See what to expect on President Donald Trump’s visit to Nashville,
President Donald Trump will visit The Hermitage today and lay a wreath on the tomb of President Andrew Jackson, White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer said Monday. And a rally will be held in downtown Nashville at Municipal Auditorium.
Here are some things Nashville should expect during Trump’s visit:
WHAT HE’LL TALK ABOUT
“The primary focus is going to be health care, specifically repealing and replacing Obamacare,” a source with knowledge of the event told The Tennessean. “The secondary theme is going to be school choice.”
The rally comes after Trump promised a “fullcourt press” on behalf of the House Republican plan to replace the Affordable Care Act. Nashville, one of the nation’s health care hubs, is a natural fit for the president to discuss the health care plan.
School choice has also been intensively debated in Nashville, where the last three local school board races have been defined by the expansion of privately funded, publicly run charter schools. Several school voucher bills are also under discussion in the state legislature.
Trump’s visit also comes on the eve of his second travel ban going into effect. The new executive order temporarily bans travel for six majority Muslim nations and was revised to overcome any legal challenges such as the ones that led federal judges to block the original ban.
Trump also will visit Michigan today to focus on job creation and automobile manufacturing, Spicer said during a White House press briefing Monday.
DONALD TRUMP AND ANDREW JACKSON
Today marks the 250th birthday of Jackson, and The Hermitage had a full day of events scheduled and was offering half-price admission to celebrate. Trump’s visit has prompted the historic mansion to close to the public today. Activities celebrating Jackson’s birthday will continue Thursday through Saturday.
Trump, who hung a portrait of Jackson in the Oval Office soon after moving into the White House, has been described as a modern-day Jackson by members of his political team.
PROTESTS PLANNED
Hours after The Tennessean reported Trump’s visit, grass-roots group We Are Watching — Tennessee created a Facebook event to protest the president’s rally at Municipal Auditorium.
“It is likely that he will be in Nashville as part of his ‘full court press’ push for [House Speaker Paul] Ryan’s ACA replacement bill legislation that will disproportionately and negatively impact the most vulnerable among us: older, poorer, and sicker Americans,” reads a statement regarding the upcoming protest.
A separate “Nashville Resists Trump” event also has been created on Facebook.
The Metro police department cautions those considering any type of protest to not block neighborhood streets, major highways or the interstate.
TRAFFIC IMPACT
While Nashville police did not disclose specific routes because of security reasons, they said roadways between Nashville International Airport and The Hermitage and then from The Hermitage to the Municipal Auditorium downtown will be temporarily closed.
The presidential visit to The Hermitage, 4580 Rachel’s Lane, will impact traffic on Old Hickory Boulevard in Hermitage.
Roads near the Municipal Auditorium will be closed starting at about noon in preparation for the thousands of pedestrians expected in the immediate vicinity, police said. Drivers should be aware of likely traffic delays.
Roadways between Nashville International Airport and The Hermitage will be temporarily closed at some point between 3 and 4 p.m., and inbound roadways between The Hermitage and the Municipal Auditorium downtown will be temporarily closed at some point between 5 and 6 p.m., police said. Outbound roadways will probably not be closed, they said.
During the motorcade from The Hermitage to the Municipal Auditorium, James Robertson Parkway will be closed between Interstate Drive and Rosa L. Parks Boulevard. That closure will remain in effect until the conclusion of the Municipal Auditorium event.
Fifth Avenue from Charlotte Avenue to James Robertson Parkway will close at noon downtown, as will Gay Street between James Robertson Parkway and Fifth Avenue. James Robertson Parkway from Third to Fifth Avenues will close at approximately 3 p.m. or earlier depending on crowd turnout, police said.