Donald Trump is looking to pull the Republican National Convention out of North Carolina after officials refuse to confirm if the event could be held in Charlotte without restrictions, even amid the coronavirus pandemic.
In a series of tweets on Tuesday night, Trump lashed out, blaming Gov. Roy Cooper, a Democrat, “and his representatives” for refusing to guarantee the use of the Spectrum Arena, quipping that Cooper “is still in Shelter-in-Place mode.”
“We are now forced to seek another State to host the 2020 Republican National Convention,” he tweeted.
Had long planned to have the Republican National Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina, a place I love. Now, @NC_Governor Roy Cooper and his representatives refuse to guarantee that we can have use of the Spectrum Arena – Spend millions of dollars, have everybody arrive, and…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2020
…millions of dollars, and jobs, for the State. Because of @NC_Governor, we are now forced to seek another State to host the 2020 Republican National Convention.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 3, 2020
According to CNN, despite Trump’s temper tantrum, contractually, some formal part of the convention has to be held in Charlotte, however, other performative parts, such as the speech by Trump, could happen in another location.
“The night the President accepts the nomination will not happen in Charlotte,” an RNC official told CNN.
The Spectrum Center in Uptown Charlotte, North Carolina,is seen on November 13,2019 and will be the site of the 2020 Republican National Convention. (Photo by Daniel SLIM / AFP) (Photo by DANIEL SLIM/AFP via Getty Images)
According to the report, RNC officials are considering other cities such as Nashville, Las Vegas and Georgia for the convention, meant to be held in August.
Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp really liked that idea, tweeting that he hopes the president has Georgia on his mind.
Hope you have Georgia on your mind, @realDonaldTrump! https://t.co/4scxDSLOMj
— Governor Brian P. Kemp (@GovKemp) June 3, 2020
Time notes that there have been tense conversations between Trump and Cooper, with Trump demanding a business-as-usual event with a packed arena and no face coverings, even as the future amid the coronavirus pandemic is still uncertain.
Cooper pushed back, expressing concerns, giving the status of the pandemic in his state, and suggested a more toned down event with fewer people, social distancing and face coverings mandated.
“We think it is unlikely that we would be to the point at the end of August to be able to have a jam-packed 19,000-person convention in the Spectrum arena,” Cooper said. “So the likelihood of it being in Charlotte depends upon the RNC’s willingness to discuss with us a scaled-down convention, which we would like to do.”
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