Trump understands the stakes and is pushing ahead despite pleas from some health officials in Oklahoma to delay Saturday’s rally in Tulsa until the region has a better handle on the coronavirus.
TULSA — President Donald Trump’s Saturday rally in Tulsa is shaping up to be one of the biggest indoor events in the U. S. since the coronavirus pandemic — and officials expect a crowd of 100,000 people or more downtown, with clashes already sparking between protesters and supporters. Trump is looking to reverse a decline in his political fortunes by returning to the format that has so often energized himself and his base: a raucous, no-holds-barred rally before thousands of ardent supporters. He’s pushing forward despite pleas from some health officials — and his camp is not guaranteeing mask-wearing and social distancing. Here is everything you need to know about Saturday’s rally:Trump has two events scheduled for his Tulsa visit. First, he will speak outside at 6 p.m. CT for what the White House called a “Great American Comeback Celebration” event, according to the New York Times. Then, his “Make America Great Again!” rally is scheduled to begin inside downtown Tulsa’s BOK Center at 7 p.m. CT. Doors open at 3 p.m. CT. The rally may be the biggest indoor events in the U. S. since large gatherings were shut down due to COVID-19 concerns. Dr. Bruce Dart, the Tulsa City-County Health Department’s director, said he wished the Trump campaign would move the date back because of a “significant increase in our case trends.””I’m concerned about our ability to protect anyone who attends a large, indoor event, and I’m also concerned about our ability to ensure the president stays safe as well,” he told the Tulsa World. Trump, however, has dismissed complaints that bringing together throngs for an indoor rally risked spreading the coronavirus as nothing more than politics.”Big crowds and lines already forming in Tulsa. My campaign hasn’t started yet. It starts on Saturday night in Oklahoma!” Trump tweeted Friday. Oklahoma’s Supreme Court on Friday rejected a request to require everyone attending Trump’s rally in a 19,000-seat arena to wear a face mask and maintain social distancing inside the arena to guard against the spread of the coronavirus. Oklahoma has seen a recent spike in coronavirus cases, setting a daily high on Thursday of 450.
