2020 Republican National Convention (RNC) Night 2 Transcript

Speaker 1: (00:00)
We hold these truths to be self evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Without life, there can be no liberty. Without liberty, there is no happiness. Without equality, there is no opportunity. America has strived, since its founding to promote equality under the law, to correct injustices and to ensure opportunity for all. It is a work in progress, not always perfect. Some look at American opportunity and see only problems. They want equal outcome, not equal opportunities. They criticize without solutions, demand wealth without work. Their ways are historical failures, evidenced by tyranny and poverty, a prevailing darkness in every country that has been tried. The American dream, inspired by American opportunity is the engine of entrepreneurship.

Speaker 2: (02:06)
Oh, it’s beautiful, Mike.

Speaker 1: (02:08)
The inspiration to the greatest inventions, the highest achievements, and establishing a quality of life, second to none. Providing jobs, creating futures, fulfilling dreams. In America, opportunity preserves individual freedom. It Leads to exceptionalism. It’s a bright shining light, an example for all to see. Tonight, we explore together. America, land of opportunity.

Speaker 3: (03:02)
From Washington D C, welcome to the 2020 Republican National Convention. Tonight, celebrating America as the land of opportunity.

Speaker 4: (03:11)
I’m going to invite you to join your faith with mine, and let’s pray in agreement. Lord, we come before you to ask for your spirit of peace to come over hurting communities in Wisconsin tonight. We pray for healing and comfort to Jacob Blake and his family. We pray for your protection over those who put their lives in harm’s way, to bring safety and security to our streets. We pray that the truth and justice will be at the heart of all decisions that are made by our leaders, and that we, as a people will seek reconciliation with you, as we do the same with each other. Thank you Lord, for your goodness over our lives, for your blessing over our nation, for your guiding hand over every person that calls the United States of America their home. Lord, we thank you for all that have gone before us and have sowed seeds of sacrifice, for our freedom, for our prosperity and for our peace, those that gave their lives so that we could live and achieve the American dream.

Speaker 4: (04:48)
Your word declares in second Corinthians, “Where the spirit of the Lord is there is freedom.” This country was founded by the people, for their God. Liberty, freedom, equality, it’s what we want in our country. Lord, we invite you into our homes, into our lives. Give us revelation that will overthrow any enemies that stand against us so that we will be victorious in this next season. We need you. Let your kingdom come. Let your will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. We surrender to your plans and purpose for our lives. We ask, bring heaven down to earth, over every person here and all those watching today. As we move into this next chapter in our journey to greatness, we ask for your presence to be with us. Lead us, Lord. Give us strategies from heaven. I decree the words of Isaiah 11:2, over our President, Vice-President and all government authorities from every state in our nation.

Speaker 4: (05:58)
May the spirit of the Lord rests on him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. I release a blessing over every person and every home, Lord release health, healing, peace, strength, and courage. Let us stand together in unity, as we embrace another chapter on our journey to greatness. I decree and declare America, the best is yet to come. I ask all this in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Speaker 4: (06:40)
I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all

Speaker 5: (06:58)
[Foreign language 00:06:58] I’m Myron Lizer, the Vice-President of the Navajo Nation. I give this address from the majestic rock spires of Shiprock, Tsé Bitʼaʼí, or Rock with Wings, as known by our Dene people. It is here as well, that many of our ancestral leaders sought to govern and lead a nation within a nation. They sought to lead their people into the promises of a better way of life for their children’s children. It is also where they have not been as successful as the rest of America. Our First Nations people, the host people of the land, we are still here. Our creator placed us here and knew, for such a time as this, we would have an opportunity for an appeal to heaven. You see, our people have never been invited into the American dream. We, for years fought congressional battles with past congressmen and senators, that were part of a broken system that ignored us.

Speaker 5: (07:47)
That is, until president Trump took office. President Trump delivered the largest financial funding package ever to Indian country. The $8 billion in CARE Act funding to Indian country was a great start in alleviating the devastating effects that the COVID-19 pandemic has inflicted on our Indian tribes. The Navajo nation once led the nation in per-capita positive cases, because of the health disparities that previous administrations failed to improve. Whenever we meet with President Trump, he has always made it a priority to repair the relationship with our federal family. Recently, President Trump signed the first- ever presidential proclamation, officially recognizing, missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska natives.

Speaker 5: (08:29)
He established a taskforce called Operation Lady Justice, to address the problem. The president also provided $273 million to improve public safety and support victims of crime in the Native American community. As a result, a cold-case office was recently opened on the Gila River Indian community. The president has reactivated the White House Council on Native American Affairs, to promote economic development and rural prosperity in the Indian country. President Trump also strengthened the Supreme Court by nominating strong conservative judges like Neil Gorsuch, who supports Native American rights. Thank you for the opportunity to be here tonight. I’m excited to endorse President Trump’s reelection and Mr. President, we look forward to hosting you very soon. Come visit our land, we call it Dinehtah. [Foreign language 00:09:18] Thank you, very much.

Jon Ponder: (09:21)
I had always had this unshakeable sense that I know that I know, that life has to be more than what it was I’ve been living. I caught my very first felony conviction at 16 years old, and that type of behavior had led me into more and more arrests, getting in trouble until the age of 37 years old. I was arrested for a string of bank robberies and based off of my criminal history, there is a potential that a federal judge can sentence me up to 23 years in a maximum security United States, federal penitentiary. In that moment, I played a let’s make a deal with God. I asked God to climb into the robe of that judge, whether it’s 10 years or 50 years, I’m going to invest the rest of my life serving you. I stood before that federal judge. Judge Meehan took his glasses off, leaned back and said, “I don’t know why I’m going to do this,” but he said, “I’m not going to give you what you deserve.”

Jon Ponder: (10:28)
Then, he gave me a lesser sentence. As I laid on that stainless steel cell, shackled by my hands and my feet, I heard God utter into my spirit. “My son, I honored which you asked me to do.” He said, “Never forget the promise that you made to me.” Ever since that day I got up off that floor and my life went in 180 degree turn in the other direction.

Richard Beasly: (11:01)
When John got that sentence, I just shook my head. I said, “Wow. John, you are destined for bigger things than prison.”

My name is Richard Beasley. I was a FBI special agent for about 25 and a half years.

Jon Ponder: (11:15)
It was something about his demeanor, when he walked into that room, I had this feeling like everything’s going to be okay.

Then when he got out, he gave me a call and says, “Hey, Rich, let’s have lunch. I met him at a McDonald’s and he’s got a Bible with him. I’ve seen that before, where guys have used the Bible as a prop, it took me about 30 seconds to understand that this was not a prop with Jon. He was a changed guy from the man that I arrested, several years before.

Jon Ponder: (11:41)
When I saw the way that he treated me fairly, I saw the man behind the suit. I started thinking, “Man, if that worked for me with this law enforcement officer, how can I multiply that and get more law enforcement officers involved, so that we can impact on a larger scale? President Trump, he had made a bunch of promises. Let me just be transparent. When he first started talking about the things he was going to do, I’m sitting there going, wait a minute here. I mean, is he serious, because everything that he was saying that he wanted to do was the stuff that needs to be done. Before he walked out of that meeting that day, I promise I’ll make it out there to come speak at one of your graduations. I heard that they were phenomenal.

Jon Ponder: (12:33)
When he stood there in that graduation, and he went out of his way to shake the hand of every one of those 29 graduates, it set them on a whole another Vista of life, because they had the office of the President of the United States. The promises that he made, was promises that he kept.

Donald Trump: (13:02)
Two years ago, I was honored to tell John Ponder’s story of transformation in the Rose Garden, on the National Day of Prayer. Today, I’m thrilled to welcome him back to the White House. John’s life is a beautiful testament to the power of redemption. John grew up without his father. As he tells it, my mother was strong, but she wasn’t able to keep us out of the gangs and off of the streets, and they were violent streets. At the age of 38, he was arrested for bank robbery. While Jon was in prison, he began reading the Bible and listening to Christian radio. One day he heard Reverend Billy Graham on the radio proclaim, “Jesus wants to be Lord of your life”. On that day, Jon dedicated his life to Christ. He spent the rest of his time in prison, studying the Bible. When he was released, he heard a knock at his door.

It was the officer who put him in jail, FBI Special Agent Richard Beasley, who said, “I want you to know that I’ve been praying for you.” Now, Richard and John are best friends and we are grateful that Richard is here with us today. In the last 10 years, since Jon was released, he has created one of the most successful reentry programs, Hope for Prisoners, in Las Vegas. I was led to speak there earlier this year. As Jon says, Hope for Prisoners is a movement that began as a dream ,in a tiny prison cell and is now making a difference in the lives of thousands, truly bringing a hope that there is an opportunity and a community that is waiting and willing to offer them a second chance.

Jon, we honor your devotion to showing returning citizens that they are not forgotten. We believe that each person is made by God for a purpose. I will continue to give all Americans, including former inmates, the best chance to build a new life and achieve their own American dream and a great American dream it is. Now, I’d like to ask John and Richard to say a few words.

Jon Ponder: (15:08)
I can’t tell you how grateful I am to have the opportunity to speak here today. Not so long ago, my life was running from the police, fearing the police and avoiding the police. Not because of anything that the police had done to me personally, but due to the animosity I had allowed to grow inside of me, making me believe that they were my enemy. But today, praise God, I am filled with hope, a proud American citizen who has been given a second chance. My transformation began in a prison cell where I’ve found myself a three-time convicted felon, facing yet another sentence. I gave my life to Jesus and made him a promise that I would spend the rest of my days helping the others like me. My first help and support came from the unlikeliest of places, the FBI agent who arrested me, Richard Beasley. He is now a dear friend and has been a source of encouragement to me throughout my entire journey.

Jon Ponder: (16:06)
I am grateful for the men and women of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department, who volunteer their time to people who return into our local community after incarceration. These are the real-life heroes who put their lives on the line every day, armed with the promise that they made to protect and to serve, have made a tremendous impact in the lives of men and women we integrating back into our society. My hope for America is that formerly incarcerated people will be afforded the opportunity to take advantage of the fact that we live in a nation of second chances. My hope for America is that law enforcement and people in the communities across our country can come together and realize that as Americans, we have more in common than we have differences. My hope for our great nation is to continue on this path we are on of being the most prosperous country in the world.

I’m so proud of John with his life’s around and for all the lives that he’s helped to change. It may be hard to believe that as a retired FBI agent, one of my best friends is a person that arrested for bank robbery. When I met John 15 years ago, he was angry, scared, frustrated, and anxious about his future. On the drive to prison. I stopped at a convenience store and buy Jon a coffee and a donut. After he was sentenced, Jon sent me a neck tie and a note, thanking me for treating him like a gentlemen. Five years later, when he got out of prison, Jon called me and wanted to meet for lunch. He was a different man. He talked about starting a reentry program for men and women coming out of prison. Over time, Jon earned the trust and respect of the law enforcement community, many of whom volunteer in Jon’s Hope for Prisoners Program.

I’m grateful for President Trump’s commitment to criminal justice reform. On February 20th of this year, he was the guest speaker at the Hope For Prisoners graduation. He stayed much longer than scheduled to hand out diplomas to the 29 men and women who graduated that day. What a sight. The most important man in the free world, shaking hands and pledging his administration support to ex-offenders. Their families were there. The community was there. What a great second chance. I also appreciate President Trump’s support for law enforcement. I always felt like I had strong support as an FBI agent, but there’s nothing worse than knowing you’re being second-guessed when you’re doing your job. In certain parts of our country right now, law enforcement doesn’t feel like they have the support from their local leaders. They’re being painted with a broad brush, unfairly, with calls for de-funding.

But, as President Trump knows, the overwhelming percentage of law enforcement officers are good, smart people who are doing their jobs very well and they can change the world, working with people like Jon. Thank you.

Now, I’d like to invite Jon’s wife, Jamie, to join us as I grant Jon, I’m not sure you know this, a full pardon. I don’t know if you know that Jamie. Come on over here. It’s just an honor. You have done incredible work.

Jon Ponder: (19:07)
Thank you, sir.

All of Las Vegas and all of Nevada and all of every place in this country is very proud of you the job you’ve done, bringing people back. You’re right. I was supposed to be there for five minutes. I stayed for an hour and a half-

Jamie Ponder: (19:20)
He did.

