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Here are five things to know about JD Vance
![JD Vance and Donald Trump](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5JDYVO4W4NWIWM5P33JMBYNTKM.jpg?auth=917fc6d853085f5187e5543b18bbcb05f80eab0ca2da66abd9d8054db0716a14&width=1440)
By the Associated Press
Donald Trump chose US Senator JD Vance of Ohio, a 39-year-old Republican now in his first term in the Senate, to be his running mate as he looks to return to the White House.
Here are some things to know about Vance.
The evening session on day 1 of the RNC is underway — 7:21 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Delegates had about an hour break after Monday’s organizing session, where they held a roll call to approve Trump as their official nominee.
That was also the first time they got a glimpse of his pick as running mate, JD Vance of Ohio.
Trump is expected to attend on Monday night but is not planning to speak to delegates until later in the week.
Biden says his call with Trump after this weekend’s attack was ‘very cordial’ — 7:12 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Biden offered new details about his call with Trump after the former president was injured in an attempted assassination attempt on Saturday.
Biden said that the private call was “very cordial” and that Trump thanked him for calling.
“I told him how concerned I was, and wanted to make sure I knew how he was actually doing,” Biden told NBC News. “He sounded good. He said he was fine and he thanked me for calling.”
Biden added of the call, “I told him it was literally in the prayers of Jill and me.”
NBC NEWS EXCLUSIVE: President Biden sits down with @NBCNightlyNews‘s Lester Holt at the White House.
Biden discusses the assassination attempt on Donald Trump and their phone call after the shooting.
Watch the full interview tonight at 9PM ET on NBC and MSNBC. pic.twitter.com/cmjgWq8E9D
— MSNBC (@MSNBC) July 15, 2024
Biden says he’s old but that Trump isn’t much younger — 7:04 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Biden says in an interview with NBC that, at 81, he’s old, but that his opponent isn’t that much younger at 78.
“I’m old,” Biden said during an interview with anchor Lester Holt on Tuesday at the White House. “But I’m only three years older than Trump, No. 1. And No. 2, my mental acuity has been pretty damn good.”
Biden has sat for a series of interviews lately, trying to reassure Democrats who are nervous that he’s not up to a second term after a halting debate performance late last month.
Biden added, “I understand why people say, ‘God, he’s 81 years old. Whoa. What’s he gonna be when he’s 83 years old, 84 years?’ It’s a legitimate question to ask.”
But he said he’d rather be judged on his administration’s accomplishments.
In New England, Trump’s show of strength after assassination attempt may have made an impact with voters — 6:43 p.m.
Steven Porter, Matt Stout, and Amanda Gokee, Globe Staff
C.J. McLean of Loudon was driving home when she heard about the attempted assassination of Donald Trump. “I was shocked,” she said.
“It’s not going to make him weaker,” she said. “He’s a fighter.”
Like many voters across New England and the nation, McLean said the way Trump emerged in the immediate aftermath of the shooting — his face blooded, pumping his fist defiantly into the air, yelling, “fight, fight, fight!” — projected a striking image that could strengthen his political standing.
“It’s not going to make him weaker,” she said. “He’s a fighter.”
In New Hampshire, where recent polls show a competitive presidential race, the strength Trump seemed to project in that moment was enough to make some undecided voters finally make up their minds.
Chicago police prepare to handle security at the DNC in August — 6:12 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Chicago police Superintendent Larry Snelling says the city’s officers are prepared to handle security at the Democratic National Convention in August in light of the attempted assassination of Trump.
Snelling gave few details at a press conference to address the topic but said police are responding accordingly after the attempt to ensure the safety of the convention and the surrounding neighborhoods. He said police continue to be in constant contact with the Secret Service.
“If we get any additional intel, if we see things where we know we need to make adjustments or we need additional manpower, we will make those adjustments as soon as possible,” he said.
The DNC will convene in Chicago from August 19-22.
Kamala Harris left voicemail to Vance after he was announced as Trump’s running mate — 6:01 p.m.
By Alyssa Vega, Globe Staff
Harris called Vance to congratulate him after he was named Trump’s running mate, multiple outlets reported.
The two did not speak but Harris left a voicemail, according to reports.
