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Trump Threatens to Move Republican Convention from North Carolina

Ken Bredemeier

   WASHINGTON - U.S. President Donald Trump threatened Monday to move his
   August renomination convention for a second term in the White House
   from Charlotte, North Carolina if the state's Democratic governor
   doesn't give the Republican party an immediate assurance that it will
   be able to fully occupy a basketball arena in the midst of the
   coronavirus crisis.

   "Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, Roy Cooper is still in Shutdown mood
   & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance
   in the Arena," Trump said on Twitter.

     I love the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted
     on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end
     of August. Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, [1]@RoyCooperNC is
     still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will
     be allowed...
     -- Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) [2]May 25, 2020

   "In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the
   Arena to a very high standard," Trump said, "without even knowing if
   the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy
   the space."

   Trump demanded that Republicans "be immediately given an answer by the
   Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully
   occupied. If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of
   the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican
   National Convention site."

   Trump said moving the national party convention "is not something I
   want to do."

   Vice President Mike Pence reiterated Trump's threat in an interview on
   Fox News.

   Pence said that if North Carolina doesn't speed up the reopening of its
   economy shut down by the coronavirus pandemic Republicans could move
   the convention to a state "that is farther along on reopening and can
   say with confidence that, that we can gather there."

References

   1. https://twitter.com/RoyCooperNC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
   2. https://twitter.com/realDonaldTrump/status/1264891994184257537?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw

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