Trump to resume in-person fundraisers in June
President Trump will headline in-person fundraisers next month, ending his re-election campaign's temporary pause on in-person political events due to the onset of COVID-19.
According to a senior campaign official, Mr. Trump is slated to host a June 11th event at a private home in Dallas. He will also attend an outdoor fundraiser at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey on June 1. Just 80 miles north, the president is also slated to deliver the commencement address for the class of 2020 at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, the same day.
Political organizers are working to ensure event's safety for the president and his supporters, limiting to roughly 25 attendees total per fundraiser. The White House medical unit and Secret Service plan to evaluate all guests before they are admitted to fundraisers. Venues will be cleaned and sanitized prior to entry. Each attendee will be required to test negative for the coronavirus on the day of the event, pass a temperature screening, and fill out a health questionnaire. Costs for administering the tests will be covered by the Trump campaign and RNC joint fundraising committees.
The president's return to the fundraising circuit coincides with his administration's efforts to reopen the country. The number of infections has been decreasing nationwide, and Dr. Deborah Birx, who runs the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said the fatality rate is also "down significantly week over week," but some states are seeing increases in infections and many state and local lawmakers and medical professionals are remain concerned about reopening too quickly. Mr. Trump has publicly and privately pushed to host a traditional GOP national convention in Charlotte come August, even as North Carolina officials express concerns over health and safety.
Twelve weeks have passed since the president last attended an in-person political fundraiser. His most recent one took place on March 6 at his Mar-a-Lago estate. The Florida outing marked the president's sixth fundraiser this year and his 99th since assuming office.
Politico was the first to report this story.
Mark Knoller and Sara Cook contributed to this report.