Democratic D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser is holding up the Trump campaign’s plans to host an election night party at Trump Hotel in Washington, D.C., President Donald Trump announced Friday.
Trump says he is likely to move the November 3rd event to the White House, a move that may draw criticism as violating the Hatch Act. Trump’s comments to reporters came hours after the New York Times initially reported the president had cancelled the Trump Hotel event and would stay at the White House on election night. Eric Trump also confirmed to Fox News that the party was not being canceled, but was being moved.
“No, we’re thinking about moving it, actually, over to the White House for — we’re looking at that right now, and it’s going to be a great night. It’s going to be a really, really beautiful night,” Eric Trump said.
President Trump just said his plans for an election night party at the Trump hotel are being held up by DC Mayor Muriel Bowser who has imposed restrictions on numbers. He said his plans aren’t yet settled and that he will “probably” stay at the White House.
— Yamiche Alcindor (@Yamiche) October 30, 2020
The event will be the second overtly political event Trump has held at the White House during the 2020 election cycle. Trump also held the final night of the Republican National Convention (RNC) at the White House. It was the first time a sitting president had ever chosen to accept his party’s nomination at the nation’s executive residence. (RELATED: RNC Abruptly Cancels Tuesday Night Speaker After She Tweeted Anti-Semitic Conspiracy Theory Hours Before Her Speech)
Trump faced criticism at the time for using federal resources and buildings for political purposes, in violation of the Hatch Act. He is likely to face the same criticisms again for his planned election night party.