Republican officials reportedly want to make sure former President Donald Trump will be able to address the Republican National Convention in July from anywhere he chooses — or from where he is legally forced to remain.
Trump could be sentenced to home confinement after his felony fraud conviction in New York, NBC News reported.
Preparations are being made at Trump's home at Mar-a-Lago in Florida and in Milwaukee which is hosting the convention next month, if Trump decides to make appearances from afar or be unable to attend, the news outlet reported, citing two unnamed sources.
But Brian Hughes, the campaign's senior adviser, told NBC News "at no time has convention planning involved any option than President Trump in person to accept his formal nomination as president."
Trump faces a fine, probation or prison time — and has told NBC News he's "OK" with the prospect of jail time or house arrest.
According to NBC News, in case of a potential house arrest, the RNC is setting up convention-themed staging at Mar-a-Lago, along with a massive screen at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, where most convention activities will take place.
"This will give President Trump an opportunity to participate in more days of the convention if he chooses to," one unnamed source said.
RNC chair Michael Whatley called the event staging "the centerpiece of a world-class production and a historic experience," and wrote: "Synthesizing technological innovation and artistic vision, our dynamic stage design will be at the center of a historic Republican National Convention."
NBC News reported one source saying the person who viewed the convention site said the idea of Trump's being under house arrest was not discussed, and that there's a chance Trump could just choose to hold convention-related events from Mar-a-Lago.
"As with every convention there are components involving the nominee outside the convention hall and inside the convention hall," Hughes told NBC News. "This convention will undoubtedly include these components for President Trump."
In a Thursday meeting with lawmakers in Washington D.C., Trump allegedly called Milwaukee "a horrible city" and said it was overrun by crime, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported.
His campaign declined to comment on how being remote for some, or all, of the convention would affect the timing of Trump's announcement about a VP running mate.
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