Those registering for Donald Trump’s massive rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, next week will notice a message on his campaign website when they sign up: You may contract Covid-19 at the rally, but it’s not Trump’s fault.
The legal disclaimer is the closest Trump has come in weeks to acknowledging that the coronavirus is still rapidly spreading across much of the country. The number of cases leapt past 2 million this week while outbreaks grow in 21 states and more than a dozen see record surges.
But that isn’t stopping his return to holding rallies on June 19, a day recognised as the end of slavery in the US. The Tulsa rally venue ― an indoor arena with a 19,000-person capacity ― is a prime breeding ground for the virus to spread, especially if basic safety measures aren’t put into effect. In its message to registrants, the Trump campaign says catching the virus is “an inherent risk” of attending
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. By attending the Rally, you and any guests voluntarily assume all risks related to exposure to Covid-19 and agree not to hold Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.; BOK Center; ASM Global; or any of their affiliates, directors, officers, employees, agents, contractors, or volunteers liable for any illness or injury.
By agreeing not to hold Trump or others involved in the event liable if they get sick, attendees waive their right to sue.
“We are looking forward to the tremendous crowds and enthusiasm behind President Trump,” Michael Glassner, the Trump campaign’s chief operating officer, said in a statement announcing the rally.
The registration page doesn’t note any social distancing guidelines that will be in effect at the rally and does not note that the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends people wear masks indoors when it’s difficult to keep a safe distance from others. People at Trump’s rallies are generally packed shoulder to shoulder.
Though cases, hospitalisations and deaths continue to climb in many of the states that have reopened their economies, Trump hasn’t changed his tune on the dangers of the pandemic and insists that everything is under control. Bucking guidance from the CDC and those on his own coronavirus task force, Trump rarely wears a mask in public and has scheduled more rallies in states that are struggling to contain the virus.