn out process. By harnessing the resources of the federal government and the private sector, President Trump’s “Operation Warp Speed” is accelerating the testing, supply, development and distribution of therapeutics, diagnostics, and very shortly, effective vaccines to counter COVID-19.
Let me give you three clear examples of how President Trump's leadership removed regulatory barriers so COVID patients could have faster access to effective therapies and diagnostics:
First, on February 26th, two phase three clinical trials studying Remdesivir were initiated. Just two months later the FDA approved Remdesivir for emergency use to treat COVID-19. Normally this is a 3-5 year process! The speed with which this happened in a safe but efficient manner is unheard of.
Second, the FDA granted expanded access to COVID-19 Convalescent Plasma. Within 24 hours of this approval, we were administering Convalescent Plasma and Remdesivir to a critically ill patient….a former Army Ranger and physician. Had it not been for the rapid deployment of these medicines, this patient, who is my colleague and friend, would have surely died.
And third, at the end of July, I developed a fever and a mild cough. I reached out to our testing team and received one of the Abbott Rapid Tests – yet another tool quickly approved by the Administration. Within 15 minutes my test came back positive, and within four hours I was receiving my Remdesivir doses followed by an infusion of Convalescent Plasma.
As a physician, I’ve seen firsthand how these breakthroughs have saved countless lives. As a patient, I benefited from the expedited therapies made possible by the swift action of this Administration. Donald Trump truly moved mountains to save lives and he deserves credit.
Thank you, President Trump for providing timely access to critical diagnostics and therapeutics during this pandemic. Thank you for your decisive leadership in these challenging times!
Representative Jim Jordan (OH-04)
Remarks as Prepared:
Good evening, I’m Congressman Jim Jordan representing the 4th district of Ohio.
The Republican party is the pro-America party. President Trump is the pro-America candidate.
This election is about who can preserve the values, principles, and institutions that Make America Great.
Don’t believe me? Look at what’s happening in America’s cities – all run by Democrats. Crime, violence, mob rule. Democrats refuse to denounce the mob.
And their response to the chaos? Defund the police, defund border patrol, defund the military. And while they’re doing all of this, they’re also trying to take away your guns.
Democrats won’t let you go to church, but they’ll let you protest.
Democrats won’t let you go to work, but they’ll let you riot.
Democrats won’t let you go to school, but they’ll let you loot.
President Trump has fought against their crazy ideas.
He’s taken on the swamp, the Democrats, the press, and the Never Trumpers.
And when you take on the swamp, the swamp fights back. They tried the Russia hoax, the Mueller investigation, and the fake impeachment. But despite this unbelievable opposition, look what this President has accomplished.
Taxes cut, regulations reduced, economy growing, lowest unemployment in 50 years, out of the Iran deal, embassy in Jerusalem, hostages home from North Korea, new USMCA agreement, and he’s building the wall, and rebuilding the economy.
I love the President’s intensity and his willingness to fight. But what I also appreciate is something most Americans never see – how much he truly cares about people.
Our family’s seen it. Two years ago, our nephew Eli was killed in a car accident.
He lived a mile from us. Grew up wrestling and training with our boys. Was a high school state champion. Varsity athlete for Wisconsin.
It was a Saturday morning, three days after the accident. I was walking to the car, to go to Eli’s parent’s home, when the President called.
We talked about a few issues. And then he asked how the family was doing. I said they’re doing “ok, but it’s tough.”
The President said “Yea. Losing a loved one’s always difficult, and it’s really tough when they’re so young.”
I then said “Mr. President, I’m actually walking into their house right now. Obviously, they don’t know I’m talking to you. But if you’d be willing to say hello to Eli’s dad, you’d make a terrible day a little less terrible.”
“What’s his name?” The President asked. I walked through the door, and said “Todd, the President wants to talk to you.”
For the next five minutes, family and friends sat in complete silence, as the President of the United States took time to talk to a dad who was hurting.
That’s the President I know. That’s the individual who’s Made America Great Again and who knows America’s best days are in front of us.
And that’s why I’m busting my tail to help him get re-elected. I’m asking you to do the same.
Thank you, and God Bless America.
Herschel Walker
Remarks as Prepared:
I am not an actor, a singer, or a politician. I’m Herschel Walker. Most of you know me as a football player. I’m also a father, a man of faith, and a very good judge of character. I have known Donald Trump for 37 years. And I don’t mean we just casually ran into each other from time to time. I’m talking about a deep personal friendship.
