Trump to hold rally in Florida ahead of Fourth of July

Former President Donald Trump will attend a rally in Sarasota, Florida on Saturday, in his first large campaign-style event since he lost the presidential election. His appearance comes after the Trump Organization and Allen Weisselberg, its chief financial officer, pleaded not guilty to a slew of charges in an alleged tax fraud scheme on Thursday.

Mr. Trump's appearance in Florida also comes after the partial collapse of a condominium in Surfside, Florida that killed at least 22 people and left more than 100 unaccounted for. According to a report last week by the Washington Examiner, a conservative outlet, Mr. Trump ignored pleas from Florida Governor Ron DeSantis to postpone his rally in the wake of the disaster. However, the governor's office denied that DeSantis wants to postpone the rally, the Sarasota Herald-Tribune reported. DeSantis has been a staunch supporter of the president, but he is also a potential rival for the Republican nomination in 2024. The Florida governor has gained popularity in the party for his response to the coronavirus pandemic and his outspokenness on ideological issues that resonate with Republican voters, such as support for restrictive voting measures and opposition to critical race theory. But DeSantis is toeing a fine line as he raises his own profile, as he will want Mr. Trump's support for his reelection race as governor in 2022.