Vance delivers prime-time speech on GOP convention's second night

Speakers invoke 9/11 anniversary and attack Muslim Democrats

JD Vance took the stage at the Republican midterm convention in Dallas on Thursday night to chants of “JD, JD, JD,” pausing to ask the arena crowd for an encore of the cheer. The vice president’s prime-time address on the convention’s second night was one of the biggest moments yet for a potential 2028 presidential candidate in front of a large national audience, according to The Wall Street Journal.

The audience greeted portions of Vance’s remarks with chants of “48,” an apparent reference to a potential run to succeed Trump, who is the 47th president. Vance, 42, is a leading contender for the 2028 Republican nomination in many early polls, though he has not said definitively that he will run for president. “We got to take care of business this November. Then we’ll worry about what comes next,” Vance said in response to the chants, declining to elaborate on his plans.

Vance made a direct appeal to voters who might not be supportive of the Trump administration’s handling of certain issues, particularly young men, many of whom have grown frustrated with the war in Iran. “I’m not asking anybody to agree on every single policy of the administration. What I am asking you to do is to recognize, in contrast, the radicals and recognize the achievements of the last 18 months,” Vance said.

He focused much of his speech on the importance of the nuclear family and what he described as the “birthright” owed to Americans, including his recently born son. “To the radicals who wish to abolish my family or any other, we say: Stay the hell away from my kids,” Vance said.

A protester briefly interrupted Vance’s speech while waving what the vice president described as a Mexican flag. The protester was drowned out by chants of “USA! USA! USA!” from the crowd. “My friend, if you love Mexico so much, get your ass over there,” Vance said, drawing more cheers and “USA!” chants.

Donald Trump followed Vance as the final speaker of the night. After promising to keep his remarks brief, telling the crowd he had spoken for two hours the previous night, the president went on to check off his list of second-term accomplishments, reprising many of his Wednesday night talking points. He renewed his attacks on Democrats, calling them “radical” and “communists,” and railed against the media for saying there were many empty seats in the arena throughout the convention. He spoke for nearly 30 minutes.

Near the end of his remarks, Trump instructed the audience to recite back a pledge that they would vote in November. “I pledge to the greatest president in the history of the United States that loves us so much he can’t even breathe,” Trump said, as the crowd followed along. “I am going to go out and I’m going to get my friends, my family, and we are going to vote on November third.” “You know what happens if you don’t vote? You go to hell,” Trump added. Moments later, he introduced tenor Christopher Macchio to the stage to sing “America the Beautiful,” and stood watching as balloons descended on attendees.

The convention’s final day fell on the eve of the 25th anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks, and Republican speakers invoked the memory of the attacks throughout the night. Speakers leaned into anti-Muslim rhetoric, a recurring theme at the convention and on the campaign trail, the Journal reported. Throughout the convention, speakers disparagingly referenced Muslim figures who have risen in the Democratic Party — including Mamdani and El-Sayed, both of whom are Muslim — and described them as extremists aligned against America. Speakers warned against the spread of Sharia law and said Democrats had embraced an Islamist ideology they described as wanting to destroy Western civilization.

Michigan Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers invoked the 9/11 attacks as he attacked El-Sayed for his ties to Hasan Piker, a Twitch streamer who said the United States “deserved” the Sept. 11 attacks. “Together, they attack America. They excuse extremism. They treat our country like it’s the villain,” Rogers said. El-Sayed, who previously campaigned with Piker, has distanced himself from the streamer’s comments, calling them “dumb.”

Sen. Ted Cruz, a potential 2028 presidential candidate, accused the Democratic Party of succumbing to “communists and Islamists” who hate Christians, Jews, capitalism and America. “And on 9/11, could anyone have imagined that Comrade Mamdani would be the mayor of New York?” Cruz said.

The convention also marked the anniversary of the assassination of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Earlier in the day, Vance appeared on “The Charlie Kirk Show” and said he was still “pissed off” and heartbroken from Kirk’s death. Some attendees sported “Freedom” T-shirts similar to the one Kirk was wearing when he was killed, and Turning Point USA members distributed Charlie Kirk commemorative buttons. Kirk’s widow, Erika Kirk, whom Trump acknowledged from the VIP box on Wednesday night, was home with her family on Thursday.

“Charlie is gone, but the mission lives on, and it’s our responsibility to hold the coalition together to act from our shared convictions and to carry the gospel of Jesus Christ to the ends of the earth,” said Pastor Lucas Miles, vice president of TPUSA Faith.

Rep. Mike Lawler, one of the most vulnerable House Republicans, delivered a speech aimed at “common sense Democrats and Independents across the country, tuning in and still undecided about their votes in November.” The New York Republican said those voters “are deeply concerned about the rise of socialism and extremism on the left” but “aren’t exactly sold on Republicans either.” Lawler is one of only three Republicans in the country to represent a district that voted for Kamala Harris in the 2024 presidential election, and he noted his clash with Trump and Republican leadership last year over the size of the state and local tax (SALT) deduction in the president’s sweeping tax legislation, saying “the president and I don’t always agree.” Trump publicly joked that Lawler was a “pain in the ass” after Lawler successfully lobbied to raise the SALT deduction, an increase that offers higher tax savings to high-income Democratic-leaning regions.

Lawler then introduced two parents and their daughter from his district to share the story of their other daughter, who was allegedly killed earlier this year in Chicago. Prosecutors have charged an undocumented immigrant with her killing. Jessica, Tom and Madelon Gorman spoke of 18-year-old Sheridan, drawing tears from many in the crowd as they recounted her kindness toward others. They ended the speech imploring people of all political affiliations to come together.

The second night followed Wednesday’s opening, which featured a video address from Democratic Sen. John Fetterman and Trump’s promise to pay Americans $5,000 if Republicans win in November — proposals that drew the day’s biggest headlines.