I watched him as the owner of a professional football team. Right after he bought the team, he set out to learn. He learned about the history of the team, the players, the coaches. Every detail. Then he used what he learned to make the team better.
I watched him in the board room. He could be in the middle of a big meeting, but if one of his kids was on the phone, he dropped everything to take the call. He taught me that family should be your top priority.
I watched him treat the janitors, security guards, and waiters the same way he would treat a VIP. He made them feel special because he knew they were. He understands that they are the people who make this country run. They clean. They cook. They build. They drive. They deliver. He told me, “Herschel, make an effort to get to know people. Remember their names.” That stuck with me.
One time, I had planned to take his kids to Disney World with my family. At the last minute, Donald said he’d like to join us. So there he was, in a business suit, on the “It’s a Small World” ride. That was something to see. It just shows you what a caring, loving father he is.
It hurts my soul to hear the terrible names that people call Donald. The worst one is “racist.” I take it as a personal insult that people would think I would have a 37-year friendship with a racist. People who think that don’t know what they are talking about. Growing up in the deep south, I have seen racism up close. I know what it is. And it isn’t Donald Trump.
Just because someone loves and respects the flag, our National Anthem, and our country doesn’t mean they don’t care about social justice. I care about all of those things, and so does Donald Trump. He shows how much he cares about social justice and the black community through his actions. And his actions speak louder than any stickers or slogans on a jersey.
He keeps right on fighting to improve the lives of black Americans and all Americans. He works night and day. He never stops. He leaves nothing on the field. Some people don’t like his style…the way he knocks down obstacles that get in the way of his goals. People on opposing teams didn’t like it when I ran right over them either. But that’s how you get the job done.
I pray every night, “God, give him some more time. Give him four more years.” He has accomplished so much, almost all by himself and under constant attack. But there is more work to do. If you love America and want to make it better, Donald Trump is your President. He’s my President and I’m blessed to call him friend.
Natalie Harp
Remarks as Prepared:
Good evening, I'm Natalie Harp, a formerly Forgotten American from California.
In the classic Jimmy Stewart film, It’s a Wonderful Life, George Bailey is given a great gift—the “chance to see what the world would be like without” him.
Tonight, Mr. President, we’d like to give you that same gift.
Without you, we’d all be living in Pottersville, sold out to a crooked Mr.—or I should say a crooked Mrs.—Potter, with no hope of escape except death itself. I should know. Because I wouldn’t be alive today if it weren’t for you.
About five years ago, I was the victim of a notoriously deadly medical error. I survived, but only to be diagnosed with a rare and terminal bone cancer.
The Democrats love to talk about healthcare being a human right. But a right to what? Well, I’ll tell you. To them, it’s a right to marijuana, opioids, and the right-to-die with “dignity”—a politically-correct way of saying ‘give up,’ at best, and at worst, assisted suicide. I was told I was a burden to my family and to my country—and that by choosing to die early, I’d actually be saving the lives of others by preserving resources for them rather than wasting them on a lost cause like myself.
And when I failed the chemotherapies on the market, no one wanted me in their clinical trials—I’d make them look bad. They didn’t give me the right-to-try experimental treatments, Mr. President. You did. And without you, I’d have died waiting for them to be approved.
Now, with the coronavirus, everyone knows what that feels like to be waiting for a cure—but we’ve only been waiting a few months. Just imagine what 2020 would’ve looked like, fighting for your life, without Donald Trump fighting for it too.
In January, there’d have been no China travel ban. Millions would’ve died. Millions more would’ve been infected—for there’d be no record levels of testing. No right-to-try treatments. No Fast Track for a vaccine, nor Operation Warp Speed ready to deliver it.
And without Donald Trump as our Patient Advocate for the past four years? Well, the opioid epidemic would’ve stolen even more lives. Kidney patients would have no future except dying on waitlists, for there’d have been no initiative to increase donations.
There'd be no accountability at the VA, and our brave veterans would still be suffering from long wait-times with no choice or access to faster care. Insulin and other drug prices would’ve continued to rise while many generic drugs would still be stuck in the pipeline. There’d be no price transparency. We wouldn’t have health plans up to 60% cheaper than Obamacare. We’d be stuck with that infamous individual mandate.