Because it was so interesting to me. Congratulations-

Thank you.

… to both of you, sir.

Thank you.

Richard, thank you very much for the job you do.

Richard Blakey: (19:27)
Thank you, Mr. President.

Fantastic.

Richard Blakey: (19:28)
Thank you.

Okay. I think I ‘ll give it to Jamie. What do you think?

Rand Paul: (19:58)
Good evening. I’m Senator Rand Paul from Kentucky. Donald Trump and I met many years ago, before he was running for anything. When I first met him, I recall being struck by how down to earth he was. He seemed like just a normal guy. Okay, a normal guy with his own plane and helicopter, but who’s counting? I was planning a medical mission trip to Guatemala to perform charity eye surgeries, and we needed money to fund the trip. Donald Trump offered to help and immediately came through for us. Not only did he support my medical mission to Guatemala, but he also contributed to another mission trip to Haiti, a year later. We performed hundreds of cataract surgeries in both countries. Nothing is more amazing than removing the bandages from a person’s eyes and watching them as they see their loved ones again.

Rand Paul: (20:48)
Donald Trump helped me make that happen. A few years later, we were opponents, both running for president, and we all know how that turned out. But I’m proud of the job Donald Trump has done as president. I don’t always agree with him, but our occasional policy differences are far outweighed by our significant agreements. But more important than simple agreement is accomplishment. President Trump gets things done. When some in Congress wanted a so-called revenue-neutral tax plan, Donald Trump and I worked together to make sure that it was a true tax cut. I brought President Trump an idea for better, less expensive health insurance called Association Health Plans. Donald Trump overturned years of red tape and bureaucrats, and he made it happen. While others talked about criminal justice reform, President Trump actually signed the First Step Act. The first real reform in a generation and one that sought to undo the harm that others, like Joe Biden. Have done for those of us who lament the Biden crime bill that locked up a generation of young black men, remember that Biden bragged about a bill that still wreaks havoc among people of color.

Rand Paul: (22:10)
I’m supporting President Trump because he believes, as I do, that a strong America cannot fight endless wars. We must not continue to leave our blood and treasure in Middle East quagmires. I flew with him to Dover Air Force base, to honor two soldiers whose remains were coming home from Afghanistan. I’ll never forget that evening. I can tell you the president not only felt the pain of these families, but that the president is committed to ending this war. President Trump is the first president in a generation to seek to end war, rather than start one. He intends to end the war in Afghanistan. He is bringing our men and women home. Madison once wrote, “No nation can preserve its freedom in the midst of continuous warfare.” I’m proud to finally see a president who agrees with that. Compare president Trump with the disastrous record of Joe Biden, who’s consistently called for more war.

Rand Paul: (23:11)
Joe Biden voted for the Iraq war, which president Trump has long-called the worst geopolitical mistake of our generation. I fear Biden will choose war again. He supported the war in Serbia, Syria, Libya. Joe Biden will continue to spill our blood and treasure. President trump will bring our heroes home. If you hate war, like I hate war, if you want us to quit sending $50 billion every year to Afghanistan to build their roads and bridges, instead of building them here at home, you need to support President Trump for another term. To our soldiers and their families, join me in supporting President Trump. To those of you who want lower taxes and better, less expensive healthcare, join me in supporting President Trump.

Rand Paul: (24:05)
To those of you who want to stand up and fight the socialists poisoning our schools and burning our cities, join me in supporting President Trump. Let’s rebuild America together.

Speaker 6: (24:37)
What I would call your everyday man, the forgotten man or woman, the people that wake up every morning go to work, do their job, come home to their kids and families and are faithful and consistent. The people that have built America.

Speaker 7: (24:54)
There are people in our country that have been forgotten, that are hard workers. We do not hold signs. We are not on street corners. We are waking up at the crack of dawn, working and earning our living.

Speaker 8: (25:12)
But every single day, men and women from across this country are affecting people in positive ways.

Speaker 9: (25:20)
Real people that work hard every day, and they just want to earn a good living and enjoy life.

Speaker 6: (25:31)
He really knows them, understands them. It’s clear, he has been on the job site, interacting with people from all backgrounds.

Speaker 7: (25:41)
I’ve never had someone care so much about making sure people have some job security.

Speaker 10: (25:50)
The president’s job is to protect us, keep us safe and help make our life better, and the opportunity to pursue the American dream. That’s what Donald Trump is doing.

Speaker 7: (26:01)
As a cattle rancher and a farmer, I do feel that we are not forgotten with this administration. We have hope for preserving our industry.

Speaker 11: (26:13)
My hope is that we lift the regulations that have stripped away the working class American’s ability to do what they innately, know how to do best.

Speaker 12: (26:24)
I felt like Trump is definitely pushing more for the steel mills, the fishermen, just us making our own products and bringing everything in. He’s pushing so hard, and I see it truly coming alive.

Speaker 13: (26:39)
I do feel that President Trump has the interests of all those Americans tied together. I really do.

Jason Joyce: (26:54)
Good evening. My name is Jason Joyce, and I’m an eighth- generation lobster fishermen from Swan’s Island, Maine. I make my living from lobster fishing, oyster farming and providing eco tours in the beautiful waters near Acadia National Park, where I have over 200 years of family history. I have to confess I didn’t support Trump in 2016, skeptical that he shared my conservative views, I expected him to flip flop on his campaign promises, but he has followed through on his promises including last week when he brokered a deal to end European Union tariffs of 8% on main live lobsters and up to 20% on main lobster products, which is great news for Maine’s lobster men and women. I live in an island with 370 residents and lobstering is how we provide for our families.

Maine’s lobsterman are true environmentalist. We practice conservation every day. If we didn’t, we’d be putting ourselves out of business. Four years ago, the Obama-Biden administration used the Antiquities Act to order thousands of square miles of ocean off limits to commercial fishermen. They did it to cater to environmental activists. Although Maine’s lobstermen, don’t fish, there Obama’s executive order offended us greatly. It circumvented the Fisheries Counsel’s input. President Trump reversed that decision, reinstating the rules that allow stakeholder input. he supports a process that seeks and respects fisherman’s views. As long as Trump is president, fishing families like mine will have a voice, but if Biden wins, he’ll be controlled by the environmental extremists who want to circumvent longstanding rules and impose radical changes that hurt our coastal communities.

I strongly support President Trump’s reelection. When he sees something isn’t right, he’s fearless in fixing it. He listens to working people. He nominates judges who respect the constitution and the right to life. He keeps his word, like eliminating the European tariffs and moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. I hope you will join me this time in voting for President Trump. Stand up for your country. Thank you.

Chris Pearson: (29:15)
Good evening. My name is Chris Peterson. My husband, Gary, our family, and I milk a thousand cows on a dairy farm in Grantsburg Wisconsin, a small middle-American town. Truth be told, until I married my cute farmer from Grantsburg a long time ago, I was a city slicker from Minneapolis, which is about 70 miles south of us. Donald Trump became president in the middle of the great depression for dairy farmers in Wisconsin. In 2016, prices were horrible and longtime generational farms across the nation were going out of business. In 2017, our 120- year old barn, which served as our milking center, caught fire and burned to the ground. Our cows were spared, but because they needed to be milked three times a day, farmers, friends, and complete strangers from all over Northern Wisconsin helped haul them to other farms where they stayed until we could rebuild. By the end of 2018, we had a new state-of-the-art robotic milking facility that allows our cows to milk themselves three times a day.

At about the same time, President Trump’s economic boon began helping dairy farmers across the nation. As a businessman, President Trump understands that farming is a complicated, capital-intensive and risky business. More than any president in my lifetime, he has acknowledged the importance of farmers and agriculture. That support and focus on negotiating new trade deals, gave us the confidence to rebuild our barn and dairy operation. Business was booming again and business boomed bright until the COVID-19 shutdown in March. Many people probably don’t realize that our country is one of the few in the world that produces nearly all of its own food.

Fewer still, understand how close our food production and distribution system came to collapsing this past spring. But President Trump understood and again, took steps to provide the supports we needed. President Trump took the necessary action. Knowing that agriculture is our backbone and strength, critical to our national security. Our entire economy and dairy farming are once again, roaring back. One person deserves the credit and our vote, President Donald J. Trump.

Speaker 14: (31:47)
What was happening prior to president Trump, you had businesses that were over-regulated and not a friendly environment at all to start a company.

Speaker 15: (31:55)
My family stopped ranching about seven years ago. The regulations became so overbearing that the ranch was slowly sold off.

Speaker 16: (32:05)
I lost businesses because of this regulation.

Speaker 17: (32:08)
The factories in our town closed. The businesses in our towns have shut. It got to the point finally, that middle America needed help.

Speaker 18: (32:18)
President Trump came in and was able to shed light on an area that had been so long left behind.

Speaker 17: (32:26)
Tax Cuts and Jobs Act was huge, especially for a community like ours, that has a lot of small businesses. Manufacturing, deregulation, fair trade.

Speaker 18: (32:36)
Real-life policy changes that affected real Americans.

Speaker 19: (32:40)
An amazing opportunity to get ahead, to have our businesses, to have our children educated, of school choice.

Speaker 20: (32:46)
That is something that’s huge for parents right now, especially black moms, whose kids are trapped in failing school districts.

Speaker 21: (32:52)
Before COVID hit, [inaudible 00:32:54] unemployment rate was at a lowest ever.

Speaker 22: (32:55)
I’ve seen the numbers of employees go up and they’re earning a lot more for their family than what they had previously.

Speaker 23: (33:02)
They’re earning a lot more for their family than what they had previously.

Speaker 24: (33:05)
What this administration has done, simplifying the government, it’s really cut the handcuffs off of America again and allowed us to grow and move forward in a way that I have never seen in my lifetime.

Speaker 25: (33:15)
When you pull regulation and allow small companies to go out there and be able to play in the game, that is the American dream.

Speaker 23: (33:23)
People feel that they can support and have a family and they can build and make us stronger as Americans.

Speaker 26: (33:30)
What could be taken away if he doesn’t win again?

Speaker 27: (33:33)
Joe Biden said the first thing he’s going to do is increase taxes on everyone.

Speaker 25: (33:38)
Over-regulating and making it where a small business can’t grow. That’s taking away the American dream.

Speaker 23: (33:44)
I think with the upcoming election, people just need to think about what is better for them and their family.

Speaker 25: (33:51)
The president’s job is to be the CEO of our country, and he’s doing his job.

Speaker 28: (33:58)
He has improved jobs, he’s improved health, he’s improved wages, he’s cut taxes. I could go on for an hour and a half.

Speaker 29: (34:09)
The plan was working. Everybody had a job, making money, spending money, boom [inaudible 00:34:14] bang, boom, we’re good.

Speaker 23: (34:15)
My kids are going to look up to me and say, “You are the best mom for working, raising us.” It’s just tremendous what I could do.

Speaker 26: (34:24)
This is somebody who loves his country. He’s truly fighting for the American people.

Larry Kudlow: (34:31)
Hello folks. You know me from TV and radio. I’m Larry Kudlow. Years ago, I worked for Ronald Reagan. More recently, I helped the team craft Donald Trump’s economic plan during the campaign. It was a roaring success, inheriting a stagnant economy on the front end of recession. The program of tax cuts, historic rollback of onerous regulations that crippled small business, unleashing energy to become the world’s number one producer, and free, fair, and reciprocal trade deals to bolster manufacturing, agriculture, technology, and other sectors. The economy was rebuilt in three years. Unemployment fell to the lowest rate of 3.5%. Blue collars, African Americans, Hispanics, women, all groups benefited enormously. Everyone was better off. A rising tide lifting all boats. Then came a once in 100 year pandemic. It was awful. Health and economic impacts were tragic, hardship and heartbreak were everywhere. But presidential leadership came swiftly and effectively with an extraordinary rescue for health and safety to successfully fight the COVID virus.

