In reversal, Trump says he’ll accept GOP nomination in North Carolina

CHARLOTTE — President Donald Trump on Monday night said that he will accept the Republican nomination in North Carolina as initially planned, marking a reversal after he attempted to move portions of the party’s convention out of the state.

“I’ll be in North Carolina, and that’s a very big deal because we have a lot of the delegates there and that’ll be a nomination process,” Trump told CNN affiliate WRAL. “And that’s essentially where the nomination, where it’s formalized. And I’m really honored to do it in North Carolina.”

The President said he would reveal more specifics about his speech -- including the location -- probably by the end of this week or early next week.

The announcement comes days after Trump announced plans to hold convention activities in Jacksonville, Florida had been scrapped. The convention had been moved to The Sunshine State from Charlotte after Gov. Roy Cooper raised concerns about holding public gatherings during the coronavirus pandemic.

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“I looked at my team and I said the timing for this event is not right. It’s just not right,” Trump said at the White House on Thursday. “To have a big convention, it’s not the right time. There’s nothing more important in our country than keeping our people safe.”

Scaled back events would still be held in Charlotte, Trump also said. He said Republicans will plan something “exciting,” but that it will be “nothing like having 25,000 people.”

The plans to scrap events in Florida came as the number of confirmed coronavirus cases spiked in the state.

On Tuesday, North Carolina reported 1,244 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 -- more than any other day since the virus began in the state in March.