And God forbid what the next four years would look like. For in Joe Biden’s America, China would control our drug production. We'd be one step closer to government-run healthcare. We wouldn’t just be unable to keep our doctors, we’d be lucky if we could see any doctor. Even then, some of us would be denied care. For in socialized medicine, you don’t beat the odds. You become the odds. And I would lose my Right-to-Try just like Charlie Gard, that terminally-ill British baby, whose government-run healthcare system decided it was too expensive and too “cruel” to keep him alive.
Mr. President, you’ve done so much more than promises-made and promises-kept. For numbers only tell part of the story. We are the rest of it—facts with faces of Americans who would still be forgotten if you and our favorite First Lady hadn’t given up your own wonderful life so we could have the chance at one.
George Bailey’s father was right: “All you can take with you is that which you’ve given away.”
Mr. President, that makes you the richest man in the world. For you have used your strength to Make America Strong Again. Sacrificed the life you built to Make America Proud Again. And risked everything to Make America Safe Again. It’s a wonderful life! You made America Great Again. And on November 3rd, we are going to Keep America Great.
Georgia State Representative Vernon Jones
Remarks as Prepared:
My name is Vernon Jones. I am a state representative from the great state of Georgia. As you can see, I’m a man of color. And I am a lifelong Democrat.
You may be wondering, “Why is a lifelong Democrat speaking at the Republican National Convention? That’s a fair question. And here’s your answer:
The Democratic Party does not want Black people to leave the mental Plantation they've had us on for decades.
But I have news for them: We are free people with free minds. I am part of a large and growing segment of the Black community who are independent thinkers. And we believe that Donald Trump is the President that America needs to lead us forward.
This is no time for sleeping in the basement. Joe Biden has had 47 years to produce results. But he’s all talk and no action -- just like so many of these Democrats who’ve been making promises for decades.
When President Trump sought to earn the Black vote, the Democratic Party leaders went crazy! Nancy Pelosi and Chuck Schumer literally started wearing Kente cloth scarves around the Capitol! As if that pandering were enough to keep us quiet!
Let me tell you why I’m supporting our President.
I grew up in the South. My parents built with their own hands a four room cinder block home with no indoor plumbing. They had very limited education. But they instilled in us a strong work ethic that drove me from the tobacco fields of North Carolina, to hallowed halls of the Georgia General Assembly.
My parents taught me if I believed in God, worked hard, and treated every person fairly, there was no limit to what we could achieve.
I attended North Carolina Central University, a historically black college. For generations, HBCUs have been the breeding ground for black scholars in math, science, religion, engineering and politics. They have been important springboards for black success ever since. But Democrats haven’t treated them like that.
When President Trump took office, he changed everything. He delivered historic funding to HBCUs. And he guaranteed it for 10 years. That gave our HBCUs stability--the chance to grow and produce the next generation of black leaders.
That’s right. Donald Trump did that.
He also supported school choice initiatives to ensure that every child -- no matter their race or zip code -- has access to a great education.
But education is just the beginning.
The President also built the most inclusive economy ever, with record low unemployment for African Americans and record high participation in the workforce.
He put Opportunity Zones in the Trump tax bill that will drive investment into our communities for decades to come.
He put the interests of American workers -- and especially black workers -- First.
That’s right. Donald Trump did that.
He delivered historic criminal justice reform. He ended -- once and for all -- the policy of mass incarceration of Black people, which has decimated our communities.
Democrats couldn’t do it! Obama couldn’t do it! Joe Biden and Kamala Harris definitely couldn’t do it!
But Donald Trump did. He’s also working every day to make our communities safer.
As a former County Executive of DeKalb County, Georgia, I directed one of the largest public safety departments in the southeast.
I’ve seen tragic shootings on both sides--officers killing citizens and citizens killing officers in the line of duty.
Police officers are our fellow citizens. They love our country. They have families. They live in our communities. Unfortunately, Democrats have turned their backs on our brave police officers. They call it “defunding.” And it’s a danger to our cities, our neighborhoods, and our children.
Isn't it ironic that the Democrat politicians never leave home without security to protect them at all times? Why don’t they forgo their security and replace them with social workers, since that’s what they want for us?
Our police need more funding, not less -- for frequent psychological examinations, for “non lethal” remote restraint technology, and for more de-escalation and use of force training.
These are the common sense solutions that President Trump supports--true, sincere police reforms.
That’s right. Donald Trump did that.
Education. Jobs. Safety. Security. On issue after issue, and in just a single term, he destroyed these negative forces that have victimized the Black community for decades. He gave us the opportunity to rise!
Now, you know when I made the public announcement of my support for President Trump, all hell broke loose.
