NORTH Carolina Gov Roy Cooper on Tuesday rejected the Republican Party's plans for a full-fledged convention in Charlotte this summer.

Cooper, a Democrat, told Republican officials the only way the convention can take place in August is with proper health protocols in place.

“The people of North Carolina do not know what the status of COVID-19 will be in August, so planning for a scaled-down convention with fewer people, social distancing and face coverings is a necessity," Cooper wrote in a letter to the Republican National Committee.

"With the Nation, the State of North Carolina and the City of Charlotte still under states of emergency, it's important to conduct the RNC convention accordingly," Cooper said.

"As much as we want the conditions surrounding COVID-19 to be favorable enough for you to hold the Convention you describe in late August, it is very unlikely. Neither public health officials nor I will risk the health and safety of North Carolinians by providing the guarantee you seek."

Before the pandemic, President Donald Trump and Republican lawmakers have said they wanted a 50,000-person event.

Last week, Trump said he was thinking about relocating the Republican National Convention if Cooper didn't lift coronavirus restrictions.

Trump tweeted that he loves "the Great State of North Carolina, so much so that I insisted on having the Republican National Convention in Charlotte at the end of August."

"Unfortunately, Democrat Governor, @RoyCooperNC is still in Shutdown mood & unable to guarantee that by August we will be allowed full attendance in the Arena."

"In other words, we would be spending millions of dollars building the Arena to a very high standard without even knowing if the Democrat Governor would allow the Republican Party to fully occupy the space."

Trump continued: "Plans are being made by many thousands of enthusiastic Republicans, and others, to head to beautiful North Carolina in August."
The president said "they must be immediately given an answer by the Governor as to whether or not the space will be allowed to be fully occupied."

"If not, we will be reluctantly forced to find, with all of the jobs and economic development it brings, another Republican National Convention site."

The convention, during which the Republican Party will formally choose who they nominate to run for president, is scheduled to be held from August 24 to 27.

Republicans chose the major city of Charlotte — over Las Vegas — for their convention in July 2018.

Vi Lyles, Charlotte's first black female mayor, said at the time: “We’re a growing center of diversity and inclusiveness in the New South, and we’re going to show you the true meaning of Southern hospitality.”

North Carolina backed former President Barack Obama in the 2008 election, but backed Trump in 2016.

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