White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows says he does not want President Donald Trump to deliver his convention speech on the White House grounds.
During an interview on āFull Court Pressā with Greta Van Susteren, which aired on Sunday, Meadows addressed Trumpās recent suggestion that he could give his convention speech at the White House.
āThose decisions are still in flux, but I can tell you what Iām advocating for is miles and miles away from here,ā Meadows said.
During an interview on āFox & Friendsā on Wednesday, Trump said, āWeāre thinking about doing it from the White House because thereās no movement and itās easy.ā
āIāll probably do mine live from the White House,ā he added.
Trump suggested that the White House would be the āeasiest alternativeā as well as the āthe least expensive from the countryās standpoint.ā
Trumpās comments led social media users to question if giving his speech at the White House would be a violation of the Hatch Act. That law āprohibits federal employees from engaging in political activities while on duty, in a government room or building, while wearing an official uniform, or while using a government vehicle.ā
While presidents and vice presidents are not subject to the law, some raised concerns that by holding his speech at the White House, Trump would be ordering his subordinates to break the law.
His suggestionĀ drew criticismĀ from House SpeakerĀ Nancy PelosiĀ (D-Calif.) who said, āFor the president of the United States to degrade ā once again ā the White House as he has done over and over again, by saying heās going to completely politicize it is something that should be rejected right out of hand.ā
āItās again notion mongering, not serious thinking. It wonāt happen, letās put it that way, whether itās legally wrong or ethically out of the question, it shouldnāt even be something that was expressed,ā she added.
