On Monday the RNC’s Platform Committee adopted Donald Trump’s platform as the Republican Party platform for 2024 – and it’s been slimmed down from 66 pages to 20 bullet points.
Trump’s major themes of securing the border and ending the migrant crime epidemic, requiring voter ID and proof of citizenship to vote, strengthening the military, bringing the manufacturing industry back to the United States, and ending the weaponization of government are featured prominently. The platform also opposes any cuts to Social Security and Medicare, including opposition to raising the retirement age, and proposes middle class tax cuts and the “no tax on tips” point that Trump’s repeatedly brought up at rallies. It also emphasizes rebuilding America’s cities and making them “safe and clean” again.
As has been anticipated, the platform is silent on abortion and gay marriage, though the ongoing battle against radical gender ideology and sexualization of children is addressed in two bullet points:
CUT FEDERAL FUNDING FOR ANY SCHOOL PUSHING CRITICAL RACE THEORY, RADICAL GENDER IDEOLOGY, AND OTHER INAPPROPRIATE RACIAL, SEXUAL, OR POLITICAL CONTENT ON OUR CHILDREN
KEEP MEN OUT OF WOMEN’S SPORTS
Every four years, generally, the platform is voted upon, but in 2020 the RNC voted to keep the 2016 platform until the 2024 convention, mostly due to the constraints of meeting in-person at that time due to COVID. However, at that time Trump signaled that he wanted to eventually see a slimmed-down platform:
The Republican Party has not yet voted on a Platform. No rush. I prefer a new and updated Platform, short form, if possible.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 12, 2020
On the platform, Trump Campaign Senior Advisors Chris LaCivita and Susie Wiles said:
“President Trump’s 2024 Republican Party Platform articulates his vision to Make America Great Again in a way that is concise and digestible for every voter. While Joe Biden and Democrats argue about who will be at the top of their ticket and have implemented policies that have raised prices on everyday families, opened the floodgates to migrant crime via wide-open borders, shackled American energy with red tape forced by Washington bureaucrats, and sewn chaos across the world through weak foreign policy, President Trump will Make America Great Again through these America First principles.”
Pro-life advocates have been rallying to keep language related to a federal 20-week abortion ban in the platform, but since the Dobbs decision many party insiders believe that plank should be removed not as an indication that the Republican party is moving away from pro-life beliefs, but as an acknowledgement of political reality. Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL) said Sunday on CNN:
“Well, I think our platform has to reflect our nominee, and our nominee’s position actually happens to be one grounded in reality. The reality of it is the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. And what that basically means is that now it’s not states;