The Republican Party Platform, 2020

The Republican National Committee's Executive Committee voted on June 10, 2020, to adopt the same platform the party used in 2016. The decision accompanied a series of adjustments to the itinerary and location of the Republican National Convention due to the coronavirus pandemic, including reducing the number of in-person delegates attending the convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, from 2,500 to 336, and canceling the meeting of the Platform Committee.

Politico reported that both conservative and moderate Republicans were dissatisfied with the decision: "Social conservatives wanted new language on gender identity and late-term abortions. Social moderates said the current platform could alienate suburbanites."

Responding to criticism, RNC national press secretary Mandi Merritt said, "It would not be right for a very small group to craft a new platform without all of the delegates present." On June 12, 2020, President Donald Trump (R) called for a new and updated platform.

The Republican National Committee adopted a resolution regarding the platform on August 22, 2020, that reiterated that the party would not adopt a new platform because "it did not want a small contingent of delegates formulating a new platform without the breadth of perspectives within the ever-growing Republican movement." The resolution also noted the party's continued support for Trump's America First agenda.

On August 23, 2020, Trump released a list of his core priorities for a second term in office.

National party committees release platforms every four years before a presidential election. To read more about the 2020 presidential election, click here.

2020 Republican Party Platform Resolution

See also: Republican National Convention, 2020

The following embedded document contains the text of a resolution adopted by the Republican National Committee on August 22, 2020, regarding the party's platform.

Trump's second-term agenda

See also: Donald Trump presidential campaign, 2020

Trump released the following list of core priorities for his second-term agenda on August 23, 2020.

“	Building on the incredible achievements of President Donald J. Trump’s first term in office, the President’s re-election campaign today released a set of core priorities for a second term under the banner of 'Fighting for You!' President Trump’s boundless optimism and certainty in America’s greatness is reflected in his second-term goals and stands in stark contrast to the gloomy vision of America projected by Joe Biden and Democrats. President Trump will further illuminate these plans during his acceptance speech Thursday at the Republican National Convention. Over the coming weeks, the President will be sharing additional details about his plans through policy-focused speeches on the campaign trail. President Trump: Fighting for You! JOBS Create 10 Million New Jobs in 10 Months Create 1 Million New Small Businesses Cut Taxes to Boost Take-Home Pay and Keep Jobs in America Enact Fair Trade Deals that Protect American Jobs 'Made in America' Tax Credits Expand Opportunity Zones Continue Deregulatory Agenda for Energy Independence ERADICATE COVID-19 Develop a Vaccine by The End Of 2020 Return to Normal in 2021 Make All Critical Medicines and Supplies for Healthcare Workers in The United States Refill Stockpiles and Prepare for Future Pandemics END OUR RELIANCE ON CHINA Bring Back 1 Million Manufacturing Jobs from China Tax Credits for Companies that Bring Back Jobs from China Allow 100% Expensing Deductions for Essential Industries like Pharmaceuticals and Robotics who Bring *Back their Manufacturing to the United States No Federal Contracts for Companies who Outsource to China Hold China Fully Accountable for Allowing the Virus to Spread around the World HEALTHCARE Cut Prescription Drug Prices Put Patients and Doctors Back in Charge of our Healthcare System Lower Healthcare Insurance Premiums End Surprise Billing Cover All Pre-Existing Conditions Protect Social Security and Medicare Protect Our Veterans and Provide World-Class Healthcare and Services EDUCATION Provide School Choice to Every Child in America Teach American Exceptionalism DRAIN THE SWAMP Pass Congressional Term Limits End Bureaucratic Government Bullying of U.S. Citizens and Small Businesses Expose Washington’s Money Trail and Delegate Powers Back to People and States Drain the Globalist Swamp by Taking on International Organizations That Hurt American Citizens DEFEND OUR POLICE Fully Fund and Hire More Police and Law Enforcement Officers Increase Criminal Penalties for Assaults on Law Enforcement Officers Prosecute Drive-By Shootings as Acts of Domestic Terrorism Bring Violent Extremist Groups Like ANTIFA to Justice End Cashless Bail and Keep Dangerous Criminals Locked Up until Trial END ILLEGAL IMMIGRATION AND PROTECT AMERICAN WORKERS Block Illegal Immigrants from Becoming Eligible for Taxpayer-Funded Welfare, Healthcare, and Free College Tuition Mandatory Deportation for Non-Citizen Gang Members Dismantle Human Trafficking Networks End Sanctuary Cities to Restore our Neighborhoods and Protect our Families Prohibit American Companies from Replacing United States Citizens with Lower-Cost Foreign Workers Require New Immigrants to Be Able to Support Themselves Financially INNOVATE FOR THE FUTURE Launch Space Force, Establish Permanent Manned Presence on The Moon and Send the First Manned Mission to Mars Build the World’s Greatest Infrastructure SystemWin the Race to 5G and Establish a National High-Speed Wireless Internet Network Continue to Lead the World in Access to the Cleanest Drinking Water and Cleanest Air Partner with Other Nations to Clean Up our Planet’s Oceans AMERICA FIRST FOREIGN POLICY Stop Endless Wars and Bring Our Troops Home Get Allies to Pay their Fair Share Maintain and Expand America’s Unrivaled Military Strength Wipe Out Global Terrorists Who Threaten to Harm Americans Build a Great Cybersecurity Defense System and Missile Defense System DEFEND AMERICAN VALUES Continue nominating constitutionalist Supreme Court and lower court judges Protect unborn life through every means available Defend the freedoms of religious believers and organizations Support the exercise of Second Amendment rights	”
—2020 Trump Presidential Campaign