I was threatened, called an embarrassment, and asked to resign by my Party. Unfortunately, that’s consistent with the Democratic Party and how they view independent thinking Black men and women.
But I’m here to tell you that Black voices are becoming more Woke and louder than ever.
The Democratic Party has become infected with a pandemic of:
• Intolerance
• Bigotry
• Socialism
• Anti-law enforcement bias
• And a dangerous tolerance for people who attack others, destroy property, and terrorize our communities.
That’s what this election is all about. And that’s why right now -- more than ever before -- America needs Donald Trump in the Oval Office for another four years!
God bless you, and vote Trump!
Andrew Pollack
Remarks as Prepared:
In 2018, a gunman walked into Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida and changed my life forever. My name is Andrew Pollack. His name isn’t worth saying.
One of the seniors walking the hallways that day was my daughter, Meadow. She was just months away from graduating and beginning a new life. We were so proud of the woman she had become.
But in the hallway on the third floor, the gunman saw Meadow and shot her four times. After she was shot and on the floor, she crawled over to another student, a freshman girl, to protect her. She draped her body over her. And then the gunman—the animal—shot Meadow five more times.
She had her whole life ahead of her. And in that life, she could have done anything and been anything. So many moments that I’d waited so long for were taken from me. I didn’t get to drop her off at college. I didn’t get to walk her down the aisle. But every moment was taken from her, and for what?
I never wanted this to become a political spectacle but it did. And I never wanted to meet the President like this but I did.
I was invited to the White House. The truth is—I had just buried my daughter—I wasn’t really interested in public event like a tour or a photo-op. I was interested in answers and solutions, so if the president wanted to meet me personally, I said I’d go. They said, “of course, that was his plan.”
At the White House, my family and I told him about Meadow. I told him what we knew. I told him that his administration needed to take a closer look at what went wrong and why.
And I got to see who he really is. He’s a good man and a great listener. And he cuts through the BS.
Then, the President did what he said he said he would do: he took action. He formed a School Safety Commission that issued dozens of recommendations to make schools safer. But I’ll bet you never heard about that. Instead, the media turned my daughter’s murder into a coordinated attack on President Trump, Republicans, and the Second Amendment.
In fact, when President Trump asked me to sit next to him when he announced the Commission’s findings, the media’s first question wasn’t about protecting kids. It was about the government shutdown. President Trump turned to me and said, “can you believe these people, Andy? We’re trying to talk about school safety, and this is what they do?”
But I could believe it. After my daughter’s murder, the media didn’t seem interested in the facts. So I found them myself. When I learned that gun control laws didn’t fail my daughter. People did.
The gunman had threatened to kill his classmates before; he had threatened to rape them; he had threatened to shoot up the school. Every red flag you can imagine. But the school didn’t just miss these red flags—they knowingly ignored them.
Far-left Democrats in our school district made this shooting possible because they implemented something they called “restorative justice.” This policy—which really just blames teachers for student failures—puts kids and teachers at risk and makes shootings more likely. But it was billed as a pioneering approach to discipline and safety.
I was just fine with the old approach to discipline and safety—it was called discipline and safety. But the Obama-Biden administration took Parkland’s bad policies and forced them into schools across America.
When President Trump rescinded Obama’s guidance on “restorative justice” policies, he put an end to that.
It’s hard to tell how much Mr. Biden understands about what happened at Parkland. Mr. Biden has campaigned on bringing back “restorative justice,” as part of his “Unity Platform” with Bernie Sanders, and has pledged to implement it in school districts across America.
But he doesn’t even seem to know when this shooting happened—he said that he was Vice President when it happened. But he wasn’t.
Mr. Biden may not know when my daughter was murdered. But I do—February 14, 2018. Mr. Biden may not know that these policies make shootings more likely but I do.
Mr. Biden may not know who was Vice President that day but I do. It wasn’t Joe Biden. It was Mike Pence, thank God. And I know who the President was too. It wasn’t Barack Obama. It was President Donald J. Trump. And he took action.
I truly believe the safety of your kids depends on whether this man is re-elected. I hope you’ll join me in helping to make that happen. Thank you.
Mark and Patty McCloskey
Remarks as Prepared:
Mark:
Good evening, America. We are Mark and Patty McCloskey. We’re speaking to you tonight from St. Louis, Missouri, where just weeks ago you may have seen us defending our home as a mob of protestors descended on our neighborhood.