By the Associated Press
Biden says it was “a mistake” to say he wanted to put Trump on a “bullseye” during a recent call with donors.
In a clip of an interview with NBC News airing later tonight, Biden is asked about the comment and notes that he didn’t say “crosshairs.”
The president said he meant that there was a lot of focus on his halting debate performance but not on Trump’s agenda, which he calls radical, but wasn’t getting enough attention.
Biden added of Trump, “I’m not the guy who said I wanted to be a dictator on day one.”
Some Republicans have seized on Biden’s comment after Trump was injured in an assassination attempt on Saturday. Both Biden and Trump have called for national unity after the attack.
In an exclusive interview with Lester Holt, President Biden said it was a mistake to use the word “bullseye” while discussing former President Trump, but said to “focus on what [Trump is] doing.”
Watch more tonight on @NBCNightlyNews and the full interview on NBC at 9 p.m. ET. pic.twitter.com/gHwrHYS97U
— NBC News (@NBCNews) July 15, 2024
The Biden campaign’s messaging on Vance will highlight abortion — 5:36 p.m.
By the Associated Press
On a call with reporters denouncing the pick, two of the four speakers were leaders of reproductive groups, both nationally and in Ohio.
“I will certainly take that matchup any day of the week and twice on Sunday,” said Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Biden campaign chairwoman. “Because while Trump and Vance have an agenda focused on themselves and their wealthy donor friends, President Biden and Vice President Harris are fighting for the American people.”
Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Mass., added: “Trump’s vice presidential pick is great news for the wealthiest Americans and lousy news for everyone else.”
Campaign aides said Vice President Harris is prepared to debate Vance and contrast the Democratic agenda with that of Republicans when it comes to abortion rights, gun violence and the economy.
Vance, almost immediately after Saturday’s shooting at the Trump rally, accused Biden and his campaign of deploying rhetoric that “led directly to President Trump’s attempted assassination.” Asked about that statement, Ducklo stressed that “stopping political violence was a central motivation for this president” and repeated Biden’s statements that differences in political views have to be settled through voting, not through violence.
Prayers for Trump, victims of rally shooting at Republican convention — 5:28 p.m.
By the Associated Press
After officially nominating Trump and Vance to the GOP presidential ticket, delegates and RNC staff said a prayer for their new nominee and the victims of the rally shooting Saturday, including Corey Comperatore, the 50-year-old former fire chief who died after being shot while sitting in the bleachers behind Trump.
The convention recessed shortly after and will begin again at 5:45 p.m.
Ohio’s lieutenant governor nominates Vance as GOP vice presidential nominee — 5:05 p.m.
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
Ohio Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted formally nominated Vance as Republicans’ vice presidential nominee.
Vance has an “America-first attitude in his heart,” Husted said.
Vance formally became the nominee after a voice vote.
![Lieutenant Governor Jon Husted nominates Republican vice presidential candidate Senator JD Vance during the Republican National Convention Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/6FI4TIIU5HR5MJKXMDVNXF4Q6U.jpg?auth=3a1c9d146882a416d2f9f13206336fb226b10a869240519618964d71cf8437b7&width=1440)
Vance greets delegates at RNC — 4:58 p.m.
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
JD Vance appeared at the Republican National Convention for the first time as Trump’s pick for vice president, greeting Republican delegates to chants of “USA!”
He was joined by his wife, Usha Vance.
![Republican vice presidential candidate Senator JD Vance and his wife, Usha Vance, are introduced on the first day during the Republican National Convention on Monday, July 15, 2024, in Milwaukee.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/BTBJFIO6W36RYCTGBT3VMRMKJA.jpg?auth=478a1b71263b0f1e57982567efe80a300fa72b222b614d2de409edd8a7c7b4a7&width=1440)
RFK Jr. meets with Trump — 4:43 p.m.
By Tal Kopan, Globe Staff
Robert F. Kennedy, Jr., met with Donald Trump Monday, the Kennedy scion’s campaign confirmed. They met “to discuss national unity, and he hopes to meet with leaders of the Democratic Party as well,” campaign press secretary Stefanie Spear said in a statement to The Globe.
