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 “Full Court Press” with Greta Van Susteren, which aired on Sunday, Meadows addressed Trump’s recent suggestion that he could give his convention speech at the White House.
“Those decisions are still in flux, but I can tell you what I’m advocating for is miles and miles away from here,” Meadows said.
During an interview on “Fox & Friends” on Wednesday, Trump said, “We’re thinking about doing it from the White House because there’s no movement and it’s easy.”
“I’ll probably do mine live from the White House,” he added.
Trump suggested that the White House would be the “easiest alternative” as well as the “the least expensive from the country’s standpoint.”
Trump’s 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 “prohibits 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.”
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.
Here we go …. again.
— Richard W. Painter (@RWPUSA) August 5, 2020
A staged political event at the White House. Every White House staff member who participates in this violates the Hatch Act.
Trump may deliver convention acceptance speech from the South Lawn of the White House. https://t.co/3OT7q4uRK5
His suggestion drew criticism from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) who said, “For the president of the United States to degrade — once again — the White House as he has done over and over again, by saying he’s going to completely politicize it is something that should be rejected right out of hand.”
“It’s again notion mongering, not serious thinking. It won’t happen, let’s put it that way, whether it’s legally wrong or ethically out of the question, it shouldn’t even be something that was expressed,” she added.
