The inside of the security perimeter for the Republican National Convention felt like it was a big festival. While the ramifications of the attempted assassination on former President Donald Trump was top of mind for everyone, the atmosphere was also very jovial given the circumstances.

The first RNC I technically attended was in Cleveland, Ohio during the 2016 election. The tension from within the Republican Party that week was as high as the sweltering heat that hit the city. True to form, I was busy on the outside covering the protesters. It was that event where I discovered my passion for reporting on protests. But seeing how things were playing out inside the RNC, it was almost as chaotic as the Never Trump wing of the party was trying their best to get Trump replaced.

Fast forward to 2020, again, tensions were high but for very different reasons. I was outside the White House the night Trump accepted the party’s nomination. With COVID still a thing, I had just returned from covering the riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Anti-Trump and BLM protesters nearly surrounded the White House complex, which was being protected by temporary security fencing.