Mike Wendling
Reporting from Milwaukee

A group of anti-Trump protesters has set off around Milwaukee, near the site of the convention. They represent a hodgepodge of issues - women’s rights, Black Lives Matter, and a heavy pro-Palestinian contingent.

It’s a hot and humid day but hundreds have not been deterred, although the numbers are smaller than the 5,000 organizers had hoped.

Karen Allington, a retired 64-year-old, tells me she's worried about Donald Trump’s agenda - which she says is fuelling political division.

"We want to be out here doing something positive," she says. "I’m not sure the delegates will listen, but we want our voices heard."

Donald Trump has chosen his vice-presidential running mate, the BBC's US partner CBS reports.

The "pick is in", CBS says, citing a senior Republican source with knowledge of the process.

The name of Trump's choice is expected to be announced at the convention in Milwaukee this afternoon, a little after 15:30 Central Time (22:30 BST).

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

The Republican Convention is beginning - and everyone here is waiting to see the former president take the stage.

The attempt on Donald Trump's life on Saturday has given a sense of urgency and drama to proceedings.

The first order of business today is a roll call vote of delegates that will culminate in Trump becoming the official Republican presidential nominee.

State delegations will take turns announcing the results of their primaries, which Trump won by an overwhelming margin. It's that process which is starting now.

Image source, Reuters

Donald Trump is expected to announce within hours who he has chosen as his Republican running mate.

The pick will be unveiled at the Republican Party convention, which kicks off in Milwaukee today. Theoretically, Trump could pick anyone, but three names are getting a lot of buzz. So, what do we know about them?

JD Vance

The junior senator from Ohio, has rallied support for Trump on several occasions in recent months.

The Yale-educated former venture capitalist wrote the best-selling book Hillbilly Elegy, a memoir that followed his blue-collar upbringing in the "rust-belt" Midwest.

Once a self-identified "never-Trumper", the 39-year-old re-fashioned himself when he ran for the Senate in 2022 with Trump's crucial endorsement.

Doug Burgum

The 67-year-old is in his second term as governor of North Dakota, where there's a near-total abortion ban supported by Bergum.

Burgum made little impact as a presidential candidate in the primaries but has returned to the campaign trail with his endorsement of Trump.

Burgum began his career with a small software start-up later acquired by Microsoft and his years of entrepreneurship have earned him a billionaire fortune.

Marco Rubio

Trump and Rubio did not get on in the 2016 Republican primary race. Trump called him "Little Marco" - a reference to his stature - while Rubio commented on Trump's small hands.

The Florida senator has since worked closely with his former rival, endorsing him early on in this primary season.

The son of working-class Cuban immigrants, Rubio was once floated as a potential running mate to 2012 Republican nominee Mitt Romney.

At only 53 he is comparatively young and telegenic, and he could help Trump gain a larger share of the Latino vote.

Image source, Reuters

Former First Lady Melania Trump will attend the Republican National Convention this week, according to US media, marking her first major appearance of this election cycle.

Melania Trump didn't attend the 27 June debate between President Joe Biden and Donald Trump, nor did she attend her husband's hush-money trial earlier this year.

She has hosted Republican fundraisers in the past year - including a recent fundraiser for conservative LGBTQ group the Log Cabin Republicans.

Image source, Getty Images

Former US President Donald Trump is in Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention. The party conference in Milwaukee is going ahead as planned despite Saturday evening’s shooting at a rally in Pennsylvania, in which Trump was shot in the ear.

Once every four years, each of the two main US parties hosts a convention to formally select their respective White House standard-bearer and prepare for the final stretch of campaigning.

The conferences include high-profile speakers, as well as a prime-time speech from the presidential candidate.

During the convention, the delegates from each state pledge their support to the candidate of their choice and approve a platform.

It is merely a formality for Trump as the party's presumptive nominee because he won 2,265 delegates in the primaries, which is enough for the nomination.

The Democrats will hold their convention next month in Chicago.

• You can read more on what to expect at the Republican Convention here

Nada Tawfik
Reporting from Milwaukee

We’ve had numerous briefings now about the safety plans for the Republican National Convention, which is under security precautions.

Milwaukee Mayor Cavalier Johnson said today he is confident in the city’s set-up after over a year of preparations. And the Director of the Secret Service Kimberly Cheatle has said in a statement that the security plans have been reviewed and strengthened since the shooting at a Trump rally over the weekend.

I can tell you that getting into the secure perimeter where the convention is being held requires a lot of planning and time.

Our team, like everyone else, had to go through a car screening that is protected by barriers. Dogs sniffed our entire vehicle and officers checked underneath the car, the engine bay, and the car’s boot for anything suspicious. We then drove through another layer of security before arriving at a secure parking garage. At 5 in the morning, this process is quite seamless. However, by 8 am, cars were backed up for blocks waiting to be screened.

