Citing daily street protests, Trump campaign to resume rallies

US President Donald Trump said Wednesday that he would launch rallies soon in four states, including the battleground of Florida, signaling a rapid restart to his election campaign after the coronavirus pandemic stalled it.

Trump said he’ll start in Oklahoma on Friday next week, before heading to Florida, Arizona and North Carolina.

“We’re going to be starting our rallies. We believe the first one will probably be … in Oklahoma, Tulsa, Oklahoma. Beautiful new venue, brand new. They’re looking forward to it. They’ve done a great job with COVID, as you know,” he told reporters at the White House.

“They’re all going to be big.”

A supporter of US President Donald Trump holds an election poster as he participates in a Freedom Rally protest in support of opening Florida in South Beach in Miami, on May 10, 2020. (File photo: AFP)

 

Raucous rallies have been a hallmark of Trump’s presidency and a key to energizing his base, which he hopes will turn out in big numbers on November 3. He is currently lagging in the polls against Democrat Joe Biden.

Job approval for the president is also down after his response to the coronavirus pandemic and the recent turmoil over police brutality, sparked by the death of an unarmed black man during his arrest in Minneapolis.

In this combination of file photos, former Vice President Joe Biden speaks in Wilmington, Del., on March 12, 2020, left, and President Donald Trump speaks at the White House in Washington on April 5, 2020. (File photo: AP)

 

Although the coronavirus remains a threat, his campaign now feels that the crowds at daily street protests have lifted the political pressure on Trump to avoid large gatherings of his own.

Trump’s campaign has so far not detailed how it will respect health precautions in an arena setting.