Politico reported the meeting was to discuss the possibility of Kennedy dropping his independent bid for president and endorsing Trump.
Representative Richard Neal says Trump VP pick is ‘far removed’ from man who wrote ‘Hillbilly Elegy’ — 5:54 p.m.
By Matt Stout, Globe Staff
US Representative Richard Neal was speaking to reporters Monday in Springfield when news broke that former president Donald Trump picked Ohio Senator JD Vance as his running mate on the GOP presidential ticket.
Neal said he personally hadn’t heard the news, but offered this: He read Vance’s book, “Hillbilly Elegy.”
“And his book is far removed from what he would be saying right now. I mean, like, how about a continent away?” Neal said, nodding to Vance’s evolution from a Trump critic to acolyte to, now, vice presidential pick. “The book, as you know, was very critical. And now he seems to subscribe to all the things that he abhorred just a few years ago, when he was writing a best-seller.”
Attempted assassination top of mind for some delegates — 4:36 p.m.
By the Associated Press
The attempted assassination of Trump during a Saturday rally was front of mind as delegates cast their votes for his nomination during Monday’s RNC.
Michael Testa, a state senator from New Jersey, referenced the shooting as he announced all of the state’s 12 delegates for Trump during a roll call.
“We should all be thankful right now that we are able to cast our votes for President Donald J. Trump after what took place on Saturday,” Testa said.
Several delegates are breaking into chants of “fight, fight, fight,” the same words Trump was seen saying to the crowd as the Secret Service moved with him off the stage in Pennsylvania after he was injured.
Abortion rights advocates slammed Trump’s decision to choose Vance as his running mate — 4:30 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Advocates are highlighting his history of opposing abortion access in Ohio, where voters last year overwhelmingly approved a constitutional amendment that ensures access to abortion and other forms of reproductive health care.
Lauren Blauvelt, executive director of Planned Parenthood Advocates of Ohio, said the announcement is a “disappointing decision,” calling Vance “an absentee senator more interested in his own political ambitions than in supporting the people he was elected to represent.”
“He has dismissed the overwhelming majority of Ohioans who voted to enshrine the right to abortion access in the state constitution and is out of step with the majority of Americans who believe that abortion is health care,” Blauvelt said.
Mini Timmaraju, president of the national abortion rights organization Reproductive Freedom for All, said Trump’s vice presidential pick “provides even more evidence that a Trump administration will stop at nothing to ban all abortion.”
“Make no mistake, Trump picked him because of — not in spite of — his anti-abortion bonafides,” she said.
Vance set to speak at RNC — 4:29 p.m.
By Alyssa Vega, Globe Staff
Vance, who is chosen to be Donald Trump’s running mate, is expected to speak soon.
Watch it live.
Burgum express support for Trump’s VP selection — 4:26 p.m.
By Alyssa Vega, Globe Staff
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum praised Trump’s choice of Vance as his running mate. Burgum was rumored to be a top contender on Trump’s shortlist for vice president.
In a social media post, Burgum wrote that Vance’s “small town roots and service to country make him a powerful voice for the America First Agenda.”
“I look forward to campaigning for the Trump-Vance ticket to Make America Great Again!” he wrote.
.@realdonaldtrump is the strongest leader to enter the political arena in modern American history! Today he selected @JdVance1 as his running mate, whose small town roots and service to country make him a powerful voice for the America First Agenda. I look forward to campaigning…
— Doug Burgum (@DougBurgum) July 15, 2024
Biden orders Secret Service to protect independent presidential candidate RFK Jr. — 4:10 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Biden has ordered the US Secret Service to protect independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr., after the attempted assassination of Trump.
Kennedy is a longshot to win Electoral College votes, much less the presidency. But his campaign events have drawn large crowds of supporters and people interested in his message.
Trump was not seriously injured in the shooting over the weekend in Pennsylvania. There is an independent review of the attack.
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell booed at RNC — 4:08 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell faced a flurry of boos Monday at the Republican National Convention when he stood on behalf of Kentucky to send the state’s delegates to Donald Trump.
