In April 2016 , Trump vowed to bring " some showbiz " to the convention , criticizing the party 's 2012 convention in Tampa , Florida , as " the single most boring convention I 've ever seen . " The convention 's lineup of speakers lacked " many of the party 's rising stars " and rather featured some of Trump 's " eclectic collection of friends , celebrities and relatives . " '' Politico '' reported that Trump was directly involved in details of convention plans , seeking " to maximize the drama and spectacle " of the four-night event . A large number of prominent Republican elected officials said they were not interested in attending the convention or even speaking at it , seeking to distance themselves from Trump . The Trump campaign considered the idea of having Trump speak all four nights at the convention – a break from the traditional practice of the presidential nominee taking the stage only on the final night of the convention . Ultimately , Trump decided not to speak every night . Trump also initially stated that he would announce his vice-presidential running mate at the convention itself , rather than before the convention , with a campaign staffer saying that " announcing the vice-presidential nominee before the convention is like announcing the winner of '' Celebrity Apprentice '' before the final episode is on the air . " Trump 's campaign eventually announced plans to announce a running mate the week before the convention and named Mike Pence as his running mate on July 15 , 2016
2012 convention in Tampa , Florida
2012 Republican National Convention
2016 Republican National Convention