Trump makes good on North Carolina threat, moves nomination acceptance speech to Florida

President Trump made good Thursday on his threat to punish North Carolina for its virus restrictions, as the GOP announced he will move his nomination acceptance speech this August to Jacksonville, Fla.

"We are thrilled to hold @realDonaldTrump 's acceptance of the Republican nomination in the great city of Jacksonville!" Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel wrote on Twitter in making the announcement on Thursday evening.

Trump had threatened to move all or part of the Republican nominating convention from its original host city of Charlotte, N.C., after that state's Democratic governor refused to commit he would lift coronavirus restrictions in time to allow large numbers of Republicans to gather for the August convention.

The GOP announcement said that "the official business of the national convention" will still take place in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Florida's Republican Gov. Ron DeSantis cheered the decision. "Florida is honored to host this special event where we will celebrate the re-nomination of President Donald J. Trump," he said according to the GOP announcement.

McDaniel noted the importance of the Sunshine State during the election. The key swing state will likely prove an important election battleground—Trump won Florida in 2016, but in 2008 and 2012 the state went to Barack Obama.