Trump Threatens To Pull GOP Convention Over NC 'Shutdown Mood'

CHARLOTTE, NC — Making a point of calling out Democrat Gov. Roy Cooper, President Donald Trump threatened via tweet Monday to the pull the Republican National Convention from Charlotte if that state couldn’t guarantee “full attendance” at the convention.

The convention is scheduled for late August at the Spectrum Center.

In a series of tweets, Trump wrote:

“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, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena. In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space. Plans are being made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August. They must 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. This is not something I want to do. Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!”

Vice President Mike Pence characterized the tweet on Fox News’ Fox and Friends as a “very reasonable request” of Gov. Cooper.

“We look forward to working with Gov. Cooper, getting a swift response and if need be moving the national convention to a state that is farther along on reopening and can say with confidence that we can gather there,” Pence said.

Trump may not be able to make that call, though, according to Charlotte City Council member Ed Driggs.

The Charlotte Observer reports that Driggs, a Republican, said that he wasn’t sure another city could pull together a convention of that size in just a few months. He also noted that the city council had already accepted in April a $50 million federal security grant for the convention.

“The president is known for dramatic gestures,” Driggs told the Observer. “I don’t know whether that tweet by him is supported by the Republican Party and all the people with whom we have been in negotiation for a couple of years.”

Many North Carolina businesses were allowed to reopen on May 22. U.S. Sen. Thom Tillis, a Republican, told the Observer that he had spoken with Charlotte Mayor Vi Lyles and that she supported holding the convention.

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, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020

...full attendance in the Arena. In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space. Plans are being....
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020

...made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August. They must 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...
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020

...to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site. This is not something I want to do. Thank you, and I LOVE the people of North Carolina!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 25, 2020