Trump leaves GOP "completely blindsided" with threat to pull RNC convention out of North Carolina

Trump ‘completely blindsided’ Republican officials by threatening to pull GOP convention out of Charlotte

Published May 26, 2020 4:00AM (EDT)

Donald Trump; The 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami.   (AP/Carolyn Kaster/Photo montage by Salon)
Donald Trump; The 1972 Republican National Convention in Miami. (AP/Carolyn Kaster/Photo montage by Salon)

One of President Donald Trump's many targets on Memorial Day Weekend has been North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper, who he says is moving too slowly on the state's reopening. Railing against Cooper on Twitter, Trump threatened to pull the 2020 Republican National Conventional out of Charlotte — and CNN is reporting that Republicans involved in the planning of the convention were "completely blindsided" by Trump's threat.

Trump tweeted, "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."

The president also asserted that Republicans planning to attend the Republican National Convention "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," Trump tweeted. "This is not something I want to do. Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!"

According to CNN, Ronna McDaniel, chair of the Republican National Committee, said that the RNC is moving "full steam ahead" with the convention — although she stressed that it must be an in-person event.

McDaniel asserted, "We do not think at this time we have to switch to an alternative plan, but of course, we will monitor circumstances and adjust accordingly. We will not be holding a virtual convention."


By Alex Henderson

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