A great bipartisan rescue also saved the economy. Right now, our economic health is coming back. With emergency spending and tax cuts, Americans are going back to work. There’s a housing boom, there’s an auto boom, a manufacturing boom, a consumer spending boom. Stops are in record territory. A V shaped recovery is pointing to better than 20% growth in the second half of this year. Now looking ahead, more tax cuts and regulatory rollback will be in store, payroll tax cuts for higher wages, income tax cuts for the middle class, capital gains tax cuts for investment, productivity, and jobs. Much more regulatory relief for small businesses. In economic terms folks, this is no time for a $4 trillion tax hike. Coming out of the deep pandemic, who in their right mind would pick the pockets of taxpayers and drain money from their wallets and purses?

Look, our economic choice is very clear. Do you want economic health, prosperity, opportunity, and optimism? Or do you want to turn back to the dark days of stagnation, recession and pessimism? I believe there can’t be better economic policies than we’ve had in recent years. So I say, stay with him. Thank you.

John Peterson: (37:27)
I’m John Peterson, owner of a second generation metal fabrication business called Schuette Metals. We’ve been stamping our products and services made in the USA since 1957. My brother and I purchased the business from my uncles almost 38 years ago. What was a 12 person shop has now grown into a company employing 165 people today. Like most companies that are successful over the long run, we had to reinvent ourselves as the market changed. Six years ago, we invested heavily in our business just as a greatest recession appeared. Barack Obama and Joe Biden, two career politicians who knew nothing about business, couldn’t get the government out of our way. And it put our business in a tailspin. Sadly, we were forced to make decisions which included cutting staff, a torturous experience when our employees are like family. The Obama-Biden era banking regulations left us no choice. It tied our lenders hands and deprived us of the lifeblood of our business capital.

We scratched and we clawed for two years, and then everything changed. Donald Trump was elected president and he knew what it was like to build a company and create jobs. One of the first things he did was to cut red tape and put an end to draconian type banking regulations. He also cut taxes on small businesses, allowing us to be more competitive, both domestically and internationally. In fact, we increased revenues by 25% for two years in a row. By getting rid of the job-killing NAFTA and negotiating the US-Mexican-Canada Trade Agreement, president Trump ensured a more competitive playing field for American companies. Even with all the challenges presented by the Coronavirus, president Trump is rebuilding and our economy is roaring back again. But when I hear that Joe Biden is ready to raise taxes, crush us with regulations, and weaken our international trade position, I shudder.

We simply cannot endure a Biden-induced recession. Some will struggle, some will not survive, and working men and women of America will get crushed yet again. This is not time to hand our government over to a washed up career politician who will be nothing but a puppet of the radical left Democrats. As a lifelong resident of Wisconsin, I’m a fan of the Badger Football Team. Many may not realize that the Wisconsin Badgers and the president share three common qualities. They’re smart, they’re tough, and they’re dependable. As a businessman, I can tell you that those qualities we need in our country’s leader, and that’s why we need to reelect Donald .J. Trump. Thank you and God bless America.

Cissie Graham Lynch: (41:03)
Good evening. I’m Cissie Graham Lynch, and I’m honored to speak to you tonight about something that is so important to all of us, our faith. As Americans, we know the first line of the first amendment protects our freedom of religion, but what we often forget, the actual words, are free exercise of religion. That means living out our faith in our daily lives, in our schools, in our jobs and yes, even in the public square. Our founders did not envision a quiet, hidden faith. They fought to ensure that the voices of faith were always welcomed, not silenced, not bullied. But during the Obama-Biden administration, these freedoms were under attack. Democrats tried to make faith organizations pay for abortion-inducing drugs. Democrats tried to force adoption agencies to violate their deeply-held beliefs. Democrats pressured schools to allow boys to compete in girl sports and use girls locker rooms. Those are the facts. But then, we the people elected Donald Trump.

People of faith suddenly had a fierce advocate in the White House. He appointed judges who respect the First Amendment. He supported religious beliefs in court. He ensured religious ministries would not be forced to violate their beliefs. He withdrew the policies that placed our little girls at risk. And on the world stage president Trump became the first president to talk about the importance of religious freedom at the United Nations, giving hope to people of faith around the world. In America, we have not yet experienced physical persecution, even though the left has tried to silence us. Even during the pandemic we saw how quickly life can change. Some Democratic leaders tried to ban church services while marijuana shops and abortion clinics were declared essential. But you know what truly is essential? Our right to worship freely and live our faith in every aspect of life.

The Biden-Harris vision for America leaves no room for people of faith. Whether you’re a baker, a florist, or a football coach, they will force the choice between being obedient to God, or to Caesar, because the radical left’s god is government power. So in the words of my grandfather, Billy Graham, let us stand for political freedom, moral freedom, religious freedom, and the rights of all Americans, and lets never give in to those who would attempt to take it from us. Tonight, I’m proudly standing in that public square and I hope and pray you will join me in voting to reelect president Trump.

Bob Vlaisavljevich: (44:10)
Hi, I’m Bob Vlaisavljevich, mayor of Eveleth, a small town in the Iron Range of Minnesota. My father and grandfather earned their livings mining the raw materials that made the steel that built America. This election is a make or break for workers who are carrying on the legacy of men like them. Since the Iron Range economy is vulnerable to economic trends and to foreign trade, we have always needed a strong voice in Washington. We looked to Democrats to fill that void for many years because we actually thought they cared about our welfare. Not anymore. The radical environmental movement has dragged the Democratic party so far to the left, they can no longer claim to be advocates of the man. This is hard for me to say because I am a lifelong Democrat. But for far too long, members of both parties allowed our country to be ripped off by our trading partners, especially China, who dumped steel into our markets and slapped tariffs on our products. And what did so-called leaders like Joe Biden do? Nothing.

The human cost has been devastating. We lost thousands of jobs, we lost a generation of young people who had to leave the Iron Range to find a livelihood, and worst of all, we lost hope. Then something unexpected happened. The street- talking New Yorker burst onto the scene promising to stand up to China and the rest of the world on behalf of the American worker. Four years later, the Iron Range is roaring back to life, and we have one man to thank, president Donald Trump. He made good on his promises by cutting our taxes, rolling back senseless regulations, and delivering trade deals that put America’s interests first. But the fight is not over. Joe Biden has allowed radicals like AOC to craft his environmental policies. Their so-called Green New Deal is a job-killing disgrace dreamt up by people who don’t live in the real world. But Biden is too weak, too scared, and too sleepy to stand up to the radical left. He has been doing nothing in Washington for 47 years. Why would your 48 be any different?

President trump won’t back down to anybody. He delivered the best economy in our history and he will do it again for all of us. The Iron Range’s economic future and survival is at stake and so is America’s. We know we can count on president Trump to fight for us and win. Let’s make sure he wins on November 3rd. God bless America.

Abby Johnson: (46:52)
My name is Abby Johnson, and I spent eight years working for Planned Parenthood, but today I’m a pro-life activist. When I was in college, Planned Parenthood approached me at a volunteer fair. They talked about helping women in crisis and their commitment to keep abortion safe, legal, and rare. I was convinced to volunteer and later offered a full-time job as a medical assistant before my promotion to director of the clinic, I truly believed I was helping women, but things drastically changed in 2009. In April, I was awarded Planned Parenthood’s employee of the year award and invited to their annual gala where they present the Margaret Sanger Award named for their founder. And Margaret Sanger was a racist who believed in eugenics. Her goal when founding Planned Parenthood was to eradicate the minority population. Today, almost 80% of Planned Parenthood abortion facilities are strategically located in minority neighborhoods. And every year Planned Parenthood celebrates its racist roots by presenting the Margaret Sanger award.

Later in August, my supervisor assigned me a new quota to meet, an abortion quota. I was expected to sell double the abortions performed the previous year. When I pushed back, underscoring Planned Parenthood’s public facing goal of decreasing abortions, I was reprimanded and told, abortion is how we make our money. But the tipping point came a month later when a physician asked me to assist with an ultrasound-guided abortion. Nothing prepared me for what I saw on the screen, an unborn baby fighting back, desperate to move away from the suction. And I’ll never forget what the doctor said next, “Beam me up Scotty.” The last thing I saw was a spine twirling around in the mother’s womb before succumbing to the force of the suction. On October sixth, I left the clinic looking back only to remember why I now advocate so passionately for life. I founded and currently run And Then There Were None, a non-profit organization that’s helped nearly 600 abortion workers transition out of the industry. For most people who consider themselves pro-life, abortion is abstract. They can’t even conceive of the barbarity. They don’t know about the products of conception room and abortion clinics where infant corpses are pieced back together to ensure nothing remains in the mother’s wombs, or that we joked and called it the pieces of children room. You see, for me, abortion is real. I know what it sounds like. I know what abortion smells like. Did you know abortion even had a smell? I’ve been the perpetrator to these babies, to these women, and I now support president Trump because he has done more for the unborn than any other president. During his first month in office, he banned federal funds for global health groups that promote abortion. That same year, he overturned an Obama-Biden rule that allowed government subsidy of abortion. He appointed a record number of pro-life judges, including two Supreme Court justices. And importantly, he announced a new rule protecting the rights of healthcare workers objecting to abortion, many of whom I work with every day.

Life is a core tenet of who we are as Americans. And this election is a choice between two radical anti-life activists and the most pro-life president we have ever had. That’s something that should compel you to action. Go door to door, make calls, talk to your neighbors and friends, and vote on November 3rd. Take action that reelects our president, and do it with our very most vulnerable Americans in mind, the ones who haven’t been born yet.

Speaker 30: (51:33)
It began as a class trip to join thousands for the annual March for Life. These Catholic young men traveled from Kentucky to stand up for what they believed in, but what happened was something very different.

Speaker 31: (51:47)
Crackers with a Make America Great hat on! You little dirty (beep) crackers, your day coming. Young Klansmen.

Speaker 32: (51:53)
Look at that Make America Great Again hat!

Speaker 30: (52:07)
Social media, the news, and even celebrities launched a campaign of persecution that was completely false against a boy in a Make America Great Again hat.

Speaker 33: (52:08)
The MAGA hat carries a certain connotation that provokes a conditioned reaction.

Speaker 34: (52:13)
I blame that (beep) kid. What a load of crap.

Trevor Noah: (52:16)
Everyone that sees that smug look wants to punch that kid.

Speaker 30: (52:17)
Nicholas Sandmann received death threats, and his school was forced to close. Tonight, Nicholas tells his story.

Nicholas Sandmann: (52:30)
Good evening everyone. My name is Nick Sandmann and I’m the teenager who was defamed by the media after an encounter with a group of protesters on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial last year. Before I begin, I’d like to thank president Trump for the opportunity to share some of my story and why it matters so much to this November’s election. In 2019, I attended the March for Life in Washington DC, where I demonstrated in defense of unborn. Later that day, I bought a Make America Great Again hat because our president Donald Trump has distinguished himself as one of the most pro-life presidents in the history of our country, and I wanted to express my support for him too. Looking back now, how could I have possibly imagined that the simple act of putting on that red hat would unleash hate from the left and make myself the target of network and cable news networks nationwide? Being from Kentucky, the birthplace of Abraham Lincoln, my classmates and I visited the Lincoln Memorial.

I found myself face to face with Nathan Phillips and other professional protestors looking to turn me into the latest poster child showing why Trump is bad. While the media portrayed me as an aggressor with a relentless smirk on my face, in reality, the video confirms I was standing with my hands behind my back, and an awkward smile on my face that had two thoughts. One, don’t do anything that might further agitate the man banging a drum in my face. And two, I was trying to follow a family friend’s advice, never to do anything to embarrass your family, your school, or your community. Before I knew what was happening, it was over. One of Mr. Phillips’ fellow agitators yelled out, “We got him. It’s all right here on video, and we won grandpa.” What I thought was a strange encounter, quickly developed into a major news story complete with video footage.

My life changed forever in that one moment. The full war machine of the mainstream media revved up into attack mode. They did so without researching the full video of the incident, without ever investigating Mr. Phillips’ motives, or without ever asking me for my side of the story. And do you know why? Because the truth was not important. Advancing their anti-Christian, anti-conservative, anti-Donald Trump narrative was all that mattered. And if advancing their narrative ruined the reputation and future of a teenager from Covington, Kentucky, well, so be it. That would teach him not to wear a MAGA hat. I learned what was happening to me had a name. It was called being canceled, as in annulled, as in revoked, as in made void. Canceled is what’s happening to people around this country who refuse to be silenced by the far left. Many are being fired, humiliated, or even threatened. And often the media is a willing participant, but I would not be canceled. I fought back hard to expose the media for what they did to me, and I won a personal victory.