Patty:
America is such a great country that you not only have the right to own a gun and use it to defend yourself, but thousands of Americans will offer you free advice on how to use it. At least that’s what we experienced.
But in all seriousness, what you saw happen to us could just as easily happen to any of you who are watching from quiet neighborhoods around our country. And that’s what we want to speak to you about tonight.
Mark:
That’s exactly right.
Whether it’s defunding the police, ending cash bail so criminals can be released back out on the streets the same day to riot again, or encouraging anarchy on our streets, it seems as if Democrats no longer view the government’s job as protecting honest citizens from criminals, but rather protecting criminals from honest citizens.
Not a single person in the out-of-control mob you saw at our house was charged with a crime. But you know who was? We were. They’ve actually charged us with a felony for daring to defend our home.
On top of that, consider this: The liberal activist leading a mob to our neighborhood stood outside of our home with a bullhorn screaming, “You can’t stop the revolution!” Just weeks later, that same activist won the Democrat nomination to hold a seat in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The radicals are not content just marching in the streets. They want to walk the halls of Congress. They want power. This is Joe Biden’s party. These are the people who will be in charge.
Patty:
They are not satisfied with spreading the chaos and violence into our communities, they want to abolish the suburbs all-together by ending single-family home zoning. This forced rezoning would bring crime, lawlessness and low-quality apartments into thriving suburban neighborhoods. President Trump smartly ended this government overreach, but Joe Biden wants to bring it back.
These are the policies that are coming to a neighborhood near you. So make no mistake: No matter where you live, your family will not be safe in the radical Democrats’ America.
Mark:
At this moment in history, if you stand up for yourself and for the values our country was founded on, the mob--spurred on by their allies in the media--will try to destroy you.
You’ve seen us on your TV screens and Twitter feeds. You know we’re not the kind of people who back down. Thankfully, neither is Donald Trump.
President Trump will defend the God-given right of every American to protect their homes and their families.
But more than that, Trump’s vision for America is a country where you have an opportunity to work hard and build the life you dream of. With a job you love. With your children being educated in great schools. In a community where your family can play in the backyard without fear, worship in a church without shame, and express your beliefs without retribution.
Trump brought us the greatest economy our country had ever seen. The Democrats have brought us nothing but destruction.
Patty:
When we don’t have basic safety and security in our communities, we will never be free to build a brighter future for ourselves, for our children, and for our country.
That’s what’s at stake in this election. And that’s why we must re-elect Donald Trump.
God bless you, God bless the President, and God bless the United States.
Kimberly Guilfoyle
Remarks as Prepared:
Good evening, America, I’m Kimberly Guilfoyle. I speak to you tonight as a single mother, a former prosecutor, a Latina and a proud American!
And, yes, a supporter of Donald Trump. Why? Because he is the President who delivers for America! He built the greatest economy the world has ever known – for the strivers — the working class and middle class. As Commander-in-Chief, he always puts America First! President Trump is The Law and Order President.
Now, Presidential leadership is not guaranteed. It is a choice!
Biden, Harris and their socialist comrades will fundamentally change this nation - they want open borders, closed schools, dangerous amnesty and will selfishly send your jobs back to China, while they get richer! They will defund, dismantle and destroy America’s law enforcement... When you are in trouble, and need 911, don’t count on the Democrats.
As a first generation American, I know how dangerous their socialist agenda is.
My mother, Mercedes, was a special education teacher from Aguadilla, Puerto Rico. My father also an immigrant came to this nation in pursuit of the American Dream. Now, I consider it my duty to fight to protect that dream.
Rioters must not be allowed to destroy our cities. Human, sex, drug traffickers should not be allowed to cross our border.
The same socialist policies which destroyed places like Cuba and Venezuela must not take root in our cities and our schools.
If you want to see the socialist Biden/Harris future for our country, just take a look at California. It is a place of immense wealth, immeasurable innovation and immaculate environment – and the democrats turned it into a land of discarded heroin needles in parks, riots in streets and blackouts in homes.
In President Trump’s America we light things up, we don’t dim them down. We build things up, we don’t burn them down. We kneel in prayer and we stand for our flag!
This election is a battle for the Soul of America. Your choice is clear.
Do you support the Cancel Culture, the cosmopolitan elites of Nancy Pelosi, Chuck Schumer and Joe Biden -- who blame America first? Do you think America is to blame?
Or, do you believe in American Greatness, believe in yourself, in President Trump, in individual and personal responsibility?
