Trump considering giving convention speech from WH
WASHINGTON— President Donald Trump said Wednesday he'll probably deliver his Republican convention acceptance speech from the White House now that plans to hold the event in two battleground states have been foiled by coronavirus concerns and restrictions.
Such a move would mark an unprecedented use of public property for partisan political purposes, and congressional leaders in both parties publicly doubted Trump could go ahead with the plan. Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said flatly that he “can't do that.”
The president leaned into the idea during a television interview.
“I think it's a beautiful setting, and we are thinking about that,” he said on Fox News Channel's “Fox & Friends.” “It's certainly one of the alternatives.”
He said the convention will be a mix of virtual events and live speeches, including his remarks and a speech by first lady Melania Trump .“I'll probably do mine live from the White House,” he said.
The Republican National Convention is scheduled for Aug. 24-27. Trump is to be formally nominated on Aug. 24 in Charlotte, North Carolina. But the venue for his speech accepting the nomination has been up in the air.
All four days of the convention, including the speech, were planned for Charlotte until Trump feuded with the state's Democratic governor over coronavirus health restrictions.
Trump then moved the speech an do there lements of the convention to Jacksonville, Florida, a move welcomed by the state' s Republican governor. But the president later canceled those plans because of a resurgence of the coronavirus in Florida.
That cancellation limited his options with the clock ticking.
Trump said holding the speech at the White House would be the “easiest from the standpoint of security” and the least expensive option because he — and the many staffers, Secret Service agents and others who typically accompany him — wouldn't have to travel.
Trump said a final decision hadn't been made, but he seemed to be leaning toward a White House setting for what traditionally is the highlight of a national political convention.