Trump planning White House rally for hundreds: reports

By Michael Hernandez

WASHINGTON (AA) - US President Donald Trump is planning to host hundreds of people at the White House for a political rally over the weekend, according to multiple media reports published Friday.

The White House has not issued the president's daily schedule for the weekend yet, but the reports, which cite anonymous officials, suggest he is planning to hold the event Saturday on the South Lawn.

Trump, who is still recovering after contracting the novel coronavirus, is planning to address the crowd from one of the White House's balcony.

The plans were first reported by ABC News.

The decision to hold the event comes after the last major gathering Trump hosted at the White house, his formal announcement of Amy Coney Barrett to fill the Supreme Court vacancy left by late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, is suspected of leading to several COVID-19-infections, including a number of top White House staff.

Speaking to CBS Radio on Friday, Dr. Anthony Fauci, the US's top infectious disease expert and member of Trump's coronavirus task force, called the Barrett ceremony a "super spreader event."

"It was in a situation where people were crowded together and went without wearing masks. So the data speak for themselves," he said.