They want to destroy this country, and everything that we have fought for and hold dear. They want to steal your Liberty, your Freedom. They want to control what you See and Think, and Believe, so they can control how you live!
They want to enslave you to the weak, dependent, liberal, victim ideology, to the point that you will not recognize this country or yourself.
From the beginning, when President Trump spoke about Making America Great Again, he was speaking about that shining city on a hill and restoring the beacon of light that once shined so bright.
His promise was to put America First and he has.
When President Trump cut middle-class taxes, putting tens of thousands of dollars back in the pockets of working-class Americans, that beacon began to flicker once again.
When President Trump commanded the defeat of ISIS, took out Al-Baghdadi and Soleimani, and paved the way for peace in the Middle East. That beacon started to Glow.
When he negotiated historic trade deals with Canada, Mexico, Japan and China, bringing back thousands of manufacturing jobs to America, that beacon shined bright once again for the World to see.
America, it’s all on the line!
President Trump believes in you. He emancipates and lifts you up to live your American Dream.
You are Capable, You are Qualified, You are Powerful, and You have the ability to choose Your life, and determine Your destiny!
Don’t let the Democrats and their socialist comrades take you for granted. Don’t let them step on you. Don’t let them destroy your families, your lives, and your future. Don’t let them suppress future generations, because they told you and brainwashed you and fed you lies that you weren’t good enough!
Like my parents, You can achieve your American Dream. You can be that shining example to the world.
Manifest and be the change in this country that you dream, that you hope, that you believe in. Stand for an American President who is fearless, who believes in you, and who loves this country and will fight for her!!
President Trump is the leader who will rebuild the Promise of America and ensure that every citizen can realize their American Dream!
Ladies and Gentleman, Leaders and Fighters for Freedom and Liberty and the American Dream – The best is yet to come!
House Republican Whip Steve Scalise (LA-01)
Remarks as Prepared:
I’m Congressman Steve Scalise.
We’re facing some tough challenges in America. This isn’t the first time we’ve been here.
I’ve worked closely with Donald Trump over the last few years, and if there’s one constant theme to how he approaches problems, it’s how much he cares about the hard-working people that Washington left behind.
I’ve seen this first hand. After I was shot on a baseball field by a leftist gunman, first responders rushed me to a hospital where I battled for my life. That same night, Donald Trump came to the hospital, along with First Lady Melania Trump. They consoled my wife Jennifer. They were there for my family in my darkest hours. Donald Trump would call to check on me throughout the following weeks, just to see how I was doing. That’s the kind of person he is. That’s the side of Donald Trump that the media will never show you.
Look, there’s a lot at stake. This is an election between a party that wants to burn the foundations of our country to the ground, and a party that wants to rebuild and protect our great nation.
The left wants to defund the police. This is personal — I wouldn’t be here without the bravery and heroism of the men and women in law enforcement who saved my life. President Trump stands with those brave men and women. Joe Biden has embraced the left’s insane mission to defund them. There won’t be an America to leave to our children and grandchildren without those brave law enforcement officers and first responders.
Joe Biden has made a career in Washington for 47 years promising things he’s never delivered. In just three short years, President Trump has delivered huge wins for American families. While Joe Biden made hollow promises when he chaired the Senate Judiciary Committee, Donald Trump took action, and delivered criminal justice reform. Joe Biden claims to care about the working man, but millions of good manufacturing jobs were shipped overseas during the Obama-Biden years, to countries like China. Donald Trump brought those jobs back.
I’ve seen how deeply President Trump cares about rebuilding our evaporating middle class. President Trump pledged to give the forgotten men and women of America a real shot at the American dream, and again, he delivered: the lowest unemployment rate in over 50 years, women creating small businesses at a record pace, wages rising the fastest for the lowest income levels.
What can Joe Biden say to that? What has Joe Biden done in his 47 years in Washington that can compare to that?
President Trump has delivered for the hardworking people of this great nation. It’s going to take that kind of bold leadership to get us out of this COVID crisis. After President Trump saved lives by shutting down flights from China and Europe, he is now focusing the full weight of the government on a revolutionary plan to cure this virus by cutting red tape and empowering scientists to create a vaccine.
This is visionary leadership in action, at a time when we can’t afford another 47 years of hollow promises.
America has been through tough times before. Who better to lead us out of these times than the president who already built the strongest economy our country has ever seen? Donald Trump did it before. Donald Trump will deliver for us again. God Bless you, and God Bless these United States of America!
