Republican presidential candidate and former president Donald Trump speaks on the final day of the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Thursday, July 18, 2024. (AP Photo/Jae C. Hong)
For better or worse, former President Trump delivered his nomination acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention on Thursday, and a packed audience watched the speech.
An estimated 25.4 million people tuned in to one of 14 stations broadcasting the final night of the convention, Nielsen said Friday. Ratings peaked at 28.4 million viewers between 10:45 and 11:00 p.m. Eastern time, when Trump’s speech began, Nielsen said.
That’s good news for the former president. The opening section of his speech, in which he dramatically recounted last Saturday’s assassination attempt, was generally considered the most effective. After the 90-minute mark and past midnight on the East Coast, Trump deviated significantly from the script, delivering remarks that resembled a typical street-level speech.
Fox News Channel drew 9.4 million viewers during Trump’s speech, far more than any other network, and about 72% of those viewers were over 55, according to Nielsen.
The night was the most-watched night of the convention, as is typical for nights when presidential candidates speak.