McConnell, a onetime critic who blamed the then-president for “disgraceful” acts in the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol attack, made a remarkable turnaround in March when he endorsed Trump as the GOP nominee. The two men came face-to-face last month when Trump visited Senate Republicans on Capitol Hill where they shook hands and exchanged pleasantries.
Provincetown fundraiser featuring VP Harris, top Mass. pols still slated for Saturday — 3:59 p.m.
By Samantha J. Gross, Globe Staff
A Provincetown fundraiser for the Biden-Harris ticket is still set to take place Saturday in the wake of the attempted assassination of Trump at a July 13 rally in Pennsylvania.
The event is set to happen even though the shooting caused the Biden campaign to scramble some preexisting plans. The assassination attempt, which resulted in the deaths of both the shooter and an attendee, led the Biden campaign to temporarily pull television ads. For her part, Harris said she would skip a planned campaign stop in Palm Beach County — Trump’s home base — for a conversation Tuesday about abortion rights, Politico reported.
The fundraising event also comes on the heels of a recent spate of setbacks for the Biden campaign after a poor debate performance divided the party and called into question Biden’s fitness to serve and ability to beat Trump this November.
At least one undecided Mass. voter is now backing Trump after shooting — 3:47 p.m.
By Matt Stout, Globe Staff
Joe Barrett, a 67-year-old unenrolled Massachusetts voter, said he was leaning toward — but undecided about — voting for former president Donald Trump in November’s election. But after last month’s debate, Barrett said Biden missed a chance to convince him otherwise.
Then came Saturday, when Trump survived an attempted assassination, rising up from a stage in Pennsylvania, his face bloodied and fist in the air.
”If you were really undecided, you have to look at: Who do I want to be my leader, this guy who is probably getting past his prime or this guy that gets shot, gets up from a pig pile of people on him, and had that reaction?” said Barrett, a machinist from Billerica, Mass. “I think I can’t not vote for that.”
In a race where the candidates’ age and acuity has loomed large, Trump’s response in the seconds after shots rang out resonated for some voters. In interviews, others both for and against Trump, said the event had no influence on how they’re thinking of voting.
Barrett said Trump came off as a “very physically fit president that had a tremendous amount of determination.”
”He was so brave in my opinion,” Barrett said. “I think about putting the other guy in that place. I don’t think that it would have gone the same way.”
Biden campaign slams Vance pick — 3:40 p.m.
By Tal Kopan, Globe Staff
President Biden’s campaign quickly denounce Ohio Senator JD Vance after he was selected as Donald Trump’s running mate, portraying the Republican as an extremist. In a statement from Chair Jen O’Malley Dillon, the Biden campaign hit on Vance’s support of outlawing abortion, corporate tax cuts, and his views on the January 6, 2021, Capitol insurrection.
”Donald Trump picked J.D. Vance as his running mate because Vance will do what Mike Pence wouldn’t on January 6: bend over backwards to enable Trump and his extreme MAGA agenda, even if it means breaking the law and no matter the harm to the American people,” O’Malley Dillon said.
See reactions from Republicans to Vance as Trump’s VP pick — 3:30 p.m.
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
My statement on President Trump selection of nominee for Vice President:
“President Trump made a strong VP choice to win this November and govern to save America. J.D. Vance is a strong America First leader and proven conservative. I have enjoyed getting to know J.D. on the…
— Elise Stefanik (@EliseStefanik) July 15, 2024
Congratulations to @JDVance1 on being the VP nominee. JD is an American Patriot, and he has my full support. I am all in to make Trump-Vance the winning ticket this November! pic.twitter.com/m39r7kdzOE
— Byron Donalds (@ByronDonalds) July 15, 2024
Trump receives enough convention delegate votes to become the official Republican presidential nominee — 3:25 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Donald Trump has received enough convention delegate votes to become the official Republican presidential nominee.
![Eric Trump, son of Donald Trump, left, casted the vote for Florida as, from left, Tiffany Trump, Trump, Lara Trump, Kimberly Guilfoyle, and Donald Trump Jr., watched on Monday.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/RARNJMNLQNQ5DR33UPYOTPJ4OE.jpg?auth=3529bea67cff5dfc783044dfccd1450cc7d2883e1fd676458988b486cebf3f16&width=1440)
Read Trump’s announcement about selecting Vance — 3:14 p.m.
