icon bookmark-bicon bookmarkicon cameraicon checkicon chevron downicon chevron lefticon chevron righticon chevron upicon closeicon v-compressicon downloadicon editicon v-expandicon fbicon fileicon filtericon flag ruicon full chevron downicon full chevron lefticon full chevron righticon full chevron upicon gpicon insicon mailicon moveicon-musicicon mutedicon nomutedicon okicon v-pauseicon v-playicon searchicon shareicon sign inicon sign upicon stepbackicon stepforicon swipe downicon tagicon tagsicon tgicon trashicon twicon vkicon yticon wticon fm
23 Jul, 2020 22:15

Trump calls off GOP convention event in Jacksonville amid spike in Florida Covid-19 cases

Trump calls off GOP convention event in Jacksonville amid spike in Florida Covid-19 cases

US President Donald Trump confirmed that the upcoming Republican convention event in Jacksonville, Florida has been canceled, saying "it's just not right" during the coronavirus pandemic.

“I told my team it’s time to cancel the Jacksonville, Florida component of the GOP convention," the president announced during a press conference Thursday evening. 

The plan was to have Trump deliver his acceptance speech at a grand event in Florida next month. He did not say when or how he intends to give that address.

The Charlotte, North Carolina portion of the convention, where delegates are scheduled to formally choose the party's nominee, will go forward as planned, however.

Also on rt.com How Florida’s coronavirus surge could sink Trump’s November bid

After North Carolina's Democrat governor called for a more limited event due to the coronavirus pandemic, the president moved to relocate some of the convention events to Jacksonville.

The decision raised concerns both because of the rising number of coronavirus cases in the state, as well as security issues with the change being so last minute. 

Florida, one the first states on lockdown to begin their 'reopening process' only to walk it back days later, has recorded over 390,000 cases of Covid-19 and over 5,500 deaths from the virus.

Think your friends would be interested? Share this story!

Podcasts
0:00
27:22
0:00
27:48