U.S. President Donald Trump has called off the public events of the Republican National Convention, scheduled to be held in Florida, due to spiking coronavirus cases.
Trump had already moved the convention from North Carolina and dramatically scaled back its programming and attendance in Jacksonville in an effort to keep it on track. But the nights of `infomercial" programming and parties appeared to be both a health and political risk to Trump and his advisers, who feared that going forward with the event, set to draw more than 10,000 people, would ultimately backfire on the president.
Trump's plans for the Florida convention were scaled back almost as quickly as the move was announced, as virus cases spiked in Florida and much of the country over the last month.Trump said thousands of his supporters and delegates wanted to attend the events in Florida, but "I just felt it was wrong" to gather them in a virus hot spot. Some of them would have faced quarantine requirements when they returned to their home states from the convention.
The Biden campaign did not immediately respond to messages Thursday seeking comment on Trump's announcement. Trump said he did not cancel the event at the request of local officials, but the Jacksonville City Council was set to meet Friday to discuss safety concerns around the convention.
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