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
Trump chooses Ohio Senator JD Vance as 2024 running mate — 3:12 p.m.
By Sam Brodey, Globe Staff
Former president Donald Trump has selected Senator JD Vance of Ohio as his 2024 running mate, elevating a hard-edged loyalist who will amplify the polarizing MAGA populism of the Republican ticket.
![Senator JD Vance, right, pointed toward Republican presidential candidate former president Donald Trump at a campaign rally in March in Ohio.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/5G5B63PBYRZV3FZXFSCFIEJWGQ.jpg?auth=a983b2598398fc42e422611b142eda0146d0a4e69176365cffffc5e42bebdd80&width=1440)
Roll call is underway at the RNC. Watch it live. — 3:01 p.m.
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
Speaker Mike Johnson started the roll call vote. States are now formally awarding their delegates to a nominee.
Watch it live.
Trump’s son, Eric Trump, says he’ll cast the vote declaring his father the Republican nominee — 2:55 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Donald Trump’s son, Eric Trump, announced on X that he’ll be casting the vote at 3:30 p.m. declaring his father the Republican nominee for president. He lives in Florida and is expected to cast the vote with Florida’s delegation, putting Trump over the top with enough delegates to formally become the nominee.
Marco Rubio and Doug Burgum were told they are not Trump’s VP pick, multiple outlets report — 2:40 p.m.
By the Associated Press
North Dakota Governor Doug Burgum and Florida Senator Marco Rubio have been told they will not be chosen as Trump’s running mate, multiple news outlets reported.
Trump has chosen his nominee for vice president, an AP source says — 2:26 p.m.
By the Associated Press
Trump has chosen his nominee for vice president, according to the Associated Press.
And Florida Senator Marco Rubio has been told he will not be chosen as Trump’s running mate, according to reports from the AP and The New York Times.
The Republican National Convention has been called to order — 2:02 p.m.
By the Associated Press
![Camera lenses were trained on the podium at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee on Monday.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/ZFJ2GBVFMO4STNK6QDTRBGB7AU.jpg?auth=5c02546a72f3f0889406e7f1c5c1c16df9266bb55a3625d96396c0ddad33b3eb&width=1440)
Fed chair Powell condemns political violence, says rally shooting marked ‘very sad day’ for nation — 1:24 p.m.
By Shannon Larson, Globe Staff
Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell said Monday that the attempt on Trump’s life was “a very sad day for our country.”
”Political violence has no place in our country,” Powell said at the Economic Club of Washington, Bloomberg News reported. “I condemn it in the strongest terms.”
Powell said he was “grateful that the injuries to the former president were not more serious.”
Gunman was member of local shooting club, lawyer says — 12:55 p.m.
By Shannon Larson, Globe Staff
Thomas Matthew Crooks, the 20-year-old Pennsylvania resident identified by law enforcement as the gunman behind the assassination attempt of Donald Trump, belonged to a local shooting club, a lawyer for the club confirmed to multiple media outlets.
In a statement provided to outlets including ABC News and the Washington Post, lawyer Robert S. Bootay III confirmed Crooks belonged to Clairton Sportsmen’s Club in Clairton, Pa., and said the club “fully admonishes the senseless act of violence that occurred” Saturday.
“The club also offers its sincerest condolences to the Comperatore family and extends prayers to all of those injured including the former president,” he said.
DHS secretary calls security at Trump rally a ‘failure’ — 12:28 p.m.
By Shannon Larson, Globe Staff
Secretary of Homeland Security Alejandro Mayorkas called the security at former president Donald Trump’s rally in Butler, Pa., where he narrowly survived an assassination attempt, a “failure” in an interview on CNN Monday.
“When I say that something like this cannot happen, we are speaking of a failure. We are going to analyze through an independent review how that occurred, why it occurred, and make recommendations in findings, to make sure it doesn’t happen again,” Mayorkas said.
Homeland Security oversees the Secret Service, which has come under heavy scrutiny following the attempted assassination of Trump. For this reason, President Biden has ordered an independent review of security measures before and after the attack, he said.
