Did Trump let Farage duck US travel ban?
NIGEL FARAGE travelled to the US ahead of a Donald Trump election rally last night, fanning speculation the President helped him swerve a travel ban.
The former U kip leader tweeted :‘ In the USA, only twenty four hours from Tulsa’ – referring to the Oklahoma city playing host to Mr Trump’s first campaign rally since the coronavirus lockdown.
The post triggered debate about how the Brexit Party leader bypassed the US ban on travellers from Covid- 19 hotspots, including the UK.
Theories included the possibility of a waiver directly from the Oval Office. Mr Farage is a friend of the President and appeared alongside Mr Trump at a campaign rally during the 2016 election. The 56-year-old’s expected attendance at last night’s rally will add to speculation he is gearing up to help Mr Trump’s re-election campaign.
Up to 100,000 supporters were estimated to have travelled to Tulsa for the event – held at a 19,000- seat capacity arena – despite coronavirus warnings.
It was only given the go-ahead after the Supreme Court overr ul ed an at t empt by r ace-equality campaigners to have it cancelled on public health grounds. Judges said social distancing decisions could be left to businesses, despite a spike in coronavirus cases in Oklahoma.
The White House s ai d it received more than a million ticket requests. Officials had vowed to check attendees’ temperatures and offer hand sanitiser and masks. However, online ticket-buyers were asked to ‘voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to Covid-19’.
It comes after a torrid week for Mr Trump, which included the publication of a tell- all memoir by his former national security adviser John Bolton.