Trump cancels trip to Alabama football game amid looming hurricane

US President Donald Trump on ​Friday canceled a planned ​trip to Alabama on ‌Saturday for ​a college football game with a hurricane expected to impact the city where the Alabama-Georgia ‌contest is to be played. Trump still plans to speak at a campaign rally in Clarksville, Tennessee, on Saturday, in support of Republican candidates ahead ‌of the November 3 midterm elections, he said in a social ‌media post.

Trump had planned to go to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, for the game on Saturday night between the No. 2 ranked Georgia Bulldogs and No. 6 Alabama Crimson ⁠Tide. He ​said that due ⁠to Hurricane Isaias it is important to have first responders focused on helping ⁠people, "and in no way be thinking about the safety, or presence, of the ​President of the United States, ME!"

"Therefore, I will miss that potentially ⁠unbelievable Game, Alabama vs. Georgia but, hopefully, the Game will go on despite the ⁠weather!" ​he said. Hurricane Isaias strengthened on Thursday as it barreled toward the US Gulf Coast, prompting mandatory evacuations in parts of Florida and ⁠emergency declarations in Alabama as forecasters warned of life-threatening storm surges, tornadoes and ⁠flooding.

The projected ⁠path of the storm included Tuscaloosa. Trump said he would be visiting both of the football teams at ‌a later ‌date.

(Reporting By Steve Holland; editing ​by Michelle Nichols)