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Republican National Convention Speakers, Day 1

By Jessica Taylor
Published July 18, 2016 at 7:46 PM EDT

The first night of the Republican National Convention is focused on national security, with presumptive nominee Donald Trump designating the theme as "Make America Safe Again."

The highlight of the evening will be when Trump's wife, Melania, speaks, with her husband slated to introduce her in his first public appearance in Cleveland.

Other noteworthy speakers include former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani, former Texas Gov. Rick Perry, Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton, Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions and Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst.

Trump has also tried to bring some star power to the convention, but many top athletes and actors passed. Duck Dynasty reality TV star Willie Robertson is scheduled to address the crowd early in the evening. Then, former '80s heartthrob Scott Baio, of Happy Days and Charles in Charge fame, is speaking, as is former soap opera actor and Calvin Klein model Antonio Sabato Jr.

Here are the highlights of what to expect tonight. All times are Eastern:

  • 7:50 p.m. Call to Order

  • 8:05 p.m. Willie Robertson of Duck Dynasty speaks

  • 8:10 p.m. 2012 and 2016 presidential candidate and former Texas Gov. Rick Perry introduces Purple Heart winner and former Navy SEAL Marcus Luttrell

  • 8:17 p.m. Actor Scott Baio speaks

  • 8:55 p.m. Actor/model Antonio Sabato Jr. speaks

  • 9 p.m. Remarks by "victims of illegal immigrants"

  • 9:10 p.m. Texas Rep. Mike McCaul speaks

  • 9:23 p.m. Wisconsin Rep. Sean Duffy and his wife, Rachel, speak

  • 9:30 p.m. Colorado Senate nominee Darryl Glenn speaks

  • 9:37 p.m. Arkansas Sen. Tom Cotton speaks

  • 9:45 p.m. Alabama Sen. Jeff Sessions speaks

  • 9:52 p.m. Former New York City Mayor Rudolph Giuliani speaks

  • 10:06 p.m. Melania Trump speaks

  • 10:17 p.m. Retired Lt. Gen. Michael Flynn speaks

  • 10:38 p.m. Iowa Sen. Joni Ernst speaks

  • 10:54 p.m. Montana Rep. Ryan Zinke speaks

  • 11 p.m. Televangelist Paula White gives the benediction

    • Copyright 2021 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

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    Jessica Taylor
    Jessica Taylor is a political reporter with NPR based in Washington, DC, covering elections and breaking news out of the White House and Congress. Her reporting can be heard and seen on a variety of NPR platforms, from on air to online. For more than a decade, she has reported on and analyzed House and Senate elections and is a contributing author to the 2020 edition of The Almanac of American Politics and is a senior contributor to The Cook Political Report.
    See stories by Jessica Taylor

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