Trump’s speech will begin at 6:40 p.m. EDT, according to the White House, and take place inside Dream City Church in Phoenix. The rally itself will begin about two hours earlier, according to reports from several outlets.
Dream City Church serves as the venue for Tuesday’s day-long political convention, organized by affiliate groups Students for Trump and Turning Point USA. Trump’s remarks, which the White House and Students for Trump refer to as an “Address to Young Americans,” will be available to watch online via live stream. The White House and Students for Trump will live stream his speech on YouTube and Facebook, respectively.
Before arriving in Phoenix on Tuesday, Trump will discuss “border security” during a roundtable briefing in Yuma, where the 200th mile of the United States-Mexico border wall he set out to construct in 2016 was recently completed. In a statement to Newsweek Tuesday morning, the White House confirmed Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Chad Wolf, Acting DHS Deputy Secretary Ken Cuccinelli and Acting Customs and Border Protection Commissioner Mark Morgan will also participate in the briefing, alongside other officials.
“In Yuma, President Trump will receive a briefing on the overall construction of the wall on the southwest border. The president will then participate in a roundtable discussion with local community and elected leaders on border security,” the White House stated. Trump will “tour the wall” following the discussion, it added.
The White House and Students for Trump did not reply to Newsweek’s request for comments regarding the upcoming rally in time for publication.
Trump’s upcoming visit to Arizona follows a rally held in Tulsa, Oklahoma, on Saturday, the first major speaking event associated with his presidential reelection campaign since the start of the novel coronavirus pandemic. It will take place amid a significant spike in virus cases and hospitalizations reported by Arizona health officials throughout June, which led officials in Phoenix to implement an order mandating residents to wear face masks in public spaces that went into effect on Saturday. Government leaders in other Arizona cities, including Scottsdale, have imposed similar orders in response to rising case counts.
Phoenix Mayor Kate Gallego issued a statement on Monday regarding Trump’s appearance at Tuesday’s Dream City Church rally. In it, she urged the president and those attending the event to comply with Phoenix’s face mask requirements. Gallego’s statement referenced the church’s intentions to distribute masks to attendees and check temperatures upon entry.
“Tomorrow, the president will be hosting a campaign rally at a private church in North Phoenix. The event was not sanctioned or permitted by the City of Phoenix, as the city does not permit political events. Furthermore, it does not abide by current CDC guidelines during COVID-19,” the mayor’s statement read. “While I do not believe an event of this magnitude can be held safely, particularly as Arizona sees rising COVID cases, the president has decided to continue with this rally.”
KTAR News’s Monday report cited comments from a Students for Trump field director who estimated an audience of several thousand will be present at the event. The field director told the outlet use of face masks will be encouraged but not required.
A warning message that appears on Students for Trump’s rally registration page notes the risks of attendees’ possible exposure to the virus.
“By clicking register below, you are acknowledging that an inherent risk of exposure to COVID-19 exists in any public place where people are present,” the message states “By attending this convention, you and any guest voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to COVID-19 and agree not to hold Turning Point Action, their affiliates, Dream City Church, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.”
