Trump might hold 2020 rallies at drive-in theaters

Rapper Alligatoah performs at the Georg Schutz drive-in cinema
(Image credit: Andreas Rentz/Getty Images))

Tonight's feature presentation: a Trump rally?

President Trump is hoping to continue holding political rallies during the coronavirus pandemic, and The Daily Beast reports his advisers are considering turning to drive-in movie theaters to allow him to do so.

Trump's aides and operatives have reportedly spent several weeks pitching ideas for socially-distanced versions of the large rallies the president loves, and "repurposing drive-ins for a political gathering" is reportedly one of the most popular ideas. "Attendees would roll up in their cars and be required to mostly remain in their respective vehicles as the president addressed them in-person from the outdoor stage," the report says.

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Drive-in theaters have been experiencing something of a revival during the coronavirus crisis while major theater chains shutter, although the Beast notes there are only about 300 of them in the United States.

Trump said at a recent briefing that "I hope we can do rallies" again because "for me, it's a tremendous way of getting the word out," and his campaign last month said he's "looking forward to getting back out on the campaign trail and holding rallies." Health experts, however, have warned that large gatherings of this kind may not be safe until 2021.

Former Vice President Joe Biden in recent weeks has been holding virtual campaign rallies from his home, a fact Trump mocked him for on Friday, telling Fox & Friends he'd "love to see him get out of the basement so he can speak."

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Brendan Morrow

Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.