Washington, July 24 (RHC)-- U.S. President Donald Trump scrapped plans for a four-night Republican National Convention celebration in Jacksonville, Florida, that had been set to draw more than 10,000 people to a pandemic hot spot to mark his renomination.

"The timing for this event is not right," Trump said at a White House news briefing.  "It's just not right with what's happened recently, the flare-up in Florida.  To have a big convention, it's not the right time."

He said he ordered his aides to cancel the event "to protect the American people."  Trump said that Republican delegates would still be meeting in Charlotte, North Carolina, the original venue for the convention, on the week beginning August 24th.