While much more must be done. I look forward to the day that the media returns to providing balanced, responsible, and accountable news coverage. I know president Trump hopes for that too. And I know you all agree with me when we say that no one in this country has been a victim of unfair media coverage more than president Donald Trump. In November, I believe this country must unite around a president who calls the media out and refuses to allow them to create a narrative instead of reporting the facts. I believe we must join a president who will challenge the media to return to objective journalism. And together, I believe we must all embrace our First Amendment rights and not hide in fear of the media, or from the tech companies, or from the outrage mob either. This is worth fighting for, this is worth voting for, and this is what Donald Trump stands for. Thank you all for listening to me tonight. And one more thing, let’s Make America Great Again.

Pam Bondi: (57:15)
I’m Pam Bondi. Our party’s theme tonight is America, the land of opportunity. And listening to the stories of discoveries and deliverance, you can’t help but be proud to call this country home. But for Joe Biden, it’s been the land of opportunism, not opportunity. As a career prosecutor and former Attorney General of Florida, I fought corruption, and I know what it looks like, whether it’s done by people wearing pinstripe suits or orange jumpsuits. At the Democrats Convention, we were told to look at Joe Biden as the model of integrity. But when you look at his 47 year career in politics, the people who benefited are his family members, not the American people. Let’s take a closer look.

Pam Bondi: (58:05)
We all know about Joe’s son, Hunter Biden. A corrupt Ukrainian oligarch put Hunter on the board of his gas company, even though he had no experience in Ukraine or in the energy sector, none. Yet he was paid millions to do nothing. He only had one qualification that mattered. He was the son of the man in charge of distributing US aid to Ukraine, and recently reported information revealed that a few months after Hunter Biden joined that corrupt company’s board, the Obama-Biden State Department began doing business with him, even when it remained under investigation for corruption. And it gets worse. That very same company was being investigated by a Ukrainian prosecutor. Joe Biden, the vice president of the United States threatened to withhold aid to Ukraine unless that same prosecutor was fired, and then he was fired. Hunter only resigned from that board just before his dad announced his campaign for president.

Pam Bondi: (59:18)
Now let’s talk about China. Fact, Joe Biden flew to China on Air Force Two with Hunter along for the ride. They said he was just there as a family member, but we know that’s untrue. In Beijing. Hunter didn’t just go sightseeing. He had meetings with his Chinese bank partners. Hunter even arranged for his dad to meet with one of the partners. 10 days later, those Chinese communist bankers approved millions to go to Hunter’s firm, and those bankers work for the Chinese Communist Party, which oppresses their people, cheated American workers for decades, and covered up a deadly virus. To this day, Hunter controls a 10% stake in that firm, and Joe Biden’s done more than look the other way on China. He said, “The Chinese aren’t our competition. Come on man. They’re not bad folks.” Come on Joe. Talk to the folks in middle America who lost countless jobs to China while your son was getting rich with them. But there’s more. Fact, there’ve been numerous press reports that have shown other close Biden family members benefited from Joe’s 47 year political career.

Pam Bondi: (01:00:39)
Joe Biden was point person on Iraq. The president of a construction firm met with Biden’s team in the White House and then, who did they hire to build thousands of houses in Iraq? Joe Biden’s close family member, who you guessed it, had no experience in the industry and no experience in Iraq. A company official bragged that it helps to have a family member of the vice president as partner. The family member put it more bluntly by saying, “There’s a line of 747s, filled with cash, ready to invest.” Now let’s follow the money down south. Again, as reported in the press, yet another close family member of Joe’s, set his sights on Costa Rica and Jamaica where millions of dollars flowed from the Obama-Biden administration in taxpayer back loans to projects linked to, yes, that same family member. These aren’t isolated incidents. It is a deliberate pattern of conduct. And that’s just what he did as vice-president. Imagine what he’d do as president.

Pam Bondi: (01:01:54)
How many American families would be allowed to get away with this? Why should there be one standard for the elite political class and another set of rules for the rest of us? When millions of Americans voted for Donald Trump, they knew he’d be different, and he is. He’s a tough, no nonsense outsider who can’t be bought or intimidated. He won’t even take a paycheck from the American people. He donates his paycheck to charities across this country. Democrats have been lecturing America about integrity for four years while their nominee has been writing the textbook on abusive power for 40 years. If they want to make this election a choice between who’s saving America and who’s swindling America, bring it on. Joe says he’ll build back better. Yeah, build the Bidens back better. Our president is in this to build a safer, better, and stronger America, and he will finish what he started to keep this a real land of opportunity for everyone. If you want to check your voting status, secure your ballot, or registered to vote, text vote to 88022. Remember, the best is yet to come.

Donald Trump: (01:03:46)
Women have played a very, very big role. The level of genius is unbelievable frankly.

Speaker 35: (01:03:53)
You’re what? You’ve got 70, 80 years on this earth. What are you going to do with it? Are you going to make that difference are going to say, “I was there for the big battles in our country to save America?”

Mercdes Schlapp: (01:04:04)
It’s what I feel very much called to do, ever since I was a very young girl.

Speaker 36: (01:04:09)
In 2016, Donald Trump made his historic run for the office of United States president. Knowing the monumental task he would be undertaking, he rested all of his hopes for winning on one woman. Because of that trust, he became a 45th president of the United States and Kellyanne Conway became the first woman in US history to manage a winning presidential campaign.

Kellyanne Conway: (01:04:32)
This president has been a champion for women mostly because he speaks to them as if they can handle and tackle all the issues.

Kimberly Guilfoyle: (01:04:42)
I don’t want a job because of my gender. I want the job because I’m the best person for that position. That’s it. And he respects that and he appreciates hard work. You can’t ask for anything better especially in a boss.

Speaker 36: (01:04:59)
President Trump continues to place strong women into significant positions throughout his administration and campaign, far more than any other president in US history.

Brooke Rollins: (01:05:09)
That he has had, and does have more women on his top team than any president before, but it actually goes down to his deputy assistants, to his special assistance, to our awesome teams throughout the West Wing.

Katrina Pierson: (01:05:21)
And when he called me and said, “I want you to represent my entire campaign,” I became the first black woman to represent a Republican presidential campaign, winning presidential campaign in United States history.

Speaker 36: (01:05:36)
Throughout his career, Trump has always touted family first as a core value. He shows this especially with his choices of press secretaries, choosing Sarah Sanders, the first mother to become a press secretary, Stephanie Grisham, the first single mother to serve as press secretary, and Kayleigh McEnany, who transitioned into the job while also transitioning into the job of mum.

Brooke Rollins: (01:05:58)
I have four children, Kellyanne Conway has four children. Ivanka has three. I think, between all the senior staff women, we-

Speaker 37: (01:06:03)
Conway has four children, Ivanka has … I think between all the senior staff women, we might have 75 kids. I’m not sure, we’ve lost count but the importance of the work is never lost on any of us and truly it is those children that we are fighting for and for their future.

Speaker 38: (01:06:16)
With these capable women placed in positions of power influence and authority, President Trump has proven that when the stakes are highest, he is proud to entrust many of our nation’s most crucial jobs to women.

Speaker 37: (01:06:28)
The number of dedicated, amazing, brilliant, relentless women that are dedicated to the country and to the president and to preserving the American dream is one of the greatest if not the greatest things I’ll ever be a part of.

Ronna McDaniel: (01:06:49)
Only the president would say, “Let’s take that stay at home mom and have her run the party.” What a smart guy.

Tiffany Trump: (01:07:01)
Good evening. I’m Tiffany Trump. Since speaking at the Republican convention four years ago, so much has changed for the world, for our country, and for my family. Like so many students across the world, I graduated from law school during the pandemic. Our generation is unified in facing the future in uncertain times, and many of us are considering what kind of country we want to live in.

As a recent graduate, I can relate to so many of you who might be looking for a job. My father built a thriving economy once and believe me, he will do it again. This election, I urge each and every one of you, to transcend political boundaries. This is a fight for freedom versus oppression, for opportunity versus stagnation. A fight to keep America true to America. I urge you to make judgment based on results and not rhetoric. If you believe in criminal justice reform, there is only one president that passed the First Step Act, giving people a second chance, a chance at a life once again and if you believe in expanding quality and affordable healthcare, only President Trump, my father signed the right to try into law the favored nations clause and other actions to lower drug prices and keep Americans from getting ripped off.

People must recognize that our thoughts, our opinions, and even the choice of who we are voting for may and are being manipulated and visibly coerced by the media and tech giants. If you tune into the media, you get one biased opinion or another, and what you share, if it does not fit into the narrative that they seek to promote, then it is either ignored or deemed a lie, regardless of the truth. This manipulation of what information we receive impedes our freedoms, rather than allowing Americans the right to form our own beliefs, this misinformation system keeps people mentally enslaved to the ideas they deem correct. This has fostered unnecessary fear and divisiveness amongst us. Why are so many in media and technology and even in our own government so invested in promoting a biased and fabricated view? Ask yourselves, why are we prevented from seeing certain information? Why is one viewpoint promoted while others are hidden? The answer is control, because division and controversy breed profit.

But what are the consequences when only one side of the story gets out or when only one viewpoint is acceptable? For our education system, it meant sacrificing civil debate by creating an atmosphere where students with contrary opinions are too afraid to speak. Many students find themselves suppressing their beliefs to fit into what the acceptable groupthink is. In short, our nation suffers by inhibiting our diversity of thought and inclusion of ideas. Working together outside of our political comfort zones, we’ll accomplish so much more. Some cynical politicians do not seem to believe in the miracle of America. Well I do. As Maximo Alvarez said so eloquently last night, “If freedom is lost in this country, there is nowhere else to go.” Having hope is not weakness and believing in miracles is a gift from God.

So tonight, I want to tell you the uncensored truth of what we believe in. We believe in equality of opportunity. We believe in freedom of thought and expression. Think what you want, seek out the truth, learn from those with different opinions, and then freely make your voice heard to the world. We believe in school choice because a child’s zip code in America should not determine their future. We believe in freedom of religion for all faiths and we believe in the American spirit, a country founded on ideas, not identity. A country where our differences are embraced and the only country where the word dream has been attached to it. Because in America, your life is yours to chart, so if you’re hearing these things and thinking to yourself, “That is the kind of country that I want to live in,” well, whether you realize it or not, you are a Trump supporter. I encourage you to see beyond the façade that so many other politicians employ. They mask themselves in disguises of decency as they try to pressure us to mask our own identities and beliefs.

My father is the only person to challenge the establishment, the entrenched bureaucracy, big pharma and media monopolies, to ensure that Americans’ constitutional freedoms are upheld and that justice and truth prevail. My father does not run away from challenges, even in the face of outright hatred, because fighting for America is something he will sacrifice anything for. He dreams big dreams for our country and he is relentless at achieving them. You see, Make America Great Again is not a slogan for my father. It is what drives him to keep his promise of doing what is right for American citizens.

The energy of change and opportunity is with us. God has blessed us with unstoppable spirit. His spirit, the American spirit, my dad has proven to be driven by that spirit. He has demonstrated his faith and his uncompromising heart and actions. My father has made me believe that America can truly be great again. If you care about living your life without restraints, about rebelling against those who would suppress your voice and building your American dream, then the choice in this election is clear. A vote for my father, Donald J. Trump, is a vote to uphold our American ideals. Be true to yourself and stay true to the dream of America. Thank you and God bless you all.

Kim Reynolds: (01:13:54)
I’m Kim Reynolds, governor of the great state of Iowa. I love this state and I’m so proud to serve its people. Iowa truly is a land of opportunity. It’s the birthplace of the computer, it’s a landmark of the financial services industry, and as so many of you already know, it’s filled with farmland that feeds and fuels the world. It’s also home to people who care for one another, who work hard, who love this country, and are truly grateful for the freedoms it provides. As I like to say, Iowa is one big small town, neighbor helping neighbor is in our DNA. From the sick farmer who can’t harvest his crops to the single mom who loses her job and is struggling to get back on her feet, the town, the community helps them get through it. But what happens when a storm rips through almost the entire state? When it’s not one farmer who lost his crop, but hundreds? When it’s not one neighbor who is without food, but thousands? That happened just two weeks ago. A storm called a derecho with hurricane force winds of up to 140 miles per hour, wiped out millions of acres of crops, left thousands without power. It destroyed homes, wrecked lives, and left devastation in its wake. It was the worst storm in our state’s history and Iowans did what you expect Iowans to do. They helped each other, they took care of each other, and they still are.

