Donald Trump Announces Jacksonville Convention Is Canceled

CLEVELAND, OH - JULY 21: Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump acknowledges the crowd at the end of the Republican National Convention on July 21, 2016 at the Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland, Ohio. Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump received the number of votes needed to secure the party's nomination. An estimated 50,000 people are expected in Cleveland, including hundreds of protesters and members of the media. The four-day Republican National Convention kicked off on July 18. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)

It looks like Donald Trump won’t get the convention coronation he so wanted in Jacksonville. Today during his coronavirus briefing he said:

“I told my team it’s time to cancel the Jacksonville component of the GOP convention. I’ll still do a convention speech in a different form, but we won’t do a big crowded convention.”

BREAKING: President Trump announces that Jacksonville, Florida component of the Republican National Convention is cancelled.

President Trump: “To have a big convention, it’s not the right time. … I have to protect the American people.” pic.twitter.com/ymEV7VV4S7
— Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) July 23, 2020

While Trump made it appear like this was his decision, it really seems he had no choice but to cancel. On Wednesday, Slate reported:

Jacksonville Sheriff Mike Williams said safely hosting the event as constituted is no longer an option. In a briefing with reporters Monday, the Republican sheriff said his office was “past the point of no return to execute the event with safety and security that is our obligation.”

Trump also blamed the media in part for canceling saying that the media would say “it’s not safe.”

So @realDonaldTrump now decides on a virtual convention after berating @JoeBiden and the DNC who made the same call 2 months ago?

Notice Biden is always months ahead of Trump on EVERYTHING.
— Chris D. Jackson (@ChrisDJackson) July 23, 2020