- The Washington Times - Monday, May 17, 2021

Former President Donald Trump will deliver headliner remarks at the North Carolina Republican Party’s state convention in Greenville on June 5.

The state GOP said Mr. Trump will address the convention dinner at 5 p.m. as the ex-president tries to maintain his profile and play kingmaker within the Republican Party.

“President Trump won North Carolina in 2016 by promising to put America First, and he won North Carolina in 2020 by keeping that promise,” North Carolina GOP Chairman Michael Whatley said. “President Trump delivered real results for North Carolina by rebuilding the military, standing strong against China, and unleashing the American economy. We are honored to welcome President Trump to our convention as the Republican Party launches our campaign to retake Congress and the Senate in the 2022 midterms.”

Mr. Trump is tucked away at his private club in Florida, but he has tried to stay in the limelight through a series of formal statements — he’s banned from Twitter — and cable and radio interviews as he attempts to remain relevant before the 2022 midterm elections and a possible 2024 bid.

He spoke at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando in March, and the North Carolina dinner is another notable foray onto the stage.

Mr. Trump is maintaining a firm grip on the GOP even as some Republicans say it’s time to move on, citing the former president’s rhetoric about the 2020 election being stolen from him and the resulting violence at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.

• Tom Howell Jr. can be reached at thowell@washingtontimes.com.

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