But someone else had our back, our president. When the winds had finished raging and the cleanup had only begun, he showed up. Now you might not know that because the national media didn’t report it, but the Trump administration was here in full force. The day after the storm, the president called to assure me that we have the full backing of the federal government and later that week, Vice President Pence came to Iowa to again assure us that the president and his administration were behind us. With the help of the Trump administration, we quickly received a major disaster declaration that will help Iowans get back on their feet. The president, he cut through the bureaucracy to do what needed to be done and to do it quickly.

But that’s not the first time President Trump showed Iowans that we can rely on him. In 2019, when 100 year floods breached nearly every levy and devastated communities large and small along the Missouri River in Iowa, Nebraska and Missouri, the president approved our request for aid in record time, in just two days. Well this year, he did it in less than 24 hours. So whether it’s providing needed relief to farmers who were the target of China’s unfair trade practices, hammering out new free and fair trade deals, or fighting for workers and small businesses who were hit hard by COVID-19, we have a president and a vice president who get things done and because of President Trump and his leadership, our country is able to bounce back from setbacks and see opportunity grow and thrive.

This is an administration of action and outcomes. They are delivering every day on their promise to Make America Great Again, and that’s exactly why we need to re-elect President Donald J. Trump in November. Thank you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Mike Pence: (01:17:41)
America. The land of opportunity. The country where your own resolution to succeed is more important than any other. Abraham Lincoln’s words from 165 years ago still resonate today because of who we are and because of what we are. A country where a boy born into poverty in a log cabin, raised right here on the frontier of Indiana, could educate himself, become a lawyer, become a president of the United States who would preserve the union, abolish slavery, and save the nation. As a fellow Hoosier, visiting Lincoln’s boyhood home has always been a treasured experience for me and my family. It’s a place that made Lincoln, it shaped Lincoln, and defined the man that Lincoln would become. America is the land of opportunity. As President Donald Trump declared at Mount Rushmore, in America you can do anything, you can be anything, and together, we can achieve anything.

Every day, President Donald Trump is fighting to protect the promise of American liberty. Every day, our president has been fighting to expand the reach of the American dream, and on every single day, without fail, President Donald Trump has been fighting for you. So tonight, I’d like to introduce you to a few remarkable Americans who represent that solemn pledge. Who embody our president’s unbreakable devotion to ensuring that America is the land of unlimited opportunity for all.

Jack is an eight-year-old from Wisconsin who was struggling academically and socially in school. Jack’s mom Sarah, who works three jobs to support her son, applied for Wisconsin’s school choice voucher program.

Sarah Hughes: (01:19:40)
We’re glad that we were able to get the school choice voucher to go to that school. With Jack, he would have slipped through the cracks in public schools and having the option to go to a school that fits him has been a real game changer for us and I know that because of that opportunity that he is going to succeed and he is going to achieve that goal of being an apparatus engineer if that’s what he chooses to stick with.

Laura McLinn is a mother of another inspiring boy, Jordan. Jordan has Duchenne muscular dystrophy, a fatal muscle weakening disorder. Jordan was at my side in Indiana when as governor, I signed a law allowing terminally ill patients to access experimental drugs not yet approved by the FDA. In 2018, President Trump signed the landmark Federal Right to Try bill into law. Thanks to the president’s leadership, critically ill patients have the right to access life-saving experimental treatments.

Laura McLinn: (01:20:44)
We started fighting for right to try which basically says if you have a terminal illness and there is a drug that exists and you don’t qualify for the clinical trial, there is no other way to receive it, this is a unique pathway that allows you to have access. You made us a promise back in Indiana that you would do whatever it took to help Jordan and we’re so grateful that you joined us on this journey and stuck it out until it became law so that other people could access treatments.

So Jordan, if President Trump was standing right there, what would you say to him today about right to try?

Jordan McLinn: (01:21:18)
Thank you for being a hero to everybody in the country.

Judge Cheryl Allen made history in 2007 when she became the first African-American woman to be elected to serve on the Pennsylvania Superior Court. It’s because of leaders like Judge Allen that our nation has overcome our greatest challenges.

In this time of racial division in the country –

Cheryl Allen: (01:21:46)
Yes.

Do you see faith and values and –

Absolutely.

The strong stand that President Trump has taken for equality of opportunity as a pathway toward bringing the country together?

As a senior citizen, I’ll leave it at that, I know what racism feels like, but I also know that but for my being in this country, I would have never been able to achieve the things that I have been able to achieve. There are injustices but the way to deal with those injustices is for people to sit down across the table and talk and come up with solutions. I do believe that President Trump is committed to that. In 2016 I have to confess that I really did not know candidate Trump at the time but I have to say that he really won me over.

Gino is a truck driver from Ohio who heard politicians for years make empty promises about defending American jobs, only to see those promises broken again and again. But in 2019, when General Motors closed its plant in Lordstown, Ohio, President Donald Trump refused to stand by and watch it happen, and as Gino observed, this president reached out to General Motors to find a way to bring jobs back to Lordstown and plans were soon set into motion to create Lordstown Motors.

Gino: (01:23:17)
President Trump says, “This is how we fix it,” and I thought, “Well that’s a simple solution.” There’s no other president that could have done it, there’s no one that has even tried to do it. President Trump is a doer, he appreciates every one of us and I know he does. I’ve seen it. When he said Make America Great Again, that was his task. That wasn’t his slogan, that was his task, and every hat you see that says MAGA on it, that’s what your president is doing for you. Thank you Mr. President for keeping the promises that you made.

And then there’s Pastor Aaron Johnson. Today he’s the executive director of the Tulsa Dream Center, a non-profit that provides education and medical services and food to those in need.

A.J., you’ve got a great personal story when you see the way this president, this administration have been leaning in to create opportunities, investments in communities around the country to create jobs, expanding educational choice. What does that mean to the families that you serve every day?

Aaron Johnson: (01:24:13)
It means so much to our families. I did grow up in a single parent home and so we serve over 600 boys and girls right now on a daily basis even in COVID and so for us, to give these moms to have an opportunity to take more money on their check, on their paycheck home back to them, to have their children to be able to go to a school that they may not have the opportunity to otherwise, it means so much to us. There’s been so much greater opportunity for individuals to come together in any walk of life. People have really been able to see such a positive change and been filled with hope, especially throughout this time.

Lydia left hearth and home, friends and family in Honduras to pursue a better life here in America. While raising their four daughters, Lydia and her husband run a small business that creates security systems but just months after their business was up and running, our nation was struck by a global pandemic. That’s when President Donald Trump stepped in and enacted the largest financial relief package in American history. Her small business stayed in business and her American dream kept running strong.

What did the Paycheck Protection Program mean to your company as the coronavirus struck?

Lydia: (01:25:23)
Yeah. It was a huge, tremendous help and a big blessing and so we applied, we were accepted really quickly. We’re so grateful, you can’t believe how much relief we had. We want to continue serving our clients, we want to continue growing our economy, we want to all continue to move forward. So we were able to make it, because of the support of family and friends, the government. I tell my children, they are born here in the U.S., and I tell them, “You are so blessed to live in America.”

Here at Abraham Lincoln’s boyhood home, a young man would grow up to become the first Republican President of the United States, and today, another Republican president is fighting to preserve that same noble legacy of freedom and President Donald Trump will make certain that the torch of American opportunity illuminates every city, every town, and every community in this blessed land.

Ryan Holets: (01:26:34)
Hi, I’m Ryan Holets, I’m a police officer from New Mexico. In 2017, I had an encounter that changed my life forever. I had just started my shift and responded to a call for service at a gas station. When I arrived, I saw a man and a woman sitting on a grassy slope. I recognized the telltale signs, a needle, a spoon. I knew immediately that they were preparing to inject themselves with heroin. Sadly this is a common sight for me. I encounter the ravages of addiction every day but nothing could prepare me for what I discovered as I approached them. The woman was very pregnant. In my shock, I asked her if she knew that she was harming her baby by doing drugs. She crumbled and burst into tears. Two worlds collided as I knelt down beside her, a police officer and a homeless drug addict, brought together by forces outside of our control.

As we talked, our humanity, distinct from our stations in life, was made abundantly clear. Her name was Crystal and in the midst of her suffering, she confided that she loved her unborn baby. She wanted the best for her child. In that moment, I saw her the way that all of you who know and love an addict see them, as fathers, mothers, brothers, sisters, children, cousins, and friends, as human beings full of value and dignity but robbed of their potential by this disease. When Crystal said that she was looking for a family to adopt her baby, God showed me exactly what I had to do. Without hesitation, I told her that my family would welcome her baby through adoption.

Today, our beautiful daughter Hope is a thriving two-year- old. Crystal is fast approaching three years of recovery. She is a dear friend and a constant inspiration to me and others. I hold a special place in my heart for those facing opioid addiction and that’s why I’m enormously grateful to the president for his leadership in fighting this deadly enemy. Through his efforts, we’re turning the tide on the crisis of addiction. President Trump declared the opioid crisis to be a public health emergency and then secured $6 billion in new federal funding to help Americans fight opioid abuse. He invested an additional $100 million to stop the opioid crisis in rural America and in a move that strikes at the root of the problem, he implemented a safer prescribing plan aimed at reducing opioid prescriptions by over a third within three years.

This is an effort that stops addiction before it ever gains ahold in someone’s life and it’s having an impact. Drug overdose deaths decreased in 2018 for the first time in 30 years. Many of the states hardest hit by the opioid crisis are seeing the largest drop in deaths. We’re seeing that doctors are writing fewer prescriptions for opioid pain drugs. These are significant improvements that have a meaningful impact.

I think we are fortunate, America, to have a president who cares deeply for the downtrodden and who works tirelessly to find solutions. A president who doesn’t just talk about problems but stops and helps. President Trump is the leader we’ve needed the last four years and he is the leader we need for the next four. You see, Donald Trump is the right president at the right time. Let’s make sure he’s re-elected on November 3. I pray God’s blessings on you and your family and may God bless America.

Jeanette Nunez: (01:30:39)
Good evening. My name is Jeanette Nunez and I’m proud to serve as lieutenant governor of the great state of Florida. Tonight, I’m honored to share my story of faith, family, and American freedom. As the daughter of Cuban immigrants, my story began in 1959 before I was born when my parents’ dreams of a prosperous life became a nightmare. Chaos spread quickly when Fidel Castro took control of Cuba. The government confiscated private property, stealing people’s homes, farms, and businesses. For my parents, the difficult decision to flee communist Cuba came when the Castro regime abolished religious freedom.

Fellow Americans, the fabric of our nation is in peril. Daily, the radical left systematically chisels away at the freedoms we cherish. They peddle dangerous ideologies, cower to global progressives, and normalize socialism to dismantle our constitution. Let me assure you, socialism doesn’t offer opportunity. Socialism deprives. It is a falsehood that feigns promises for its masses and consistently yields only misery. President Ronald Reagan warned, “If we lose freedom here, there’s no place to escape to.”Truer words had never been spoken.

Americans have a choice. We can go down a dark road of chaos and government control, or we can choose a path of freedom and opportunity that was paved by those who sacrificed everything to preserve the American dream for future generations. I have faith that Americans will choose the right path. In 2016, our country yearned for a leader who would work tirelessly to jumpstart our economy and fight for hardworking Americans. Since day one, President Donald Trump has put America first. His pro-growth, pro-jobs agenda has ushered in historically low unemployment, record job creation, higher wages, and rising home ownership. The president is fighting to rescue American jobs and industries for places like Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Puerto Rico. Jobs that were needlessly shipped overseas. He’s defended our religious freedom, stood with democratic allies like Colombia and shown unwavering resolve while confronting tyrants in countries like Venezuela, Cuba, China, and Nicaragua. Let us join our president in his vow that America will never be a socialist country. Supporting our president requires action. Join me tonight and text VOTE to 88022.

