AMERICA AT A CROSSROADS: As the curtain comes down on the Republican National Convention, the stakes could not be higher. America looks to be heading into a momentous weekend, amid reports that United States President Joe Biden is moving closer to withdrawing from the presidential race.

Red vs. blue: Global Playbook has been reporting from Milwaukee all week, where the contrast between the energy of the Republican convention and the increasing isolation of President Biden has been manifest. The image of a frail president descending Air Force One alone Thursday night was a world away from the now iconic photo of Donald Trump rising from the ground, fist in the air, after being grazed by a bullet — the epitome of physical and ideological strength he loves to project.

That image was burnished further Thursday night as Trump specifically chose a procession of older white males to pump up the adoring crowd before his speech. That included retired professional wrestler Hulk Hogan, who ripped off his shirt to reveal a Trump-Vance T-shirt; evangelist Franklin Graham, who led the audience in prayer; culminating in singer Kid Rock whipping up chants of “Fight! Fight! Fight!” among the audience.

Trump disappoints: But in a last-minute plot twist, Trump failed to rise to the occasion. At first, he did his best to present a new, more reflective persona to the nation, opening his speech with a gripping cinematic account of last Saturday’s assassination attempt in Pennsylvania.

“I’m not supposed to be here tonight,” he said in hushed tones, leading to shouts of “Yes you are; yes you are!”

But he soon slipped into well-tread tropes as be blasted “crazy Nancy Pelosi,” decried the “witch hunts” against him and denounced the “invasion of our country.”

With networks broadcasting wall-to-wall coverage of Trump’s first public comments since his near-death experience on Saturday, it seems unlikely that Trump succeeded in winning over any new voters — despite his promise to be a president “for all of America.” Instead, it may remind millions of Americans of what they dislike about Trump in the first place, as he rambled through a 90 minute-speech in a monotone drone, rehashing many of his long-standing grievances.

Glimmer of hope for Biden: Trump’s disappointing, low-energy speech may invigorate Biden allies who still believe he should stay in the race and can beat Trump. For the American people, it’s more likely to be a reminder of the poor choice that faces them in November — a battle between two elderly former presidents, both far past their prime.

FIVE TAKEAWAYS FROM THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL CONVENTION

As the hordes of delegates, journalists and lobbyists prepare to leave Milwaukee this morning, here are some takeaways from RNC 2024.

1. Trump’s takeover complete: Eight years on from the 2016 convention when Trump’s nomination as the Republican presidential candidate caused open discord among Republicans, former President Trump’s takeover of the party now appears complete. This week was notable for who was not present as much as who was given a prominent slot. Among the absentees were party grandees like Mitt Romney and Paul Ryan (despite the convention taking place in the former House speaker’s home state of Wisconsin). Mike Pence, who served as vice president under Trump, also skipped the event, opting for vacation in Montana instead.  
   
2. Trump put his stamp on policy: From a more isolationist foreign policy to protectionist approaches to trade, the fundamental tenets of Republican policy from the era of Ronald Reagan are unrecognizable in the current platform. Trump’s control of the Republican Party’s policy agenda was evident in the run-up to the convention as he successfully shaped the official Republican Party platform, putting a MAGA stamp on it. “He went through every single page … every single line,” Trump adviser Chris LaCivita told POLITICO yesterday. Specifically, Trump watered down hard-line language on abortion — aware that the issue could be a sore point for swing voters. Plans by anti-abortion advocates to fight the changes this week at the convention were abandoned following the assassination attempt on the president — another signal that resistance to Trump within the party is withering. 
   
3. Trump family takeover: Last night, Trump’s wife Melania and daughter Ivanka appeared at the convention to witness him accepting the nomination. While both women have taken a step back from front-line politics after Trump’s stint in the White House, a new batch of Trump family members are stepping up. Chief among them is Lara Trump, wife of his son Eric Trump, who became co-chair of the Republican National Committee earlier this year — cementing the dynasty’s grip on the Republican establishment. 
   
4. World prepares for Trump 2.0: Amidst the sequined outfits and MAGA-themed headwear, a more low-key kind of attendee was pressing the flesh here in Milwaukee this week: foreign diplomats. The cohort of ambassadors usually based in Washington, D.C., swapped the East Coast for the Midwest last week as they tried to get some face time with those who could well be the next U.S. leaders. The choice of JD Vance as vice presidential candidate was the most significant indication of the future policy of the Trump administration. However, several people told POLITICO it was his view on trade, outlined in his speech on Wednesday, which is of most concern to allies, with Vance hinting at a more protectionist policy if the Trump-Vance ticket wins in November. 
   
