By Tim Reid
WILMINGTON, North Carolina (Reuters) – Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump abruptly canceled a campaign rally in North Carolina on Saturday due to an approaching storm, telling the crowd he was “devastated” and vowing to return to the state soon theater of the battle.
Trump called the outdoor rally from his private jet about 30 minutes before he arrived at a Wilmington airport, ordering everyone to leave immediately for safety as lightning struck overhead.
“I’m devastated that this could happen, but we want to keep everyone safe,” Trump said, his voice amplified over loudspeakers before thousands of supporters, many of whom had been lining up since early morning in hot, humid conditions .
“…I think we’re just going to have to do a rain check. I’m so sad,” Trump said.
The event was expected to occur after the first week of Trump’s historic criminal trial in New York, stemming from a hush-money payment to a porn star. Once jury selection was complete, opening statements were expected to begin Monday.
Trump, who faces Democratic President Joe Biden in the Nov. 5 general election, also faces criminal cases in Washington, Georgia and Florida, but the New York case is the only one certain to go to trial this year.
Both the Biden and Trump campaigns are aiming to win North Carolina, one of six or seven swing states that are likely to determine the outcome in November. Trump narrowly won the state in 2020 over Biden.
Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris traveled to North Carolina to campaign last month.