2016 Republican Party Platform

See also: The Republican Platform and RNC Platform Committee, 2016

The following embedded document contains the text of the 2016 Republican Party Platform.

Commentary on rolling over the 2016 platform

Party leaders and activists commented on the merits of rolling over the 2016 platform. Frequently mentioned issues include abortion, LGBT policy, foreign policy, and language that suggests criticism of the current administration.

Republican Party members and activists

• Justin Clark, senior counsel for the Trump campaign: "President Trump won in 2016 with this platform and he’ll win again in 2020 with this platform.”

• Colleen Holcomb, president of the Eagle Forum: "Given the quarantine situation, we were concerned that decisions regarding the Platform not be made in proverbial smoke-filled rooms or through secret meetings in Washington, D.C."

• Terry Schilling, executive director of American Principles Project: "We can’t go into 2020 with the same platform we had in 2016, and by limiting the ability to make changes you run the risk of having a stale platform. It will be tone deaf."

• Jennifer Williams, 2016 national delegate: "Anything positive that the Trump administration has achieved in the last three years can’t be put into this document now because this document is frozen."

2016 Republican Platform Committee

The Platform Committee is the body responsible for drafting the party platform. It is a temporary committee that meets every four years at the Republican National Convention. Its membership is described below. Broadly speaking, the Platform Committee has three basic responsibilities:

1. To draft the actual text of the party platform. This involves pinning down not only the issues that will be addressed in the platform but also the very language that presents the Republican Party’s stances on these issues. The process of drafting the platform begins several months prior to the beginning of the convention. National delegates are allowed to submit resolutions to the Platform Committee in writing without debate. It is common for advisers to the party's presumptive nominee to play a role in crafting the platform during this stage.
2. To approve the text of the party platform by a majority vote of all committee members. This means that at least half of the committee members have to approve of the platform before it can be allowed to move forward.
3. To present the platform to the convention for approval by all national delegates in attendance. A majority vote from the delegates at the convention is required for approval of the platform. This will take place after the convention approves the rules package presented by the Rules Committee and before the convention formally selects its nominee for President. If a majority of the convention delegates do not approve the platform, the committee returns to its meeting and begins working on finding a consensus.

The Platform Committee is made up of 112 Republican delegates to the national convention. Each state, territory, and Washington, D.C. has one male and one female delegate who sit on the committee. The delegates who serve on the committee are first elected or selected at state conventions in the Spring to serve as national delegates. Then, they are either elected by their fellow national delegates to serve on the committee or they are selected by a state executive committee.

The Republican National Chairman is responsible for appointing a chair and two co-chairs of the committee. The chair and co-chairs have traditionally been one governor, one U.S. Senator, and one member of the House of Representatives. In 2016, the chair was Sen. John Barrasso of Wyoming. The co-chairs were Gov. Mary Fallin of Oklahoma and Rep. Virginia Foxx of North Carolina (NC-5). In 2012, the chair was Gov. Bob McDonnell of Virginia, and his co-chairs were Sen. John Hoeven of North Dakota and Rep. Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee (TN-7).

See also

• Republican National Convention, 2020
• The Republican Platform and RNC Platform Committee, 2016
• The Republican Party Platform, 2008
• Democratic National Convention, 2020
• The Democratic Party Platform and DNC Platform Committees, 2016
• The Democratic Party Platform, 2012
• The Democratic Party Platform, 2008