The final step to enter the convention hall includes airport-style personal screening and scanners.

As the final touches are made to Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, where the convention will take place, we can bring you a glimpse of what the inside looks like:

Image source, Getty Images

Image source, Shutterstock

Image source, Reuters

Image source, Reuters

Sam Hancock
Live page editor

We're going to turn away now from the news that Donald Trump's classified documents case has been dropped, and head to Wisconsin where the Republican National Convention will soon get under way.

As we've reported already, Trump is in the city of Milwaukee, two days after he survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.

While the former president is not expected to make his much-anticipated Republican nomination speech until later in the week, it's thought he'll announce who he's chosen to be his running mate - and so his vice-president, if they win - later on.

There's been a lot of speculation around who he'll go with (you can read all the rumoured names here), and we'll bring you updates on that as soon as we have them.

For now, though, let's see what's happening at the Fiserv Forum.

Madeline Halpert
US reporter

I've been speaking to Prof David Super, from Georgetown University Law Center, about former president Donald Trump's criminal cases.

In all of the cases (there have been four in total - which you can read about here), Super tells me, the former president's legal strategy has been to "stall continuously".

He says Judge Aileen Cannon's decision to throw out the classified documents case is the "ultimate example" of that: "Even though it has long been clear that Judge Cannon would not allow this case to go to trial before the election, this ruling freezes all other proceedings."

He adds that Cannon's ruling has "no chance of being sustained on appeal" because it conflicts with decisions made by the Supreme Court and lower courts.

"It will have the effect of preventing any more embarrassing revelations before the election."

Image source, Reuters

Over the past two decades, Jack Smith has pursued public officials in the US and abroad - with a mixed record of success.

In announcing his selection last November, Attorney General Merrick Garland called Smith "the right choice to complete these matters in an even-handed and urgent manner". He previously convicted ex-Arizona congressman Rick Renzi, a Republican, of corruption - though Renzi later received a presidential pardon from Trump.

Trump, meanwhile, has characterised Smith as a "deranged" man at the forefront of a "political witch hunt" against him. The special counsel has indicted Trump over alleged efforts to overturn the 2020 election.

He has also indicted the ex-president on 40 felony counts over his alleged mishandling of classified documents.

This case was dismissed by a Florida judge today, after Aileen Canon said Smith's appointment was unconstitutional. Smith's expected to appeal against the ruling.

Image source, US DISTRICT COURT FOR THE SOUTHERN DISTRICT OF FLORIDA

Aileen Cannon has served in the US District Court for the Southern District of Florida since 2020. Today, she dismissed the classified documents case against former president Donald Trump.

Prior to today's decision, critics have argued that Judge Cannon, who was appointed to her position by Donald Trump when he was president, has made rulings favourable to him and taken too long to settle pre-trial matters.

The case against Trump was randomly assigned to her last year from a pool of four available judges. It is by far her most high-profile one to date - as the New York Times review of cases suggests, she has overseen only four that went to trial, all of them brief and basic court proceedings.

The 43-year-old was born in Colombia, is the daughter of a Cuban exile and grew up in Miami. She maintains ties with the conservative Federalist Society and once clerked for a conservative appeals court judge.

Within a few months of each other, Donald Trump, Joe Biden and Mike Pence were all involved in investigations concerning classified documents in the US.

In Trump's case, more than 325 classified files were discovered at his Mar-a-Lago estate. Trump was criminally charged for holding onto those documents, and then for allegedly obstructing the investigation into them.

But, as we found out today, a judge has thrown out the case against Trump.

Pence and Biden were never charged - here's how the investigations against them unfolded:

• Aides to Biden discovered classified documents in Washington and at his Delaware home. A Special Counsel report said in February he had kept secret documents related to military and foreign policy in Afghanistan after serving as vice-president until 2017. But they said it would be difficult to convict him as he comes across as an "elderly man with a poor memory". Shortly after the report was released, President Biden held a surprise news briefing at the White House, telling reporters: "My memory is fine."
• Pence, the former vice president, also made headlines when documents were found unsecured at his home in Indiana. From the outset of the investigation, Pence's team said a "small number" of classified documents had been "inadvertently" stored in boxes that were not in a secure area at his home. An investigation cleared Mr Pence of any wrongdoing in June last year.

We're now hearing a bit about the moment Donald Trump found out his classified documents case had been thrown out.

Speaking to Politico, Republican politician Byron Donalds says he was on the phone to the former president when he learned the news.

Trump was reportedly "excited" and said the judge had made a "great decision". Meanwhile, Donalds calls the case "insane" and "ridiculous", and adds that "justice was served today.”

Donalds, 45, has helped raise the profile of black conservatism and is rumoured to be in consideration for Trump's VP pick. He tells Politico he won't be "going to get into" whether he and Trump discussed the VP slot during their phone call.

