Trump says he'll give his convention speech from 1 of 2 spots — but both might be illegal

(Image credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Image)

published 10 August 2020

President Trump said Monday he has narrowed his options for the site of his presidential nomination acceptance speech, which would normally be given at the site of the Republican convention, but will be relocated because of the coronavirus pandemic. The two finalists — the White House and the Gettysburg Battlefield — will surely spark controversy for various reasons, including the possibility they may be illegal.

Trump had touted the White House as a possible site for the speech last week, noting that it would save the government on travel expenses. Even some Republicans were wary of the idea, citing the Hatch Act, which limits political work while on the job in an official federal capacity. Trump, as president, is exempt from the law, but White House staffers who would theoretically work the event aren't, The Associated Press reports. Giving the speech at Gettysburg is seemingly less blatant, but it is federal property, as well.

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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.

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