CHARLESTON, W.Va. — President Donald Trump’s planned visit to Morgantown this Wednesday has been canceled, Morgantown Police Chief Ed Preston told MetroNews today.
Appearing on MetroNews “Talkline,” Preston said local law enforcement had been working on the details of Trump’s planned visit this morning when confirmation came that Trump would instead be in Las Vegas to respond to the fatal mass shootings there.
Monongalia County Commissioner Tom Bloom also posted on his Facebook page the confirmation that Trump will not be coming to West Virginia this week. In a telephone conversation, Bloom said the decision had been confirmed via multiple sources.
A woman who answered the telephone in the White House press office this morning said, “That has not been confirmed. Once it has been confirmed, there will be a release on it.” She seemed to have been referring to the initial report of a visit by the president, though.
The president’s plans, which focused on a town hall discussion hosted by Fox News personality Sean Hannity, had been made prior to the mass shooting of concert-goers in Las Vegas.
The president also had planned a Tuesday trip this week to hurricane-struck Puerto Rico.
It was not immediately clear if Hannity’s appearance might still be on. The invitation-only event in Morgantown was to have been at 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Metropolitan Theatre.
Trump was to answer questions on topics including tax reform, the economy and the news of the day, Fox said in a news release.
Audience members including Democrats, Republicans and independents were expected to have had a chance to ask Trump questions once the sit-down interview was concluded.
Trump was last in West Virginia for a rally in Huntington on Aug. 3, which is when Gov. Jim Justice took the stage with the president to announce his switch from Democrat to Republican.
Just prior to that, Trump made a controversial speech at the Boy Scouts National Jamboree in Fayette County.
Hannity, who has been a Trump supporter, has done similar town hall events with Trump elsewhere.
Trump’s approval ratings in West Virginia — at 60 percent — were highest in the country, according to Gallup survey results released at mid-summer.
“I am thrilled to be back in the very, very beautiful state of West Virginia,” he said as he began his speech in Huntington. “And I am proud to stand before you and celebrate the hard-working people who are the absolute backbone of America. I love the people of this state. I love your grit, your spirit, and I love our coal miners — and they’re coming back strong.”