5. Tightening GOP grip: As Trump emerges from the convention week as the Republican nominee, Republican operatives will turn their focus to a number of key congressional down-ballot races taking place November 5 as they try to flip the Senate and hold the House of Representatives. If they succeed, Trump’s party would control the White House and Congress, complemented by a conservative-majority Supreme Court. Nonetheless, some polls are showing that Democrats in certain districts are doing much better than Biden, making the race a tougher battle for Republicans than may be expected. A case in point is Pennsylvania: A poll released Thursday showed Trump widening his lead as presidential candidate in the state — but the Republican contender in the Senate race, David McCormick, is trailing incumbent Democrat Bob Casey.

SEEN AND HEARD

— “I think it was divine intervention”: right-wing broadcaster and author Tucker Carlson on the assassination attempt on Donald Trump. Carlson received one of the biggest cheers of the night from the crowd when he addressed the convention on Thursday.

— “Behind enemy lines”: Nigel Farage’s take on visiting the CNN-POLITICO Grill in Turner Hall.

— “Donald Trump built the New York city skyline … he turned streets and neighborhoods into gold”: Eric Trump describing his father as the modern-day Midas at his convention speech last night.

— With the chances for Kamala Harris to become the next Democratic candidate for president increasing, POLITICO’s Eugene Daniels put the question to Republican Governor Chris Sununu of New Hampshire — are Republicans intentionally mispronouncing the American vice president’s name? Watch the interaction here.

— Throughout the week, RNC officials have been busy distributing signs to delegates to wave during public speeches, refreshing the content each day to match the theme. “Make America Safe Again,” “Bring Back Common Sense” and “Mass Deportations Now!” are among the collectors’ items that have popped up this week.

AROUND TOWN

— The Trade, an upmarket hotel along the edge of the convention space, has been attracting a seen-and-be-seen crowd throughout the week. Trump family members like Donald Trump Jr. have been socializing publicly there into the wee hours. A more beneath-the-radar gathering has been the legendary Boehner Warehouse, which has been taking place off site, with former House Speaker John Boehner making an appearance during the week. What goes on tour, stays on tour.

— There have also been plenty of receptions taking place in pop-up venues across the city, from diners to breweries, with Milwaukee offering an array of beer-themed event spaces touching on its history of brewing dating back to the early 19th century. Hats off to the European Union’s delegation in the United States, which selected one of the coolest venues in town for its reception this week: the Harley Davidson museum.

— If you have time to spare before heading for the airport, check out Downtown Books, a secondhand store teeming with tomes and atmosphere, offering an impressive collection of works on U.S. politics and history. It’s located on the edge of the trendy Historic Third Ward district.

AROUND THE WORLD

— As most of the political world has been fixated on the Republican National Convention, another key gathering has been taking place a few hours west in Colorado. The Aspen Security Forum that opened Tuesday finishes Friday, with some heavy hitters from the Biden administration on the speaker list. Expect Secretary of State Antony Blinken and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan to face some tricky questions about the capacity of the commander-in-chief and whether he can remain on the top of the economic ticket. Full schedule here.

— Amidst the high-octane political drama dominating U.S. politics right now, it’s easy to forget that things have also been busy in Europe. After a rush of elections in the last month — the European Parliament election in June, parliamentary elections in France that saw a surprise leftist victory and Britain’s general election, which brought 14 years of Conservative rule crashing down — another key ballot took place Thursday. European Commission president Ursula von der Leyen was reelected by a comfortable majority in the European Parliament for another five-year term at the head of the European Commission, arguably Europe’s most powerful job. As my colleague Barbara Moens reports, von der Leyen’s next task will be to assemble her team of commissioners, with the jockeying for positions just getting started.

— Newly minted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer hosted more than 40 European leaders — including Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy — at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, on Thursday for the latest meeting of the European Political Community. The club of European leaders (including but not exclusive to EU members) was the brainchild of French President Emmanuel Macron, who looked very pleased with Starmer’s stewardship of the event. Emilio Casalicchio has the lowdown on the relationship between the two leaders. Meanwhile, Macron, whose party received a drubbing in recent elections, got a boost as his candidate for head of France’s National Assembly was reelected Thursday thanks to an alliance between the president’s party and right-leaning lawmakers.

Thanks to: Editor Sonya Diehn and producer Ellen Boonen

CORRECTION: Yesterday's edition of Global Playbook misspelled Hogan Gidley's name.