Trump's vision of American greatness at center of convention

 Republicans will aim to recast story of Donald Trump's presidency when y hold ir national convention, featuring speakers drawn from everyday life as well as cable news and White House while drawing a stark contrast with Democratic presidential minee Joe Biden.

Trump is looking to shift his campaign away from being a referendum on a presidency ravd by a pandemic and ecomic collapse and toward a choice between vastly different visions of America’s future. Reshaping national conversation around race has taken on greater urgency for Trump, who trails in public and private surveys as coronavirus continues to rav nation's ecomy and his reelection chances.

four-day event is med “Horing Great American Story,” according to four Trump campaign officials involved with planning process but t authorized to discuss it by name. convention will feature prominently a number of well-kwn Trump supporters, including members of Trump family, but also those whom GOP say are members of “silent majority” of Americans who have been aided by Trump’s policies. Some have been “silenced” by a “cancel culture” pushed by Democrats, campaign officials said.

Where Democrats highlighted Republicans who crossed party lines to back Biden as an indictment of Trump's leadership, GOP lineup will feature figures on conservative media circuit with hope that y can deliver red meat for president's loyal supporters.

Planners insist y will put forward a more “positive” convention than Democrats’ roasting of Trump. Yet president also appears intent on trying to seize on nation’s cultural divides, particularly around issues of racial injustice and policing, drawing on grievances to motivate his base.

officials outlined campaign plans to Associates Press on condition of anymity to discuss emerging schedule.

opening night Monday will highlight “Land of Promise," aiming to show how Trump helped renew American dream. Featured speakers include South Carolina Sen. Tim Scott, who will deliver coveted closing speech of televised prime-time block; former Ambassador to U.N. Nikki Haley; presidential son Donald Trump, Jr.; staunch congressional defenders Reps. Matt Gaetz of Florida and Jim Jordan of Ohio; and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel.

Tanya Weinreis, a Montana coffee shop owner who received federal loans to pay her employees during coronavirus, will also speak, as will Andrew Pollack, whose daughter Meadow was among those killed in 2018 school shooting in Parkland, Florida.

Tuesday's me is “Land of Opportunity," which is expected to cast Biden's plans as “socialist" and “radical left.” Speakers will highlight Trump's actions on trade, abortion and nation's opioid crisis. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo will address Trump's foreign policy record, an unusual foray into domestic politics by nation's top diplomat, and Trump children Eric and Tiffany Trump will also speak.

Ar speaker will be Nicholas Sandmann, who as a student at a Catholic high school in Kentucky gained national attention last year for his interaction with a Native American man during demonstrations in Washington. Media commentary in aftermath of viral video from interaction depicted students as racially insensitive. Sandmann and Native American man, Nathan Phillips, later said y were both trying to defuse tensions among conflicting groups that converted at Lincoln Memorial.

First lady Melania Trump will deliver marquee address of night from a newly revated White House Rose Garden.

Wednesday, med “Land of Heroes,” will feature a raft of conservative personalities including South Dakota Gov. Kristi em, White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, former acting Director of National Intelligence Richard Grenell, Rep. Lee Zeldin of New York and presidential daughter-in-law Lara Trump.

Clarence Henderson, a civil rights figure from 1960s, is also on deck to address “true meaning of peaceful protest," planners said, as Trump plans to highlight police officers amid a nationwide call for policing reform after May death of George Floyd in police custody.

Vice President Mike Pence will deliver keyte Wednesday from Baltimore’s Fort McHenry, which inspired “ Star-Spangled Banner” in 1814, to highlight Trump's opposition to professional athletes who protest racial injustice by kneeling during national anm.

Speakers on final night, med “Land of Greatness, will include Alice Johnson, criminal justice advocate whose sentence on drug crimes was commuted by Trump at urging of celebrity Kim Kardashian; Carl and Marsha Mueller, parents of human rights activist Kayla Mueller, who died while being held by Islamic State group in Syria; and evangelist Rev. Franklin Graham.

Trump's personal attorney, former New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, whose attempts to dig up dirt in Ukraine on Biden's family were at center of president's impeachment last year, will also address final night of convention. Republican congressional leaders Sen. Mitch McConnell of Kentucky and Rep. Kevin McCarthy of California and Democrat turned Republican Rep. Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey are to deliver remarks, as will Ultimate Fighting Championship President Dana White.

Trump will close out convention during an unprecedented address from White House South Lawn. He and Ivanka Trump, his daughter and senior adviser who is set to introduce him, will speak from an elaborate st in front of Executive Mansion. move has drawn criticism from Democrats and ethics groups, who argue that Trump is violating spirit, if t letter, of federal law by using White House grounds to st his convention.

While president is t covered by Hatch Act, his aides cant appear at convention in ir official capacities and staffers are extremely limited in what y may do to help pull off convention. Planners insist y are following all ethics rules.

Plans for GOP event have rapidly come toger over last six weeks, since it became apparent to party that Trump could t hold an in-person convention at his backup site of Jacksonville, Florida. Trump was forced to move most of convention out of Charlotte, rth Carolina, original host city, because of restrictive state coronavirus precautions.

Republicans — and Trump himself — closely watched last week's Democratic convention for cues on what worked and what didn't in virtual format, hoping that will provide an advant in putting toger ir week of events.

One major change, Republicans said, will be emphasis on live rar than taped events — and holding events with crowds to greatest extent practicable. Trump repeatedly criticized Democrats’ reliance on pre-taped videos, rar than live addresses, saying Tuesday, “Live, by way, is always much more exciting."

A small crowd was expected for Melania Trump's speech in Rose Garden, with a larger cohort watching in person when Pence speaks Wednesday from Fort McHenry. More than 1,000 guests are anticipated on South Lawn when Trump delivers his acceptance speech Thursday night. RNC has requested approval to launch fireworks from National Mall after Trump's speech.

Unlike Democrats, Republicans are t expected to feature a roll call of states to formally reminate president — traditionally one of most dramatic moments of a convention. actual voting will be taking place in truncated format Monday morning in Charlotte with a condensed recap expected to air later during evening.