We must continue to support our commander in chief who has a bold agenda that safeguards the rights and freedoms protected under our constitution. Today, more than ever, that means supporting our men and women in law enforcement and our heroes in uniform. It means fighting to provide the best quality education, by empowering parents and preserving school choice, and it means rejecting the socialist takeover of our nation that will destroy innovation, economic vitality, and freedoms we hold so dear.

As a daughter of immigrants, a wife, a mother of three and the first Latina lieutenant governor in the history of the state of Florida, it is my distinct privilege to share my story, which is really your story and the story of a nation that has opened its doors, lifted its people, and yielded success in a way only the United States of America can. Together, let’s ensure four more years for President Donald J. Trump so that he can continue protecting our republic and so one day, our children can proudly tell the story of what our generation did to defend the values of faith, family and freedom. Thank you, may God bless each one of you, and may God bless the United States of America.

Speaker 39: (01:35:35)
Ladies and gentlemen, the President of the United States.

Speaker 40: (01:36:00)
Acting Secretary Wolf, I present to you five candidates for naturalization, representing five countries.

Acting Secretary Wolf: (01:36:08)
On behalf of everyone here today, I’d like to express my gratitude to you, Mr. President for hosting this naturalization ceremony here at the White House. To our candidates, it is my honor to administer the oath of allegiance and welcome you as our fellow citizens. Candidates for naturalization, please raise your right hand and repeat after me. I hereby declare.

Candidates for naturalizaton: (01:36:30)
I herby declare.

An oath.

An oath.

That I absolutely and entirely.

That I absolutely and entirely.

Renounce and adjourn.

Renounce and adjourn.

All allegiance and fidelity.

All allegiance and fidelity.

To any foreign prince.

To any foreign prince.

Potentate.

Potentate.

State or sovereignty.

State or sovereignty.

Of whom or which.

Of whom or which.

I have heretofore been.

I have heretofore been.

A subject or citizen.

A subject or citizen.

That I will support and defend.

That I will support and defend.

The constitution and laws.

The constitution and laws.

Of the United States of America.

Of the United States of America.

Against all enemies.

Against all enemies.

Foreign and domestic.

Foreign and domestic.

That I will bear true faith.

That I will bear true faith.

And allegiance to the same.

And allegiance to the same.

That I will bear arms.

That I will bear arms.

On behalf of the United States.

On behalf of the United States.

When required by law.


That I will perform.

That I will perform.

Non-combative service.

Non-combative service.

In the Armed Forces of the U.S.

In the Armed Forces of the U.S.



That I will perform the work.

That I will perform the work.

Of national importance.

Of national importance.

Under civilian direction.

Under civilian direction.



And that I take this obligation freely.

That I take this obligation freely.

Without any mental reservation.

Without any mental reservation.

Or purpose of evasion.

Or purpose of evasion.

So help me God.

So help me God.

Congratulations, you’re now citizens of the United States of America. On behalf of the Department of Homeland Security, it is my honor to call you my fellow Americans. Mr. President, I want to again commend you for your dedication to the rule of law and for restoring integrity to our immigration system. Thank you for hosting such a patriotic celebration here at the White House today.

Congratulations, that’s fantastic.

Thank you Mr. President.

That’s really great, thank you, and I want to thank Acting Secretary Wolf doing a phenomenal job in so many ways. Today America rejoices as we –

… Nominal job in so many ways. Today, America rejoices as we welcome five absolutely incredible new members into our great American family. You’re now fellow citizens of the greatest nation on the face of God’s earth. Congratulations. Great going.

You followed the rules, you obeyed the laws, you learned your history, embraced our values and proved yourselves to be men and women of the highest integrity. It’s not so easy, you went through a lot and we appreciate you being here with us today. You’ve earned the most prized, treasured, cherished and priceless possession anywhere in the world. It’s called American citizenship. There’s no higher honor and no greater privilege, and it’s an honor for me to be your president. Thank you very much. At this time, I’d like to recognize the five new citizens who join us today. [Robert Martin Ramirez Alcaser 00:01:03] is from Bolivia and has been a lawful permanent resident of the United States since 2013.

Robert. Hi, Robert. He and his wife are raising three beautiful children. In 2017, Robert achieved the dream of starting his own business, a construction company that now employs five workers. Robert says, “I love this country. I want to respect the law. America has helped me so much in life.” Robert, thank you very much for your devotion.

Robert Ramirez: (01:40:40)
Thank you for the opportunity to the United States.

Thank you, and good luck with that company. Soon you’ll have hundreds of employees, I think. Right?

Robert Ramirez: (01:40:48)
I will.

Could happen. It will. [Remi Gideon 00:01:40:52] is from Lebanon and is the proud mother of three children. [Remi 01:40:57] speaks English, Arabic and French and earned a degree in psychology. In other words, she could figure me out. She now works as a daycare teacher in Virginia. [Remi 01:41:10] says I feel blessed to be a loyal citizen of the greatest country in the world, a country that has given me the opportunity of a lifetime to realize my potential and my dreams. [Remi 01:41:20] congratulations. That’s really great. Thank you.

That’s very good. Thank you very much, I appreciate it. Sudha Sundari Narayanan, is a phenomenal success. Born in India, came to the United States 13 years ago. Sudha is a talented software developer. She and her husband are raising two beautiful, wonderful children. The apples of your life. Right?

Sudha: (01:41:54)
Yes, they are.

Well, thank you very much and congratulations. Fantastic job. Thank you. [Nemed Abdul-Sayem Hawalosaed 00:03:00], is from Sudan and that’s a beautiful name, and has been a lawful permanent resident since 2012. She is the married mother of three beautiful children, earned a master’s degree and PhD in Animal Nutrition from the University of Wyoming. Great place, great state. And she is a trained veterinarian. She’s also worked as a substitute teacher for the Alexandria Public Schools since 2004. That’s fantastic. Well, [Nemed 01:42:34], thank you very much and congratulations. It’s my honor to be with you.

Thank you. Thank you very much. [Sallah Abdul Samad 00:03:41] has been looking forward to this day since he arrived in the United States from Ghana in 2015. Sally speaks five languages and works the medical field. Sally says that, “The American citizenship means everything to me in my life. It can not be measured or quantified. I have the chance to work hard and succeed in life. To know that I am in the safe country like America, that really is something because I know they have my back.” Sally, thank you very much. Congratulations. Fantastic job. Congratulations to everybody. With the rights and freedoms each of you now enjoy as citizens, there is no dream beyond your wildest reach because Americans can do anything. Today, you have also accepted the profound duties and responsibilities that come with American citizenship. By swearing, the oath of allegiance, each of you has entered a sacred and unbreakable covenant with our nation.

You’ve pledged your undying loyalty to the American people, the American constitution and the American way of life. The history and heritage of the United States are now yours to preserve and pass down to the next generation. Our culture, our traditions and our values are now yours to uphold and live by. The rights so dear to every American granted by us and granted by God and enshrined in our glorious Bill of Rights are now yours to support, protect, and defend. As citizens, you’re now stewards of this magnificent nation, a family comprised of every race, color, religion, and creed. United by the bonds of love, we are one people sharing one home saluting one great American flag. Congratulations again to all of you. May God bless you. And may God bless our great country America.

Eric Trump: (01:45:05)
Good evening America. When I stood on this convention stage four years ago, no one fully understood the historic change that was about to take place. We could all feel it. Something was happening. A movement was forming just below the surface. The forgotten men and women voiceless in Washington D.C, were preparing to rise up. Our movement followed the pattern of so many that came before us. First, we were ignored. Then we were laughed at. Then they fought us and then together we won. From that moment forward, America came first. America started winning again. America became respected again. But with every movement, there’s a counter movement. In the view of the radical Democrats, America is a source of the world’s problems. As a result, they believe the only path forward is to erase history and forget the past. They want to destroy the monuments of our forefathers. They want to disrespect our flag, burn the stars and stripes represent patriotism and the American dream.

They want to disrespect our National Anthem by taking a knee while our armed forces laid down their lives every day to protect our freedom. They do not want the Pledge of Allegiance in our schools. Many of them don’t want one nation under God. The Democrats want to defund and disrespect our law enforcement. The Democrats want an America where your thoughts and opinions are censored when they do not align with their own. President Reagan said, “Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. It must be fought for, and it must be protected.” This is a fight that we are in right now, and it is a fight that only my father can win. My father ran not because he needed the job, but because he knew hard working people across this great country were being left behind. The media mocked these patriots in the flyover states, in which they lived.

They ignored the Trump flags. They ignore the millions of MAGA banners and barns painted in red, white, and blue. The silent majority had no one fighting for them in either party. Their so-called leaders are bowing to China, bribing Iran, and spending more time worrying about how they’d be received by the elites in Paris than how Americans would provide for their families in Pittsburgh. Our family lost friends but it only pushed us to fight harder. My father pledged to every American in every city, state, and town that he was going to make America great again. And so began the great American comeback. Almost immediately taxes were slashed, regulations were cut, and the economy soared to new heights, heights never seen before. Wages went through the roof. Unemployment reached historic lows, especially for black Americans, Hispanic Americans and women. Trade deals were ripped up and renegotiated. Lights were turned back on in abandoned factories across our country.

Trillions of dollars were repatriated back to the United States, which had been sitting in foreign lands for far too long. Once again, America became the envy of the world. And with that renewed strength came a leverage. The President demanded that our allies pay their fair share for the defense of a Western world. My father rebuilt the mighty American military, adding new jets, aircraft carriers. He increased wages for our incredible men and women in uniform. He expanded our military defense budget to $721 billion per year. America was no longer weak in the eye of the enemy. The moment President Trump ordered special forces kill some of the deadliest terrorists on planet. The day the mighty MOAB was dropped on insurgent camps is a day America took a stance in never be defeated by the enemy. al-Baghdadi, Soleimani, dead. Over and over, issue after issue, the economy, the wall, the military, trade deals, tax cuts, Supreme Court Justices, VA hospitals, prescription drugs, school choice, Right to Try, moving the embassy to Jerusalem, peace in the Middle East, never-ending wars were finally ended. Promises made and promises for the first time were kept.

Most politicians spend their entire careers in Washington D.C and get absolutely nothing accomplished for example, Joe Biden. Joe Biden is a politician who has been in government for 47 years. He’s a career politician who has never signed the front of a check and does not know the slightest thing about the American worker or the American business, the engine which fuels the greatest economy the world has ever known. The same politician who has been a total pushover for communist China and someone who’d be a giant relief for terrorists who now have spent years running, hiding, and being taken out by the most talented military known to man. Joe Biden has pledged to raise your taxes by $4 trillion. 82% of Americans will see their taxes go up significantly.

Biden has pledged to stop border wall construction and give amnesty and healthcare to all illegal immigrants. Biden has pledge to defund the police and take away your cherished second amendment. My father on the other hand delivered the largest tax cuts in American history, knows if you do not have a border, you do not have heavy country and will always support law enforcement in your right to keep and bear arms. Every day my father fights for the American people, the forgotten men and women of this country, the ones who embody the American spirit, which is unlike anything else in the world. It built the New York city skyline. It built the Hoover Dam. And soon under my father’s leadership, it will send Americans to Mars. The American spirit can be felt in the majesty of the Grand Canyon, the shadows of Mount Rushmore and the stillness of the air at Gettysburg.

It can be seen in the wide eyed wonder of every American child as they take their first breath in the greatest country the world has ever known. It defeated fascism, it defeated communism and in 68 days, it will defeat the empty, oppressive and radical views of the extreme left. Ronald Reagan’s quote ends with this simple warning. “One day we could spend our sunset years telling our children what it was once like in the United States, where men and women were free.” Under President Trump, freedom will never be a thing of the past. That’s what a vote for Donald Trump represents. It’s a vote for the American spirit, the American dream, and for the American flag. To the law enforcement officer, who’s being attacked, betrayed, and whose job they are trying to make extinct, my father will fight for you.