“We will carefully analyze in an independent and thorough fashion what occurred. Recommendations will be made. Those recommendations will be implemented. We are in a dynamic threat environment. We adapt to that dynamism every single day,” said Mayorkas, who noted that changes have been made to the Republican National Convention.
![Trump supporters were seen laying in the stands after guns were fired at Republican candidate Donald Trump at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pa., July 13, 2024.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/FQBSAEBOPS5TTGG2YU3JHSLCMQ.jpg?auth=b3e1f9db1affc8f2b2df9c6b68bd566844f9c7b0c6c39db491ce3e0a6cac698e&width=1440)
![Republican candidate Donald Trump was seen with blood on his face while surrounded by Secret Service agents as he was taken off the stage at a campaign event at Butler Farm Show in Butler, Pa., July 13, 2024.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/WGYE3GUHCRDZE6VWFDH2CVMWS4.jpg?auth=e01ba18dad65d7c3de83ca114c00e7e27932083f45e170acc1fbb842a4860365&width=1440)
Trump says RFK Jr. should have Secret Service protection — 12:17 p.m.
By Shannon Larson, Globe Staff
After surviving an attempted assassination at his rally in Butler, Pa., former president Donald Trump said in a post on his Truth Social account Monday that independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should “receive Secret Service protection — immediately.”
“In light of what is going on in the world today, I believe it is imperative” that RFK Jr. be provided with Secret Service protection, Trump said. “Given the history of the Kennedy Family, this is the obvious right thing to do!”
GOP congressional candidates in N.H. blame Democrats, media, for Trump assassination attempt — 11:59 a.m.
By Steven Porter, Globe Staff
New Hampshire’s elected leaders and candidates from across the political spectrum quickly condemned the assassination attempt that injured former president Donald J. Trump at a campaign rally Saturday evening in Pennsylvania.
Snipers subdued the suspected attacker within moments, but not before he killed one man in the crowd, injured others, and sparked a dramatic shift in the tenor of political discourse around an already tense presidential campaign.
Biden and Harris getting an update on security — 11:36 a.m.
By Tal Kopan, Globe Staff
President Biden and Vice President Harris are getting an updated briefing from homeland security and law enforcement officials on the investigation into the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.
The White House said Monday that Biden and Harris are receiving updates in the Situation Room from officials including the attorney general, FBI director, and secretary of Homeland Security.
Trump says he will announce his VP pick today — 11:15 a.m.
By Shannon Larson, Globe Staff
Donald Trump told Bret Baier of Fox News that he will announce his pick for vice president on Monday, the first day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, where he will accept the GOP nomination for the third time.
![The Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, site of the Republican National Convention, on July 14, 2024.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/VQ7A4RRFKGJW2SWN25HW7MYEA4.jpg?auth=944b64d93bc57ec4886e534e03239652671c2263b92807089c6f1658590287ab&width=1440)
Former congressman Joe Kennedy III says uncle Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should get Secret Service protection — 11:01 a.m.
By Samantha J. Gross, Globe staff
In the wake of Saturday’s assassination attempt of former president Donald Trump, former congressman Joe Kennedy III said he believes independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. should be provided with Secret Service protection.
Despite members of the Kennedy family distancing themselves from Kennedy, the Democrat, who is the US special envoy to Northern Ireland and grandson of the late Robert F. Kennedy, told CNN on Monday that despite their political differences, he believes his uncle should have the same protections as Trump and President Joe Biden.
The Kennedys have a tragic history when it comes to assassinations. President John F. Kennedy was killed in 1963 and his brother, Robert, was killed on the campaign trail in 1968.
RFK Jr.’s campaign has for some time pleaded for Secret Service protection for the independent presidential candidate. For months, the campaign’s security consultant Gavin de Becker has used social media to decry the fact that Kennedy doesn’t have Secret Service Protection.
“The Biden administration has refused to provide Secret Service protection to RFK Jr, which means 30¢ of every dollar donated to his campaign goes toward security,” he wrote on X in September.
Other elected officials weighed in on the issue after Saturday’s shooting.
New York Representatives Mike Lawler, a Republican, and Ritchie Torres, a Democrat, said on X that they plan to introduce a bill that would give “enhanced” Secret Service protection to Kennedy, Trump, and President Joe Biden.