Donalds is expected to speak at the Republican National Convention (RNC) later today.

• You can read more about the potential candidates for Trump's running mate here

When former US President Donald Trump was charged last year with mishandling hundreds of classified documents, the Justice Department released images of what a search at Trump's residence at his Florida club Mar-a-Lago had found.

The 37-count indictment accused Trump of keeping files at his Florida estate, including in a ballroom and a shower, and lying to investigators. It alleged he then tried to obstruct the investigation into the handling of the documents.

But, as we reported earlier, a US district judge has now dismissed the case entirely. Aileen Cannon, who was nominated by Trump, ruled that Special Counsel Jack Smith - leading the prosecution - was unlawfully appointed to his role and did not have the authority to bring the case.

Here are a some of those aforementioned images:

Image source, DoJ

Image source, DoJ

As we've been reporting, former President Donald Trump is in Milwaukee, Wisconsin for the Republican National Convention (RNC), where he will be formally announced as the party's presidential candidate later this week.

Although he is not expected to speak at the conference until later this week, US media outlets Fox News and CBS News have reported that Trump is planning to announce his pick for vice-president today.

There are a few names that frequently come up when looking at who Trump might pick as his second-in-command. You can read more about them here.

Caitlin Wilson
US live page editor

Hello from Washington DC, where we're now taking over this page from our colleagues in London. If you're just joining us, or need a bit of a recap, here's a rundown of where we're at.

The Republican National Convention kicks off today in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. By the end of the gathering on Thursday, Republicans will have officially named former president Donald Trump as their nominee for the White House in November, and Trump will have named his vice-presidential pick.

Our team there will bring you all the latest updates, including presentations from party leaders, protests and the mood on the ground.

We're also covering authorities' continuing investigation into the assassination attempt on Trump over the weekend, including questions over law enforcement's actions and what may have motivated the suspect.

A little earlier, we also brought you the breaking news that a Florida judge has dismissed the criminal case accusing Trump of illegally holding onto classified documents after he left the Oval Office. We'll keep monitoring updates and reactions on that front as well.

And later, President Joe Biden is expected to give an interview with US media - don't worry, we'll cover the conversation and bring you all the highlights from that too.

Trump's been handed a big legal winpublished at 15:58 British Summer Time 15 July

15:58 BST 15 July

Anthony Zurcher
North America correspondent

Legal experts have debated the strengths and weakness of the two federal criminal cases brought by Special Counsel Jack Smith that are pending against Donald Trump. Judge Aileen Cannon just stepped in and said none of those details matter.

In a dramatic decision, issued Monday morning from her court in Florida, she held that the mere existence of special counsels - how they are appointed and how they are funded - violates the US Constitution.

It’s a remarkable holding that cuts against the ruling of judges in other US courts that have dealt with these specially appointed prosecutors. It draws from theories advanced by some conservative legal scholars and, most notably, by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas in the recently decided presidential immunity case.

Smith will almost certainly ask a federal appellate court to review - and overturn - Cannon’s decision. And depending on the outcome of that appeal, the losing party could then turn to the US Supreme Court.

All of this takes time, though. And, with the presidential election just three months away, that’s a commodity the special counsel has in short supply.

On the day the Republican National Convention begins, just two days after he was nearly felled by an assassin’s bullet, Trump has been handed a big legal win.

Image source, Reuters

We're now hearing from Donald Trump himself about his classified documents case being dismissed by a Florida-based judge.

Trump says it "should be the first step," insisting that all four criminal cases against him should be dropped. There's more on those cases here.

In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump says the Justice Department "coordinated all of these political attacks, which are an election interference conspiracy against Joe Biden's political opponent, me".

Ahead of his appearance at the Republican National Convention, Trump also urges his supporters to "come together to end all weaponization of our justice system".

The classified documents case - which we've just learnt has been thrown out by a Florida-based judge - is one of four criminal cases Donald Trump has faced in the run up to the US presidential election.

What was it about?

• Whether Trump mishandled classified documents by taking them from the White House to his Mar-a-Lago residence after he left office. And whether he obstructed the FBI's efforts to retrieve the files, as well as the criminal investigation into his handling of them
• The majority of the counts were for the wilful retention of national defence information, which falls under the Espionage Act. There were then eight individual counts, which include conspiracy to obstruct justice, withholding a document or record and making false statements
• Trump pleaded not guilty on all counts

Could Trump have gone to prison?

• These charges could, in theory, have led to substantial prison time if Trump had been convicted
• The counts under the Espionage Act each carry a maximum sentence of 10 years. Other counts, related to conspiracy and withholding or concealing documents, each carry maximum sentences of 20 years
• But the logistics of jailing a former president meant a conventional prison sentence was seen as unlikely by many experts