GREENSBORO, N.C. — President Donald Trump told reporters that the Republican National Convention in North Carolina looks to be in "great shape" despite the coronavirus.
“We have no contingency plan. We’re having the convention at the end of August, and we think by the end of August we’re going to be in great shape. It’s going to be in North Carolina, Charlotte, and I think we’re going to have a great convention.”
The convention is slated to run from Monday, August 24 through Thursday, August 27.
President Trump's comment comes after the Democratic National Convention was pushed back one month to the week of August 17. Convention CEO Joe Solmonese confirmed the decision in a statement.
“In our current climate of uncertainty, we believe the smartest approach is to take additional time to monitor how this situation unfolds so we can best position our party for a safe and successful convention,” Solmonese said.
Democrats were originally scheduled to convene July 13-16 in Milwaukee.
Biden on Wednesday night told NBC late-night comedian Jimmy Fallon that he doubted "whether the Democratic convention is going to be able to be held” on its original July 13-16 schedule in Milwaukee.
“I think it’s going to have to move into August,” Biden said. "You just have to be prepared for the alternative, and the alternative — we don’t know what it’s going to be.”
Those comments are the furthest Biden had gone in predicting a delay for the convention, which would mark the start of the general election campaign. The coronavirus pandemic is forcing Democrats and Republicans to take a close look at whether they'll be able to move forward as planned with their summer conventions.
