2020 GOP Convention Guide: Speakers, Schedules, What To Expect

CHARLOTTE, NC — One way or another, the 2020 Republican National Convention, which is set to begin Monday in Charlotte, promises to be a spectacle, an event that has bucked tradition even before the first speaker steps up to a microphone.

For starters, 2020 has been anything but a traditional year. The ongoing coronavirus pandemic undermined the party's plan two years in the making to host an event that would have brought 50,000 visitors to the Queen City. Now, North Carolina has been reduced to a minor part of a four-day event that will culminate with President Donald Trump accepting his party's nomination in Washington, D.C., on Thursday.

As of Sunday afternoon, however, details about what will occur in Charlotte and after the party moves on to the nation's capitol were still coming together. Programming for the four-day event, which can take more than a year to pull together, began from scratch about a month ago, Politico reported Saturday. President Trump has remained adamant that the convention counter the Democratic National Convention presentation last week, and wants to line up hours of live speeches in front of live crowds, rather than the virtual appearances the Biden-Harris ticket had.

SEE ALSO: Amid Coronavirus Crunch, Charlotte Faces $200M RNC Loss

"Organizers who’ve been working around the clock were still putting the final touches on the program as of Saturday afternoon," Politico said.

A central theme for the Republicans will be recasting Trump's presidency, the AP reported Sunday.

"Trump is looking to shift his campaign away from being a referendum on a presidency ravaged by a pandemic and economic collapse and toward a choice between vastly different visions of America’s future. Reshaping the national conversation around the race has taken on greater urgency for Trump, who trails in public and private surveys as the coronavirus continues to ravage the nation’s economy and his reelection chances," the Associated Press reported.

2020 RNC Format

According to reports, the Republican convention's theme will be "Honoring the Great American Story," and will prominently feature Trump's family, vocal supporters and speakers his campaign says are the "silent majority" as key speakers.

And while most party conventions reserve hearing from the party nominee until an acceptance speech at the end of the event, Trump will be going his own way on that detail, too. According to numerous reports, the president intends to speak every night of the event at 10 p.m.

Much like the DNC held last week, elements of the RNC are expected to be virtual.

Trump is expected to accept renomination from the Republican Party Thursday night on the South Lawn of the White House.

Here's what viewers can expect, according to reports:

Monday, Aug. 24 — Theme: "Land of Promise"
Speakers expected:

• South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott
• Former U.N. Ambassador Nikki Haley
• House Republican Whip Steve Scalise
• Donald Trump Jr.
• Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz
• Ohio Rep. Jim Jordan
• Ronna McDaniel, chairwoman of the Republican National Committee
• Georgia State Rep. Vernon Jones
• Amy Johnson Ford
• Kimberly Guilfoyle
• Natalie Harp
• Charlie Kirk
• Kim Klacik
• Mark and Patricia McCloskey
• Sean Parnell
• Andrew Pollack
• Tanya Weinreis

Tuesday, Aug. 25 — Theme: "Land of Opportunity"
Speakers expected:

• Secretary of State Mike Pompeo
• Eric Trump
• Tiffany Trump
• First Lady Melania Trump
• Nicholas Sandmann
• Kentucky Sen. Rand Paul
• Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds
• Florida Lieutenant Gov. Jeanette Nunez
• Kentucky Attorney General Daniel Cameron
• Pam Bondi
• Abby Johnson
• Jason Joyce
• Myron Lizer
• Mary Ann Mendoza
• Megan Pauley
• Cris Peterson
• John Peterson

Wednesday, Aug. 26 — Theme: "Land of Heroes"
Speakers expected:

• South Dakota Gov. Kristi Noem
• Kellyanne Conway
• Former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell
• Lara Trump
• Vice President Mike Pence
• Second Lady Karen Pence
• Tennessee Sen. Marsha Blackburn
• Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst
• Texas Rep. Dan Crenshaw
• New York Rep. Elise Stefanik
• New York Rep. Lee Zeldin
• Keith Kellogg
• Jack Brewer
• Sister Dede Byrne
• Madison Cawthorn
• Scott Dave
• Clarence Henderson
• Ryan Holets
• Michael McHale
• Burgess Owens

Thursday, Aug. 27 — Theme: "Land of Greatness"

Speakers expected:

• HUD Secretary Ben Carson
• Alice Johnson
• Carl and Marsha Mueller
• Rev. Franklin Graham
• Rudy Giuliani
• Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell
• House Republican Leader Kevin McCarthy
• New Jersey Rep. Jeff Van Drew
• Dana White
• Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton
• Ja'Ron Smith
• Ann Dorn
• Debbie Flood
• Ivanka Trump
• President Donald Trump

SEE ALSO

• 2020 RNC In Charlotte: How To Watch Trump's Renomination
• Aerial Radiation Measurements Planned For Charlotte Ahead Of RNC
• RNC Set To Begin In Uptown Charlotte: What You Need To Know
• Trump Pulls RNC Out Of NC Citing COVID-19 Restrictions
• Trump Vs NC: Part Of GOP Convention To Be In Charlotte After All
• Trump Says He Will Accept RNC Nomination In NC After All