To all houses of worship and to all people of faith stripped of our religious freedoms and religious liberties, my father will fight for you. To the voiceless, shamed, censored, and canceled, my father will fight for you. To our farmers who work dawn to dust to keep our plates full, my father will fight for you. To every single mother and father, to our veterans, our coal miners, and to the American worker, my father will fight for you. And to every proud American who bleeds red, white, and blue, my father will continue to fight for you.

In closing, I’d like to speak directly to my father. I miss working alongside you every single day, but I’m damn proud to be on the front lines of this fight. I’m proud of what you’re doing for this country. I’m proud to show my children what their grandfather is fighting for. I’m proud to watch you give them hell. Never stop. Continue to be unapologetic. Keep fighting for what is right. You are making America strong again. You are making America safe again. You are making America proud again. And yes, together with our forgotten men and women who are finally forgotten no more, you are making America great again. Dad, let’s make Uncle Robert very proud this week. Let’s go get another four years. I love you very much. God bless you. And God bless the United States of America.

We’re going to build a future of safety and opportunity for Americans of every race, color, religion, and creed.

Speaker 41: (01:54:17)
Our president has created such a surplus that when this pandemic hit, he was able to refund Americans without indebting us.

We’re all better off when former inmates can receive and reenter society as law abiding, productive citizens, and now have a chance at more opportunities than they’ve ever had before.

Speaker 42: (01:54:37)
To be incarcerated for 16 and a half years for hearsay. I get emotional talking about it. It’s a feeling that I can’t describe.

Speaker 43: (01:54:50)
When people say, “We’re oppressed here in the United States,” how?

Speaker 44: (01:54:57)
Right now this country for me is the last beacon of hope and opportunity. If America falls, the entire world falls.

Speaker 45: (01:55:06)
Trump’s pledge to the American workers definitely means a lot to me because I wouldn’t be where I’m at today. I truly believe that my kids are going to look up to me one day. It’s just tremendous what I could do, I guess.

The forgotten men and women will never be forgotten again.

Speaker 46: (01:55:25)
You know, in Biden’s America, there aren’t opportunity zones. Here, you have an administration that actually looks at, “How can government and private enterprise work together?”

As we fight to deliver a better future for all women and for all Americans, we remember the wonderful victory one century ago.

Speaker 47: (01:55:44)
And in the coming November, the ladies appeared at the polls on election day by the hundreds of thousands. They had won their right to vote.

Before the China virus set in and struck our nation, women had gained 4.3 million jobs, a record. The women’s unemployment rate had plummeted to the lowest level in more than 65 years. And last year over 70% of the new jobs went to women. And I will say, we’re coming back very strongly.

Speaker 48: (01:56:10)
We have the most opportunity.

Speaker 49: (01:56:13)
I see American stories in that. That we have hope. That even though we’re in dark days now, that the days ahead hold greater possibilities because of the opportunities that we’ve been given in our country.

And we will make American great again.

Daniel Cameron: (01:56:48)
Good evening. My name is Daniel Cameron. I’m 34 years old and the first African American Attorney General in Kentucky history. It is an honor to be with you as a proud Republican and supporter of Donald J. Trump. I was raised in Kentucky, just a few miles from Abraham Lincoln’s birthplace. Our first Republican president believed in compassion, self-reliance, freedom, equality, and justice. Sadly, there are some who don’t believe in this wisdom or in the better angels of our shared American history, as they tear down the statues of people like Ulysses S. Grant, Frederick Douglass and even Mr. Lincoln himself. Lincoln said, “Any nation that does not honor its heroes will not long endure.” And for Republicans, our heroes are those who propelled an imperfect nation ever forward, always striving to make life better for everyone. Even as anarchists mindlessly tear up American cities while attacking police and innocent bystanders, we Republicans do recognize those who work in good faith towards peace, justice, and equality.

In fact, it was General Dwight Eisenhower, a future Republican president, who said, “Democracy is a system that recognizes the equality of humans before the law.” Whether you are the family of Breonna Taylor or David Dorn, these are the ideals that will heal our nation’s wounds. Republicans will never turn a blind eye to unjust acts, but neither will we accept an all-out assault on Western Civilization. My values were shaped by my faith and by my parents. I worked at their small coffee shop, meeting people from all walks of life. And I realized something, no matter who we are, everyone needs a cup of coffee. That lesson stuck with me because despite our differences, we all want the same things: for our children to have more opportunities than we did; to feel the dignity of work; and to believe that if you play by the rules, you can make a good life for yourself and your family.

So the question is, will we choose the path that gives us the best chance to meet those universal desires? Or will we go back to a time when people were treated like political commodities, who can’t be trusted to think for themselves? I think often about my ancestors who struggled for freedom. And as I think of those giants and their broad shoulders, I also think about Joe Biden, who says, “If you aren’t voting for me, you ain’t black.” Who argued that Republicans would put us “back in chains.” Who says there is no diversity of thought in the black community. Mr. Vice President, look at me. I am black. We are not all the same, sir. I am not in chains. My mind is my own. And you can’t tell me how to vote because of the color of my skin. Joe Biden is a backwards thinker in a world that is craving forward-looking leadership.

There’s no wisdom in his record or plan, just a trail of discredited ideas and offensive statements. Joe Biden would destroy jobs, raise our taxes and throw away the lives of countless unborn children. And he is captive to the radical left, a movement committed to cancel culture and the destruction of public discourse. They believe your skin color must dictate your politics. And if you fail to conform while exercising your God given right to speak and think freely, they will cut you down. The politics of identity, cancellation and mob rule are not acceptable to me. Republicans trust you to think for yourself and to pursue your American dream however you see fit. Mr. Lincoln said, “the dogmas of the quiet past are inadequate to the stormy present. The occasion is piled high with difficulty, and we must rise to the occasion.” I believe Donald Trump can meet Lincoln’s mandate, even as Joe Biden remains trapped by his own failed record, and by the radicals who dominate his party.

Let’s be honest. No one is excited about Joe Biden. And so I ask you to judge the record. On criminal justice reform, Joe Biden couldn’t do it, but President Trump did. On the economy, Joe Biden couldn’t do it, but President Trump did build an economy that worked for everyone, especially minorities, and he will do it again. And on immigration, Joe Biden promises more to illegal immigrants than he does to you. But President Trump believes his highest duty is to the American worker. The choice is clear. Let me close with something my mom told me, this country’s many faces comprise a family, not separate parts to be divided against each other. And like any family, we care for one another. We grieve together. We share our burdens and our struggles and we celebrate our successes. And though we fuss and fight, we are not enemies. We are Americans, united by a collective faith in our Constitution and laws and the fundamental fairness they represent.

We are defenders of life and of individual liberty. And we carry the mantle of Eisenhower and of Reagan to be a force for good in this world, and one that must always be reckoned with. That’s my Republican Party, the party of Lincoln that believes America is an indispensable nation, an Evergreen Tree standing tall in a turbulent world. And that’s why I am voting for Donald Trump for president. Thank you, and God bless.

Speaker 42: (02:03:18)
Hi, I’m Mike Pompeo. I’m speaking to you from beautiful Jerusalem, looking out over the old city. I have a big job. As Susan’s husband and Nick’s dad, Susan and Nick are more safe and their freedoms more secure because President Trump has put his America first vision into action. It may not have made him popular in every foreign capital, but it’s worked. President Trump understands what my great fellow Kansan, President Eisenhower said, “For all that we cherish and justly desire for ourselves or for our children, the securing of peace is the first requisite.” Indeed, the primary constitutional function of the national government is ensuring that your family and mine are safe and enjoy the freedom to live, to work, to learn and to worship as they choose. Delivering on this duty to keep us safe and our freedoms intact, this president has led bold initiatives in nearly every corner of the world. In China, he’s pulled back the curtain on the predatory aggression of the Chinese Communist Party.

Speaker 42: (02:04:23)
The president has held China accountable for covering up the China virus and allowing it to spread death and economic destruction in America and around the world, and he will not rest until justice is done. He has ensured that the Chinese Communist Party spies posing as diplomats in America are jailed or sent back to China. And he has ended the ridiculously unfair trade arrangement with China that punched a hole in our economy. Those jobs, those jobs are coming back home. In North Korea, the president lowered the temperature and against all odds got the North Korean leadership to the table. No nuclear tests, no long range missile tests and Americans held captive in North Korea came home to their families, as did the precious remains of scores of heroes who fought in Korea. Today, today because of President Trump, NATO is stronger, Ukraine has defensive weapons systems, and America left a harmful treaty so our nation can now build missiles to deter Russian aggression.

Speaker 42: (02:05:23)
And in the Middle East, when Iran threatened the president approved a strike that killed the Iranian terrorist Qasem Soleimani. This is the man most responsible for the murder and maiming of hundreds of American soldiers and thousands of Christians across the Middle East, and you’ll recall too, that when the president took office, radical terrorists had headed Americans and ISIS controlled a territory the size of Great Britain. Today, today because of the president’s determination and leadership, the ISIS caliphate is wiped out, it’s gone. It’s evil leader, Abu Bakar al-Baghdadi, is dead, and our brave soldiers, they’re on their way home. The president exited the U.S from the disastrous nuclear deal with Iran and squeezed the Ayatollah, Hezbollah and Hamas. The president too moved the U.S. embassy to this very city of God, Jerusalem, the rightful capital of the Jewish homeland, and just two weeks ago, the president brokered a historic peace deal between Israel and the United Arab Emirates. This is a deal that our grandchildren will read about in their history books. You know, as a soldier, I saw firsthand people desperate to flee to freedom, the way each of us can best ensure our freedoms is by electing leaders who don’t just talk, but who deliver. An American hostage, imprisoned in Turkey for two years, Pastor Andrew Brunson, said upon his release that he survived his ordeal with these words of scripture, “Be faithful, endure and finish well.” If we stay the course, we will. May God richly bless you and may God bless our great nation, the United States of America.

It is my great honor to present First Lady Melania Trump.

Speaker 50: (02:08:45)
First Lady Melania Trump.

Speaker 51: (02:08:47)
First Lady Melania Trump, officially kicking off her Be Best Initiative.

Speaker 52: (02:08:51)
She is courageous. She’s taking on a tough topic.

Speaker 51: (02:08:54)
Focused on the wellbeing of children, social media use and opioid abuse.

Melania trump: (02:08:58)
Let’s join together in committing to help children dream big, think big and do all they can to be best in everything they do.

Speaker 52: (02:09:07)
This is her showcasing what she brings to the position of First Lady.

Speaker 50: (02:09:10)
She is smart, independent, and I think people underestimated her big time.

Speaker 53: (02:09:15)
The First Lady was amazing. She was gracious, empathetic and showed true compassion.

Speaker 54: (02:09:22)
First lady, Melania Trump stepping out onto the world stage.

Speaker 55: (02:09:26)
Her Be Best campaign is now going international.

Speaker 52: (02:09:29)
She has the advantage of speaking several languages. She can be a diplomat for our country.

Speaker 56: (02:09:34)
The sun was shining. She was greeted by children. This of course is her continuing to work on her Be Best campaign by shining a spotlight on successful programs that teach children tools and skills.

Speaker 57: (02:09:48)
She represents our country with [inaudible 02:09:49] warmth and elegance and grace.

Throughout history, women have made lasting impacts on society and these women represent the strength of the female spirit. As First Lady of the United States, I’m proud of what this country continues to do for women. We as women must continue using our great tool of empowerment – our voices.

Speaker 57: (02:10:12)
It was a very important moment for Melania Trump. This was a really prominent week for her.

Speaker 58: (02:10:17)
The iconic White House Rose Garden has been renovated for the first time in 60 years.

Speaker 59: (02:10:23)
When the history books are written, there should be a special chapter reserved for our first lady.

Speaker 60: (02:10:27)
She is an incredible first lady.

An amazing mother, an incredible woman, First Lady Melania Trump.

Speaker 61: (02:10:52)
Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome the First Lady of the United States, Mrs. Melania Trump.

Good evening. It seems like just yesterday that we were at our first convention-

Melania Trump: (02:12:03)
It seems like just yesterday that we were at our first convention where my husband accepted the Republican nomination and then became our 45th president of the United States, yet the energy and enthusiasm for who should lead this nation, it is real today as it was four years ago. I know I speak for my husband and the entire family when I say we have not forgotten the incredible people who were willing to take a chance on the businessmen who had never worked in politics. We know it was you who elected him to be Commander-in-Chief, and we know it is you who will carry us through again. We were humbled by the incredible support then, and we are still grateful today.

