WHAT VIRUS?

Trump Says He’s Moving GOP Convention After N.C. Governor Can’t Promise Packed Hall

The president wants a full convention hall. North Carolina’s governor couldn’t make that promise because of the coronavirus.

President Donald Trump announced Tuesday night on Twitter that he would be looking to move the Republican convention from Charlotte after the governor of North Carolina could not provide assurances that he could fill the convention hall. “Because of @NC_Governor,” he wrote, “we are now forced to seek another State to host the 2020 Republican National Convention.” Earlier in the day, that governor, Democrat Roy Cooper, had written a letter to officials at the Republican National Committee saying the possibility of the coronavirus lingering in the state or re-emerging made it impossible for him to say with certainty whether he could allow for full attendance when convention-goers gather Aug. 24-27. The RNC had been pressing Cooper for more specific guidance on his plans for the convention. And Trump had been itching for a commitment that he would be able to host a boisterous reception to mark his official renomination. Several other states have offered to be more accommodating to Trump’s demands, including Florida and Tennessee, both of which are run by Republicans and both of which have pursued more aggressive reopening strategies.