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The recent Republican National Convention was short on policy while emphasizing theater. However, one theme emerged from the muddled messaging: the RNC’s ambitions. Republicans have set their sights on making MAGA, the controversial umbrella for conservative grievance, a permanent fixture on the American political landscape. Stephen Janis and Taya Graham report from the floor of the RNC in Milwaukee.

Production: Stephen Janis, Taya Graham
Post-Production: Stephen Janis

Transcript

The following is a rushed transcript and may contain errors. A proofread version will be made available as soon as possible.

Tim Scott:

Hello, Milwaukee. Are you ready for four more years of Donald Trump?

Crowd:

Yes!

Tim Scott:

If you didn’t believe in miracles before Saturday, you better be believing right now.

Taya Graham:

Hello, this is Taya Graham for the Real News Network. I’m here in Milwaukee Wisconsin, right at the Republican National Convention. Right on the floor. Rarely does a reporter have an opportunity to see history made, but I am witnessing it right now.

Tim Scott:

We’re setting a course for the next 40 years.

Taya Graham:

We actually heard a speaker say that we could be looking at decades of MAGA. What people may not understand is we are looking at the future of our country right now. Do not underestimate the passion, respect, then the inspiration people feel when they see Donald Trump as their leader. And now that he has survived this assassination attempt, it has taken on almost a religious fervor.

Tim Scott:

The devil came to Pennsylvania holding a rifle, but an American lion got back up on his feet and he roared.

Edward X. Young:

Fight the party tooth and nail to get every Democrat unelected, marginalize the party, wash them away.

Taya Graham:

What about the poor folks who voted for the Democrats?

Edward X. Young:

Well, it’s a different party. This is not John F. Kennedy’s Democrat party anymore. The Democratic Party is now, it’s a godless, depraved Marxist party.

Taya Graham:

And I just wanted to ask you, Stephen, what are some of your takeaways?

Stephen Janis:

Well, first of all, one of the things that’s really interesting is there seems to be an architecture being put in place here to make MAGA a permanent American condition. We’ve heard 40 years, I think Senator Tim Scott said that. And then it’s coupled with this religious fervor that we’ve seen.

Taya Graham:

Something I’ve heard from some of the Republicans I’ve spoken to is that they feel that we should tamp down on the political rhetoric, that it’s been aggressive, it’s been violent, it’s been angry. And they said, and I think from both sides, that the temperature’s been too high when it comes to political rhetoric. What is your opinion?

Texas Delegate:

My personal opinion is we’re already at war. They just shot at my president’s head. We’re past political rhetoric, so to say. So something needs to be done, for sure. But my real question is who is the DNC going to prop up?

Speaker 6:

It’s how they’re destroying the American spirit. Everywhere we look, there’s pain, chaos, and crisis. If you’re watching tonight and you hear your own story in mine, Donald Trump put me on this stage to show that he hears us, he sees us, and we are forgotten no more.

Texas Delegate:

And he said, “You’re fake news.” And so he leans down, he goes, “My mom says the same thing.” Hey, we tell the truth in Tennessee.

Taya Graham:

We are actually going to hear from the vice presidential pick J.D. Vance tonight.

Stephen Janis:

Yeah, so it’ll be interesting. I think it’s very interesting because J.D. Vance is part of that new populist movement in the Republican Party. Sort of protectionist trade war kind of guy. Also, does not want US in wars and kind of anti-NATO like Trump is. So this is sort of solidifying the idea that we talked about earlier, which is that they’re planning ahead. And I think J.D. Vance is a step in that direction of solidifying MAGA as a permanent force in the Republican Party and permanent force in America.

Taya Graham:

And it seems that J.D. Vance is going to be the linchpin to Project 2025, the 1000-page project released by the Heritage Foundation and 250 other organizations to plan for the conservative movement in federal government to last. So we’re going to keep you updated. This is Taya Graham. This is Stephen Janis. We’re with the Real News Network. Thanks for watching.

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Senior Investigative Reporter & Capitol Hill Correspondent

Taya Graham is an award-winning investigative journalist, documentary filmmaker, and Capitol Hill Correspondent whose work bridges rigorous reporting with deep community impact. As the host of The Police Accountability Report at The Real News Network, she has become a trusted voice for transparency in policing and governance, using a mix of field reporting, data analysis, and citizen storytelling to expose systemic injustices. The show has garnered more than 50 million views across platforms, drawing a national audience to issues of accountability and reform.

Her work spans platforms and audiences, from producing Truth and Reconciliation, the acclaimed WYPR podcast exploring race and justice, to co-directing the award-winning documentaries The Friendliest Town and Tax Broke. Her five-year investigation into Baltimore’s tax incentive system (TIFs and PILOTs) revealed how corporate subsidies perpetuate inequality, sparking legislative action and community advocacy.

In addition to her reporting, Taya played a key role in shaping The Real News Network’s internal policies and labor framework, including helping draft the language around the organization’s AI policy in its collective bargaining agreement. Her work ensured that innovation and worker protections coexist, setting a model for how newsrooms can adopt technology responsibly.

Taya’s career began at The Afro-American Newspaper and Historic Black University Morgan State Radio, where she honed her craft in public service storytelling. She continues to lead with the belief that journalism should not only inform but empower—meeting new audiences where they are and inspiring them to engage in the democratic process.

Senior Investigative Reporter & Capitol Hill Correspondent
Stephen Janis is an award-winning investigative journalist, author, and documentary filmmaker whose work has shaped accountability journalism in Baltimore and beyond. As a Capitol Hill Correspondent and senior reporter at The Real News Network, he continues to uncover the systems behind inequality, corruption, and power while turning complex investigations into stories that inspire reform and public engagement.

His first feature documentary, The Friendliest Town, was distributed by Gravitas Ventures and received an Award of Distinction from The Impact Doc Film Festival and a Humanitarian Award from The Indie Film Fest. He co-created and co-hosts The Police Accountability Report, which has reached more than fifty million viewers on YouTube and helped spark national conversations on policing and transparency. His work has also appeared on Unsolved Mysteries (Netflix), Dead of Night (Investigation Discovery), Relentless (NBC), and Sins of the City (TV One).

Stephen has co-authored several books on policing, corruption, and the roots of violence, including Why Do We Kill: The Pathology of Murder in Baltimore and You Can’t Stop Murder: Truths About Policing in Baltimore and Beyond. He also co-hosts the true crime podcast Land of the Unsolved, which investigates cold cases through a lens of justice and accountability.

Before joining The Real News Network, Stephen worked as an investigative producer for WBFF Fox 45, where his reporting earned three Capital Emmys. Known for embracing technology as a tool for social awareness, he uses data analysis, digital production, and emerging storytelling platforms to connect investigative journalism with younger audiences while maintaining its integrity and depth.

Stephen’s work is grounded in clarity, empathy, and a belief that journalism should not only expose the truth but empower people to act on it.