Secretary of State Mike Pompeo may speak virtually at the Republican National Convention on Tuesday from an “undisclosed location” in Israel, according to Axios.
Pompeo will be in Jerusalem representing the U.S. in its ongoing push to create more Arab-Israeli connections following the deal it helped broker between Israel and the United Arab Emirates to normalize relations.
Typically, secretaries of state have avoided speaking during political events. Many have questioned whether taxpayers are footing the bill for a campaign speech at a national convention, the New York Post reports.
But Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel said the GOP will pay for all convention events.
She told CBS News’ “Face the Nation” host Margaret Brennan that “events that we’ve put forward from the RNC and the campaign are going to be paid for by the convention from the RNC and the campaign.”
“Everything that we’ve put together has changed because of COVID,” McDaniel said. “The president rightly said we’re going to leave Jacksonville because we don’t want to have resources taken away from a city that’s dealing with a pandemic. And he brought it back to the White House, which is his residence.”
Brennan asked McDaniel whether Pompeo’s trip will be reimbursed by the campaign.
“I am not confirming anything having to do with Secretary Pompeo’s trip. I am just saying the programming, the staging, everything that we’re doing will be paid for by the Republican National Committee and the campaign,” McDaniel said.
Trump’s plan to accept his bid for office from the White House has raised controversy. Some say Trump will be in violation of the Hatch Act. But the White House’s Office of Special Counsel has maintained that Trump is not covered by the Hatch Act, even though other West Wing staffers are.
First lady Melania Trump is scheduled to address the RNC from the White House on Tuesday.
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