Trump Threatens to Move Convention Over Gov Cooper’s Refusal to Guarantee Full Attendance

In a four part tweet this morning, President Trump said that he wanted to still hold the Republican National Convention in North Carolina this year from August 24th through the 27th but Democrat Governor Roy Cooper is “still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena.”

He continued, saying that “they must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied. If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site.”

I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August. Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena. In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space. Plans are being made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August. They must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied. If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site. This is not something I want to do. Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!

…full attendance in the Arena. In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space. Plans are being….

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020

…to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site. This is not something I want to do. Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020

North Carolina is currently in Phase Two of its Coronavirus reopening plan where indoor gatherings are limited to 10 people. When the original plans were made, the RNC was expected to bring 50,000 people to Charlotte for events connected to the convention.

Vice President Mike Pence appeared on Fox News’ Fox and Friends this morning and said that the Trump was making “just a very reasonable request of the governor of North Carolina.” He also mentioned Texas, Georgia and Florida as three states that have reopened more quickly.

Pence echoed the president’s words by saying, “We all want to be in Charlotte. We love North Carolina. Having a sense now is absolutely essential because of the immense preparations that are involved, and we look forward to working with Gov. Cooper, getting a swift response and if need be moving the national convention to a state that is farther along on reopening and can say with confidence that we can gather there.”