Democratic Arizona Representative Ruben Gallego wrote on X that the federal government should ramp up protection for “all major presidential candidates, including Robert Kennedy, Jr.” Colorado Governor Jared Polis, a Democrat, wrote on X that the government should “immediately provide secret service protection” for Kennedy.
Trump recounts surviving assassination attempt in new interview — 10:24 a.m.
By Shannon Larson, Globe Staff
After surviving an assassination attempt at his outdoor rally in Pennsylvania, former president Donald Trump recounted what he called the “very surreal experience” in an interview on Sunday with the New York Post, telling the publication he’s “supposed to be dead.”
Judge dismisses Trump’s classified documents case — 10:08 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The federal judge presiding over the classified documents case of former President Donald Trump in Florida has dismissed the prosecution because of concerns over the appointment of the prosecutor who brought the case.
Jill Biden has spoken with Melania Trump — 9:10 a.m.
By the Associated Press
First lady Jill Biden has spoken to Melania Trump following an attempted assassination of Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.
The first lady’s office confirmed they spoke Sunday afternoon but have not released any details on the conversation. President Biden spoke with Donald Trump following the attack.
Motive of man who tried to assassinate Trump remains elusive — 8:52 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Kevin Rojek, the agent in charge of the FBI’s Pittsburgh field office, said “it is surprising” the gunman was able to open fire on the stage before the Secret Service killed him.
Bomb-making materials were found inside both Crooks’ vehicle and at his home, officials said. The FBI described the devices as “rudimentary.”
His motive remained unclear. Crooks wasn’t on the FBI’s radar, and he was believed to have acted alone. Investigators combed through his social media accounts but found no immediate threatening writing or posts, or communications indicating an ideological motive.
Secret Service director says she’s confident in RNC security plan — 8:34 a.m.
By the Associated Press
The director of the US Secret Service says she’s confident in the plan to secure the Republican National Convention that begins Monday.
In a statement, Kim Cheatle said Monday the security plans for the event are “designed to be flexible.”
“The Secret Service will continuously adapt our operations as necessary to ensure the highest level of safety,” she said.
Cheatle says the plan will change as necessary to ensure the continued safety of attendees at the Milwaukee event.
![US Secret Service Director Kimberly Cheatle.](https://bostonglobe-prod.cdn.arcpublishing.com/resizer/v2/XW2COZ45HQY2PX5HHALBKFAU6I.jpg?auth=1314da1b58effdf8152cebeffcb1695039a330758a35c95a7bbe41aa256d9a74&width=1440)
Anger and anxiety loom over the Republican convention — 7:50 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Donald Trump’s campaign chiefs designed the convention opening this week to feature a softer and more optimistic message, focusing on themes that would help a divisive leader expand his appeal among moderate voters and people of color.
Then came a shooting that rattled the foundation of American politics.
Big unanswered questions about the attack on Trump — 6:50 a.m.
By Mike Damiano, Globe Staff
Two days after Donald Trump was shot, big questions about the attack remain unanswered.
The Secret Service, which is responsible for protecting current and former presidents, has not fully explained how an armed man was able to reach a rooftop that had a clear sightline to the stage where Trump was speaking at an outdoor rally. And little is known about the motivations of the shooter, identified by the FBI as 20-year-old Thomas Matthew Crooks, who was killed at the scene.
Trump in ‘great spirits’ Sunday — 5:25 a.m.
By the Associated Press
Donald Trump spent much of Sunday on the phone with friends, news hosts and local and foreign officials the day after he was injured in an assassination attempt.
Ohio Pastor Darrell Scott, a longtime ally, said Trump “was in great spirits” when they spoke Sunday morning, hours after the shooting.
“He was great, like he always is. He didn’t even make a big deal of it,” Scott said. “He was actually trying to downplay it somewhat, asking how I was doing.”
Former RNC chair Reince Priebus, who also served as Trump’s White House chief of staff, told ABC’s “This Week” that Trump was “grateful for the miracle of what happened, in his case. … One quarter inch turned the other direction and we’re obviously talking about something very different this morning.”