Fauci: Nominating conventions may be able to go on as planned

Anthony Fauci, a top member of President Trump’s coronavirus task force, said Wednesday that it’s possible the party nominating conventions will be able to go on as planned in August if the coronavirus outbreak has dramatically subsided by then.

“I think we need to reserve judgment right now to see what the situation would be,” Fauci said in an appearance on CNN’s ‘Newsroom’.

“I mean if we have a really significant diminution of new cases and hospitalizations, and we’re at a level where it’s really very low, then again according to the guidelines you may be able to go to whatever phase you’re in, and that’s some sort of a capability of gathering.”

Gov. Roy Cooper (D-N.C.) has asked the Trump campaign for a plan on how it intends to move forward with its convention in Charlotte, which is scheduled to begin on Aug. 24.

Trump has threatened to pull the convention from North Carolina if Cooper does not quickly confirm that it can take place as planned.

The president has argued that the GOP is spending millions of dollars to build out the infrastructure for the convention, but that Cooper is “still in shutdown mood and unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the arena.”

Republicans say they fully intend to move ahead with plans to hold an in-person convention in August, despite uncertainty around the pandemic and warnings from public health officials to avoid large gatherings.

Democrats, meanwhile, have taken steps to scale back their planned convention in Milwaukee on Aug. 17. The party appears to be preparing to reduce the scope and size of the convention and potentially to take key elements of it online.

“I think we need to reserve judgment right now, because there are a still a few months from there. Hopefully, we will see that diminution,” Fauci said. “If we don’t ... I would have significant reservations about that.”