U.S. President Donald Trump has freely blended his campaign with the federal government during this week’s Republican convention, staging a series of events pushing the limits of laws prohibiting government employees from engaging in politics.
On Tuesday, Trump held a naturalization ceremony for new citizens, recorded at the White House and aired hours later as part of the Republican convention programming. Vice President Mike Pence delivered his keynote address Wednesday from another piece of federal property, Fort McHenry in Baltimore, Maryland. The party’s festivities return to the White House on Thursday for Trump’s address.
The scenes provoked outrage from Trump’s critics, who say the convention has violated a law called the Hatch Act. But White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said Wednesday that average Americans don’t care, calling the concerns "hooplah.”