Senior party officials met with Trump on Monday night to discuss plans for the Jacksonville event. While Democrats have decided to hold their convention virtually, the president has insisted on holding his convention in person despite concerns about the pandemic.
The president’s team is also beginning to plan exactly what the convention will be like. Tony Sayegh, a former Treasury Department official who also helped lead the White House defense of impeachment, is being hired to help schedule the convention. Sayegh will serve as a volunteer.
Lara Trump, the president’s daughter-in-law, will also take a broader role in shaping the convention. Two prominent West Wing attendees, Stephen Miller and Hope Hicks, will also play a role.
While planning for the convention generally takes place over two years, Republicans have just two months to host the event in Florida and raise tens of millions of dollars. Jeff Miller, one of the leading Republican fundraisers, has been tapped to help raise funds for the event.
Party officials say they remain flexible in determining how to proceed. In the letter, McDaniel writes that the afternoon scheduling will take place each night using a mix of “indoor and outdoor venues.”
Republicans expect the president to deliver his acceptance speech outdoors, but those plans have not been finalized, party officials say.
McDaniel’s letter also says the party plans to “implement a variety of health protocols,” including temperature controls, coronavirus testing, and disinfection.
“I want to reiterate that the RNC is working 24 hours to ensure that the convention celebration in Jacksonville continues to be an exciting and world-class event,” McDaniel wrote.
