Trump delays N.H. campaign event, citing weather, as virus raises questions about the future of his rallies

WASHINGTON — President Trump’s Saturday night rally in Portsmouth, N.H., was supposed to give his reelection campaign a much needed boost as his polling numbers lag, a shot in the arm from the state that handed him his first blowout primary victory in 2016.

But locals — and prominent state Republicans — spent days telegraphing concerns that the outdoor gathering could fuel the spread of the coronavirus. And on Friday, Trump’s campaign abruptly postponed the rally, citing the threat of a tropical storm that was not forecast to affect the area during his speaking time.

“The rally scheduled for Saturday in Portsmouth, New Hampshire has been postponed for safety reasons because of Tropical Storm Fay,” said Tim Murtaugh, a campaign spokesman, in a statement. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters the event would be rescheduled in “a week or two.” Continue reading.