Trump cancels parts of Republican convention in Florida due to coronavirus pandemic

U.S. President Donald Trump announced Thursday that he has cancelled segments of the Republican National Convention scheduled for Florida next month, citing a “flare-up” of the coronavirus.

Convention events will still be held in North Carolina.

“To have a big convention is not the right time,” Trump said of Jacksonville.

Trump moved parts of the GOP convention to Florida last month amid a dispute with North Carolina’s Democratic leaders over holding an event indoors with maskless supporters.

But those plans were steadily scaled back as virus cases spiked in Florida and much of the country over the last month.

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A small subset of GOP delegates will still gather in Charlotte, North Carolina, to formally renominate Trump on Aug. 24. Trump said he would deliver an acceptance speech in an alternate form.

5:15 Coronavirus: Trump says cancelling Florida portion of GOP convention is ‘setting an example’