President Donald Trump’s re-election campaign insists it’s still planning to hold large rallies leading up to November’s election, despite the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and pleas from public health officials against gatherings. “This coronavirus will pass and the president is looking forward to getting back out on the campaign trail and holding rallies,” Trump campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh told ABC News, stating that while the rallies were put on pause in March to adhere to federal social distancing guidelines amid COVID-19, supporters should “never fear” and that Trump is “certain” rallies would return soon. “We will get back to those rallies. Never fear, the president is certain that we’re going to be back out there speaking directly to the American people.”

According to ABC News, Trump officials have already been discussing behind closed doors which states are “low risk” or how to implement social distancing at future rallies leading up to the 2020 election against leading Democratic candidate Joe Biden. The push for rallies goes against the guidance given by public health officials, who state it might not be safe to hold large gatherings of people until “the later part of 2021,” after a coronavirus vaccine has been developed and is widely available.