House Republicans have settled on Baltimore as the site for their annual policy retreat in the midst of President Trump’s diatribe against the city being a “rodent infested mess” overseen by “King” Elijah Cummings, The Washington Post reported on Monday.
The Baltimore Marriott Waterfront in downtown has been picked, two senior GOP officials who have helped in planning told The Post.
The news outlet also noted that the hotel is completely sold out Sept. 12-14 with other hotels having availability nearby.
This matches previous summits where the entire hotel was bought out, and Capitol Police only allowed representatives and authorized personnel in.
If Mr. Trump speaks at his party’s retreat, which presidents have done in the past, he will be speaking mere blocks away from Mr. Cummings’ district.
Mr. Cummings, Maryland Democrat, is the chairman of the House Oversight and Reform Committee.
Mr. Trump attacked Baltimore on Twitter Saturday as a “rat and rodent infested mess,” starting a feud with Mr. Cummings and adding that if Democrats support “King Elijah’s Baltimore Fail, it will be a long road to 2020.”
When people called the president’s attacks racist, he doubled down Sunday on Twitter.
“There is nothing racist in stating plainly what most people already know, that Elijah Cummings has done a terrible job for the people of his district, and of Baltimore itself. Dems always play the race card when they are unable to win with facts. Shame!” Mr. Trump tweeted.
• Bailey Vogt can be reached at bvogt@washingtontimes.com.
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