Donald Trump wears mask in public for first time
during Covid-19 pandemic
President wears face covering during visit to military
hospital as cases of coronavirus surge across the United States
Joanna
Walters and Bryan Armen Graham in New York
Published
onSat 11 Jul 2020 23.53 BST
Donald
Trump wore a mask in public for the first time during a visit to a military
hospital a short helicopter ride from the White House on Saturday evening. The
president’s decision to wear a mask came as cases of coronavirus surged to
record levels in the US and after aides and experts urged Trump to follow his
own government’s guidelines on face coverings.
Trump flew
to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Washington DC to
meet wounded service members and health care providers caring for Covid-19
patients.
As he left
the White House, Trump told reporters: “When you’re in a hospital, especially …
I think it’s expected to wear a mask.”
The only
other time Trump was spotted wearing a mask was behind the scenes during a tour
of a Ford plant in May, from which a picture emerged.
At the time
he refused to wear a mask in public because he said he didn’t want to give the
gathered press the pleasure.
In recent
weeks, several people working in proximity to the president have tested
positive for coronavirus. His son Donald Jr’s girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle,
tested positive for Covid-19 before Trump’s rally at Mount Rushmore on 3 July,
and the couple had to go into quarantine.
America is
breaking records for new coronavirus cases almost every day, and hospitals in
the new hotspots in southern and western states are under severe strain. Many
believe businesses in those areas reopened too soon, following repeated urgings
to do so by the president, without the virus being under control.
Trump wore
a dark-colored mask covering as he began his hospital visit on Saturday,
walking with an entourage who were also wearing masks.
Most
prominent Republicans at national level, including Vice President Mike Pence
and Senate leader Mitch McConnell have belatedly endorsed wearing masks in
recent days as the coronavirus has gained ground.
But Pence
and Trump had eschewed them during the early months of the pandemic when the
virus was raging through parts of California, the Seattle area and New York.
People
close to Trump have told the Associated Press that the president feared a mask
would make him look weak and was concerned that it shifted focus to the public
health crisis rather than the economic recovery.
While he
has not worn one himself, Trump has sent mixed signals about masks,
acknowledging that they are appropriate if worn indoors when people are close together.
Trump has
also accused reporters of wearing them to be “politically correct”, and has
retweeted messages making fun of the presumptive Democratic nominee for
president, Joe Biden, for wearing a mask.
The subject
has become politically divisive, with Republican senator Lamar Alexander
recently lamenting that masks should not be seen as pro-Democrat or anti-Trump.
Official US
federal government guidance recommends wearing cloth face coverings to slow the
spread of the coronavirus, especially when social distancing is not feasible.
The
Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.
President wears face covering during visit to military
hospital as cases of coronavirus surge across the United States
Joanna
Walters and Bryan Armen Graham in New York
Published
onSat 11 Jul 2020 23.53 BST
Donald
Trump wore a mask in public for the first time during a visit to a military
hospital a short helicopter ride from the White House on Saturday evening. The
president’s decision to wear a mask came as cases of coronavirus surged to
record levels in the US and after aides and experts urged Trump to follow his
own government’s guidelines on face coverings.
Trump flew
to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Washington DC to
meet wounded service members and health care providers caring for Covid-19
patients.
As he left
the White House, Trump told reporters: “When you’re in a hospital, especially …
I think it’s expected to wear a mask.”
The only
other time Trump was spotted wearing a mask was behind the scenes during a tour
of a Ford plant in May, from which a picture emerged.
At the time
he refused to wear a mask in public because he said he didn’t want to give the
gathered press the pleasure.
In recent
weeks, several people working in proximity to the president have tested
positive for coronavirus. His son Donald Jr’s girlfriend, Kimberly Guilfoyle,
tested positive for Covid-19 before Trump’s rally at Mount Rushmore on 3 July,
and the couple had to go into quarantine.
America is
breaking records for new coronavirus cases almost every day, and hospitals in
the new hotspots in southern and western states are under severe strain. Many
believe businesses in those areas reopened too soon, following repeated urgings
to do so by the president, without the virus being under control.
Trump wore
a dark-colored mask covering as he began his hospital visit on Saturday,
walking with an entourage who were also wearing masks.
Most
prominent Republicans at national level, including Vice President Mike Pence
and Senate leader Mitch McConnell have belatedly endorsed wearing masks in
recent days as the coronavirus has gained ground.
But Pence
and Trump had eschewed them during the early months of the pandemic when the
virus was raging through parts of California, the Seattle area and New York.
People
close to Trump have told the Associated Press that the president feared a mask
would make him look weak and was concerned that it shifted focus to the public
health crisis rather than the economic recovery.
While he
has not worn one himself, Trump has sent mixed signals about masks,
acknowledging that they are appropriate if worn indoors when people are close together.
Trump has
also accused reporters of wearing them to be “politically correct”, and has
retweeted messages making fun of the presumptive Democratic nominee for
president, Joe Biden, for wearing a mask.
The subject
has become politically divisive, with Republican senator Lamar Alexander
recently lamenting that masks should not be seen as pro-Democrat or anti-Trump.
Official US
federal government guidance recommends wearing cloth face coverings to slow the
spread of the coronavirus, especially when social distancing is not feasible.
The
Associated Press contributed reporting to this story.
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