WASHINGTON, Oct 9 (Reuters) – US President Donald Trump on Friday canceled a planned trip to Alabama on Saturday for a college football game with a hurricane expected to impact the city where the Alabama-Georgia contest is to be played.
Trump still plans to speak at a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday, in support of Republican candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections, he said in a social media post.
Trump had planned to go to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the game on Saturday night between the No. 2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs and No. 6 Alabama Crimson Tide.
He said that due to Hurricane Isaias it is important to have first responders focused on helping people, “and in no way be thinking about the safety, or presence, of the President of the United States, ME!”
“Therefore, I will miss that potentially unbelievable Game, Alabama vs. Georgia but, hopefully, the Game will go on despite the weather!” he said.
Hurricane Isaias strengthened on Thursday as it barreled toward the US Gulf Coast, prompting mandatory evacuations in parts of Florida and emergency declarations in Alabama as forecasters warned of life-threatening storm surges, tornadoes and flooding.
The projected path of the storm included Tuscaloosa.
Trump said he would be visiting both of the football teams at a later date.
(Reporting By Steve Holland; editing by Michelle Nichols)
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