I want to acknowledge the fact that since March, our lives have changed drastically. The invisible enemy, COVID-19, swept across our beautiful country and impacted all of us. My deepest sympathy goes out to everyone who has lost a loved one, and my prayers are with those who are ill or suffering. I know many people are anxious and some feel helpless. I want you to know you’re not alone. My husband’s administration will not stop fighting until there is an effective treatment or vaccine available to everyone. Donald will not rest until he has done all he can to take care of everyone impacted by this terrible pandemic. I want to extend my gratitude to all of the healthcare professionals, frontline workers and teachers who stepped up in these difficult times, despite the risk to yourselves and your own families. You put our country first, and my husband and I are grateful.

I have been moved by the way Americans have come together in such an unfamiliar and often frightening situation. It is in times like this that we will look back and tell our grandchildren that through kindness and compassion, strength, and determination we were able to restore the promise of our future. Businesses stepped up and volunteers stepped in. People were eager to share ideas, resources, and support of all kinds with neighbors and strangers alike. It has been inspiring to see what the people of our great nation will do for one another, especially when we are at our most fragile.

Speaking of strength and determination, we recently celebrated the hundred year anniversary of the passage of the 19th Amendment. Yesterday on the North Lawn of the White House, we unveiled an exhibit dedicated to women’s suffrage. The exhibit called on children from across the country to send art honoring the meaning of this important time in women’s history. When I was judging the entries, I reflected on the impact of women’s voices in our nation story and how proud I will be to cast my vote again for Donald this November. We must make sure that women are heard and that the American Dream continues to thrive.

Growing up as a young child in Slovenia, which was under communist rule at the time, I always heard about an amazing place called America, a land that stood for freedom and opportunity. As I grew older, it became my goal to move to the United States and follow my dream working in the fashion industry. My parents work very hard to ensure our family could not only live and prosper in America, but also contribute to a nation that allows for people to arrive with a dream and make it reality. I want to take the moment to thank my mother and father for all they have done for our family. It is because of you that I’m standing here today.

I arrived in the United States when I was 26 years old. Living and working in the land of opportunity was a dream come true, but I wanted more. I wanted to be a citizen. After 10 years of paperwork and patients, I studied for the test in 2006 and became an American citizen. It is still one of the proudest moments in my life, because with hard work and determination, I was able to achieve my own American Dream. As an immigrant and a very independent woman, I understand what a privilege it is to live here and to enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that we have. As First Lady, I have been fortunate to see the American Dream come through over and over again. I have met many inspiring women, children, parents, and families who have overcome life-changing issues that include addiction, homelessness, family members who are ill or have passed away, abuse of all kinds, and many other challenges that would make most people give up. The past three and a half years have been unforgettable. There are no words to describe how honored, humbled and fortunate I am to serve our nation as your First Lady.

After many of the experiences I’ve had, I don’t know if I can fully explain how many people I take home with me in my heart each day, from brave soldiers who give up so much so that we can be free to children of all circumstances, who I have met around the world. Thank you for inspiring me. It is my greatest honor to serve you. When I speak to members of the military, despite sacrificing time with their families, experience the fear of war or suffering loss, they have no regrets about serving our country. The same goes for their families and the families of first responders, who often watch their loved ones out the door, not sure if or when they will come home. When I speak to families who have lost someone, the pain mixed with pride I hear in their voices is something I think about often, so thank you to all who serve our country in the military and as first responders, and thank you to the families who wait for them. You are heroes in your own right.

I have also been moved by the many children and families I’ve spent time with at hospitals, schools and other locations around the world: children who are dealing with pain or illness that would break even the strongest adult, parents who are grateful to wake up every day and see that their child is still alive. These families are a testament to what faith in medicine, strength and science can do. On my first international trip as First Lady, my husband and I visited places of great significance to the three major religions: Islam, Christianity, and Judaism.

One special memory from that trip is of a young boy I had the privilege of visiting while at Bambino Gesu Hospital in Rome, Italy. While there, I read a little boy a story and learned that he and his family had been waiting for a heart for a very long time, and he had a grim prognosis. His situation brought my staff and me to tears, and we spoke of a little ELLs as we flew to Belgium for the next part of our trip. Upon landing just a few hours later, we learned that a heart had been donated and would be going to the little one. I think about him often, along with so many amazing and strong young patients across our own country.

More profound and sadly unavoidable examples of our country’s strength and character have appeared in the communities that have been impacted by natural disasters. Hurricanes, tornadoes, and flooding may show the ugly side of mother nature, but in their aftermath, they can show us a beautiful side of humanity. My husband and I have visited many places that have been affected by natural disaster, and we are deeply moved by the strength of the people who have lost everything and the kindness of neighbors and communities. The common thread in all of these challenging situations is the unwavering resolve to help one another. I recognize the stories I just told are about people who survive extraordinary circumstances, but Donald and I are also inspired by the millions of Americans who wake up each day with a simple, yet courageous goal of providing for their families and keeping them safe. You are the backbone of this country. You are the people who continue to make the United States of America what it is and who have the incredible responsibility of preparing our future generations to leave everything even better than they found it. Just as you are fighting for your families, my husband, our family, and the people in this administration are here fighting for you. No matter the amount of negative or false media headlines or attacks from the other side, Donald Trump has not and will not lose focus on you. He loves this country and he knows how to get things done. As you have learned over the past five years, he’s not a traditional politician. He doesn’t just speak words. He demands action and he gets results. The future of our country has always been very important to him, and it is something that I have always admired. In fact, it is to help ensure a better future for our next generation that I launched Be Best, my initiative to help children achieve their fullest potential. Be Best has one simple goal: teaching youth about the importance of their wellbeing, both mentally and physically. This also includes understanding online safety and the danger of opioid and drug abuse.

Through Be Best, my office and I have been able to highlight people, programs and organizations that are doing extraordinary things in our country and around the world. I continue to believe that by shining a light on these positive examples, others across the country and globe will become inspired to theater a part for our next generation. Helping children is not a political goal. It is our moral imperative. When I think back to a defining moment of Be Best, my mind goes to a trip I took to Africa. On that vast and beautiful continent, I was able to visit the countries of Ghana, Malawi, Kenya, and Egypt. One of those visits in particular had a profound impact on me. Ghana on the coast of West Africa was the first stop on my trip, and I experienced firsthand it’s warm people and their traditions.

While there, I visited the Cape Coast Castle and learn more about the beginning of a cruel and often deadly journey in the era of the slave trade. I was horrified when I listened to the guide tell me so many inhumane stories, and I gained new perspectives. This time in our history, we must never forget so that we can ensure that it never happens again. Like all of you, I have reflected on the racial unrest in our country. It is a harsh reality that we are not proud of parts of our history. I encourage people to focus on our future while still learning from our past. We must remember that today, we are all one community comprised of many races, religions and ethnicities. Our diverse and storied history is what makes our country strong, and yet we still have so much to learn from one another.

With that in mind, I’d like to call on the citizens of this country to take a moment, pause and look at things from all perspectives. I urge people to come together in a civil manner so we can work and live up to our standard American ideals. I also ask people to stop the violence and looting being done in the name of justice and never make assumptions based on the color of a person’s skin. Instead of tearing things down, let’s reflect on our mistakes. Be proud of our evolution and look to our way forward every day. Let us remember that we are one nation under God, and we need to cherish one another.

My husband’s administration has worked to try and affect change when it comes to issues around race and religion in this country. He’s the first president to address a special session of the United Nations General Assembly to call upon countries across the world to end religious prosecution and honor the right of every person to worship as they choose. He has made substantial investments in our historically Black colleges and universities. This president also continues to fight for school choice, giving parents more options to help their children flourish. My husband knows how to make a real change. From the day that I met him, he has only wanted to make this country the best it can be. For many years, I watched him grow concerned and frustrated, and I’m so proud to see the many things he has done in such a short time. America is in his heart, so while at times we only see the worst of people and politics on the evening news, let’s remember how we come together in the most difficult times.

And while debate rage on about issues of race, let’s focus on the strides we have made and work together for a better tomorrow for everyone. Our administration has also devoted historic resources and produced lifesaving results by raising awareness around opiod addiction and drug abuse, especially for children. When so often the headlines are filled with gossip, I want to take this moment to encourage the media to focus even more on the nation’s drug crisis. This disease is one that affects everybody. It pays no attention to race, age or socioeconomic status. Addiction has touched every part of our society in some way, and now more than ever, we have programs in medicine to combat it. We just need to talk about it openly, and you, the media, have the platforms to make that happen.

To the media industry and as a country, I ask that we all commit to helping in our fight against drug addiction, by talking about it even more. Especially as we battle the COVID pandemic, we need to remember that suicides are on the rise as people who are struggling with loneliness and addiction feel they have nowhere to turn. Parents, please talk to your children. Teachers and caregivers, pay attention to signs of addiction. Lawmakers, pass legislation that allows those who ask for help to do so safely and without fear, and to provide resources for organizations that help people impacted by addiction. When the stigma is removed, people will no longer be ashamed to ask for help and lives will be saved. And if you are struggling with addiction, there is no shame in your illness. Please seek help. You’re worth it.

In my next four years as first lady, I will continue to build upon Be Best and work with individual states to pass legislation to take care of our most vulnerable. I plan to continue the work I have started with children in foster care, as well as the minority communities and tribal nations. I want to ensure children are being protected and communities have the resources needed to combat drug addiction and child neglect or abuse. Like my husband and the administration, I will continue to encourage education that supports a child’s individual needs. It is vital that children are given the building blocks to succeed. I also look forward to continue my work to restore The People’s House, which is a lasting symbol of pride for our nation. I believe this iconic home needs to be cared for and preserved, so it can be enjoyed by the people of this country and visitor from around the world for years to come. I’m passionate about this beautiful house, the grounds, and all they represent.

And now I have a special message for the mothers of this country. This modern world is moving so fast, and our children face challenges that seem to change every few months. Just like me, I know many of you watch how mean and manipulative social media can be, and just like me, I’m sure many of you are looking for answers, how to talk to your children about the downside of technology and their relationships with their peers. Like every parent in this country, I feel there are so many lessons to teach our son and the responsibilities as his mother, but there just not enough hours in the day to do it all. I remind myself that I’m more fortunate than most, and still have days that I look for wisdom and strength to the very best I can for him. To mothers and parents everywhere, you’re warriors.

In my husband, you have a president who will not stop fighting for you and your families. I see how hard he works each day and night, and despite the unprecedented attacks from the media and opposition, he will not give up. In fact, if you tell him he cannot be done, he just works harder. Donald is a husband who supports me in all that I do. He has built an administration with an unprecedented number of women in leadership roles, and has fostered an environment where the American people are always the priority. He welcomes different points of view and encourage thinking outside of the box. I know I speak for my husband and the family when I say we are so grateful that you have trusted him to be your president, and we will be honored to serve this incredible country for four more years. As you have heard this evening, I don’t want to use this precious time attacking the other side, because as we saw last week, that kind of talk only serves to divide the country further. I’m here because we need my husband to be our president and commander-in-chief for four more years. He’s what is best for our country. We all know Donald Trump makes no secrets about how he feels about things. Total honesty is what we as citizens deserve from our president. Whether you like it or not, you always know what he’s thinking, and that is because he’s an authentic person who loves this country and its people and wants to continue to make it better. Donald wants to keep your family safe. He wants to help your family succeed. He wants nothing more than for this country to prosper, and he doesn’t waste time playing politics.

Almost four years ago, we went into election day completely underestimated. Despite what is being said again this year, I know just as you do that, Americans will go to the polls and will, on the behalf of their families, our economy, our national security and our children’s future. To vote for those ideas is not a partisan vote. It is a common sense vote, because those are goals and hopes that we all believe in. I believe that we need my husband’s leadership now more than ever in order to bring us back once again to the greatest economy and the strongest country ever known. God bless you all, your families, and God bless the United States of America.

2020 Republican National Convention (RNC) Night 2 Transcript

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