Guests of golf clubs cheer Trump for saying he doesn’t wear masks: “Peaceful protest.”


Members of country clubs, a few wearing face masks, are awaiting the arrival of the president ahead of a news conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 7, 2020.
Members of country clubs, a few wearing face masks, are awaiting the arrival of the president ahead of a news conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 7, 2020.
JIM WATSON / Getty Images

President Donald Trump held a surprise news conference Friday night at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. But that was not the only surprise of the night for reporters dealing with the commander-in-chief. While members of the White House press pool waited for the president to begin the briefing, they reported members and guests of the President’s Private Club were packed inside, also waiting for the show to start.

Dozens of people stood close together in the room, apparently not caring much about social distance guidelines, while wearing only a few masks. To reporters started tweeting photos of the for the most part unmasked audience and pointed out that they were shining Regulation of New Jersey Covid-19, staff began handing out masks to the crowd no they had already stood right next to each other for about half an hour. One reporter who covered the incident tweeted that a club official told the club to “spread out a bit” because “the tweets go out. ”

Members of country clubs will be given face masks to wear as they await the arrival of the US President ahead of a news conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 7, 2020.
Members of country clubs will be given face masks to wear as they await the arrival of the US President ahead of a news conference in Bedminster, New Jersey, on August 7, 2020.
JIM WATSON / Getty Images

In the question-and-answer section of the information, a reporter specifically brought up the crowd that received a close view of the president, while noting Trump’s proposal that the coronavirus ‘disappear’ in the country. . “You said the pandemic was disappearing, but we lost 6,000 Americans this week and right in this room you have dozens of people who do not follow the guidelines in New Jersey,” he said. said the reporter. The crowd began to buzz and Trump quickly pushed back against the reporter’s claim when he came to the defense of his paying members. ‘You got it wrong because it’s a political activity. “They have exceptions … and it’s a peaceful protest,” Trump said.

The crowd applauded and cheered the president when the news conference suddenly took on the feel of a small Trump rally. “To me, they all look like they all have masks,” Trump said before continuing with his claim that club members were actually there to protest against the media and that is why they were exempt from the rules of the state that were deployed to vote for the Covid-19 distribution. ‘They heard you were coming up, and they know the news is false. They understand it better than anyone, “he said.” If the press in this country were honest, if it was not corrupt, if it was not fake, our country would be much further ahead. “Trump then ended the news conference when club members clap.

For more on Slate’s news coverage, subscribe to What Next on Apple Podcasts or listen below.