REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION
Republican National Convention 2020: dates, schedule, speakers, time and how to watch
The 2020 Republican National Convention will be virtual four day event staged in Charlotte (North Carolina) running from 24-27 August.
Ahead of the 3 November US Presidential election, it's the season for both main political parties to ramp up their activity with the Democrat Party staging their 2020 national convention from August 17-20 with the Republican party event set to take place on 24 August and set to run for four days.
Traditionally attended by around thousands of party supporters, both conventions this year are scaled back events with many virtual speeches and events forming part of the convention experience as a preventative measure with the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
Originally to be staged at the Spectrum Centre in Charlotte and subsequently moved to Jacksonville (Florida), the Republican Party Convention will finally go ahead from August 24-27 in Charlotte but will also adopt hygiene measures put in place by the Democrats with many of the guest speakers being beamed via online streams and only 300 plus party delegates in North Carolina. The convention is expected to renominate Donald Trump for President with Mike Pence his right hand man.
The Great American Story
The theme of the nominating convention will be "Honouring the Great American Story", and will culminate in a live acceptance speech from Trump on Thursday night on the South Lawn of the White House.
The White House grounds will also be used on Tuesday night, when First Lady Melania Trump and Trump's adult children will speak from the Rose Garden.
Here's a rundown of what's in store during the four-day convention:
Monday 24 August
Theme: "Land of Promise"
Speakers: A maximum of 336 delegates will meet in the morning from 9am to 1pm (ET) before conducting a night-time roll call in which Trump and Pence will officially be nominated.
Tuesday 25 August
Theme: "Land of Opportunity"
Speakers: First Lady Melania Trump and Trump's adult children are expected to speak from the White House Rose Garden.
Trump's son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner may also speak.
Wednesday 26 August
Theme: "Land of Heroes"
Speakers: Vice President Mike Pence is set to deliver a speech from Baltimore's Fort McHenry, the site of a famous naval battle in the War of 1812 that inspired the words of the US national anthem, The Star-Spangled Banner.
Thursday 20 August
Theme: "Land of Greatness"
Speakers: Ivanka Trump is set to introduce her father.
President Donald Trump is set to accept the nomination in a speech from the White House in front of an audience. The White House has invited the majority of House and Senate Republicans to attend.
Also schedule to speak during the 2020 RNC:
Mark and Patricia McCloskey, St Louis couple who brandished guns at Black Lives Matter protesters
Police Sergeant Ann Dorn, widow of retired police captain David Dorn who was killed during violent protests in St Louis in June
Tanya Weinreis, Montana coffee shop owner whose business and employee's livelihoods were saved by the federal virus relief Paycheck Protection Program
Parents of Kayla Mueller, a humanitarian worker killed by ISIS
Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was killed in the 2018 Parkland, Florida, school shooting
Alice Johnson, a woman whose prison sentence was commuted by Trump
Nick Sandmann, Kentucky Catholic high school student who successfully sued a media organisation for not providing context to a confrontation with a Native American activist at Right to Life march that went viral
Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood employee who is now an anti-abortion activist.
How can I watch the 2020 Republican National Convention?
The convention will be streamed live every night between 21:00 and 23:00 ET.