Trump coming to Pittsburgh? National reporters say it's in the works

Itching to jump out of quarantine and back onto the campaign trail, President Donald Trump could be planning a visit to Pittsburgh early next week, according to national political reporters.

Maggie Haberman, a White House correspondent with The New York Times, first posted to Twitter Wednesday evening that Trump could come, possibly as early as Monday — and not to the delight of local elected officials.

TRUMP campaign is exploring having him hold an event (not a rally) in Pittsburgh on Monday, per 3 ppl familiar with the discussions. They're setting up possible travel plans for him all week, with later in the week seeming more solid.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) October 7, 2020

Haberman’s insider tip, which she claimed came from three sources, was backed up by Monica Alba, a political reporter with NBC News. The Trump “campaign is trying to figure out how to make that work,” Alba tweeted, citing a source familiar with the planning.

Confirming @maggieNYT: the president is eager to get back on the trail & his campaign is trying to figure out how to make that work, per a person familiar with the planning. Unclear when physicians will clear him to travel but Trump wants to be on road before/after Miami debate. https://t.co/TK9A9zgMLI

— Monica Alba (@albamonica) October 8, 2020

The president announced Friday at 1 a.m. on Twitter that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus. A number of people who attended the Sept. 26 White House Rose Garden announcement ceremony of U.S. Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Coney Barrett have also tested positive.

On Friday evening, Trump went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md. He returned to the White House on Monday night.

Neither Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto nor Allegheny County Executive Rich Fitzgerald were pleased to hear Trump might soon come to town, per posts each made on social media.

I thought those who even were in the presence of COVID-19 are to quarantine for 14 days? One sure way that Pittsburgh’s residents can be heard...

Vote...like your life depends on it. https://t.co/k6vQqlDMAX

— bill peduto (@billpeduto) October 8, 2020

Peduto questioned whether people infected with the coronavirus are to quarantine for 14 days. Monday would mark nearly 11 days since Trump announced he tested positive for the virus.

Fitzgerald took to Twitter to suggest a presidential visit could undermine progress made to reduce the number of new coronavirus cases in Allegheny County.

Thanks but no thanks.

After a spike this summer, we are doing very well on stopping the spread of #COVID19.

We won't jeopardize that success & I hope the *President of the United States* would never deliberately try to do so. https://t.co/rhSLSrrnSV

— Rich Fitzgerald (@votefitz) October 8, 2020

No details about a Pittsburgh event have been posted to Trump’s campaign website, though Lara Trump — the wife of the president’s son Eric — is scheduled today to be in New Castle, Lawrence County, as part of a Women for Trump Bus Tour.