- President Trump’s chief of staff, Mark Meadows, allegedly assured Trump not to issue a nationwide mask order, The New York Times reported Thursday.
- According to the Times, Meadows said such an order would remove strong supporters of Trump: “The base will revolt,” he said.
- Meadows’ remarks gave Trump a majority, saying the mask would leave the order despite voting data showing that the Republican majority favored one.
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President Donald Trump’s chief of staff Mark Meadows was ultimately the one who promised to drop the nationwide mask order to help fight the nationwide epidemic, The New York Times reported Thursday.
President Trump’s chief voter, Tony Fabrizio, reportedly arrived at the Oval Office in mid-summer for a meeting with Trump and his advisers. Fabrizio gave some surprising news: Most voters, including potential Trump supporters – supported wearing a mandatory mask in public.
The Fabrizio poll found that, in July, nearly 70% of voters in the states targeted by Trump’s campaign favored the mask order, including more than half Republicans. Poll data support the argument made by senior advisers Jared Kushner and Hope Hicks: Trump could show masks as the key to Americans gaining the freedom to participate in group gatherings and indoor events.
But disagreed in the meadow. It was during this meeting that he argued that the politics of such a move would damage the reputation of the President along with his most ardent supporters.
“The figures will revolt,” Meadows said, according to the Times.
Many other Trump advisers shared this view, including Stephen Miller, a senior White House adviser. Meadows added that they are not sure such a move would be legal, either.
For Trump, Meadows ‘words outweighed Kushner’s and Hicks’, and Fabrizio’s poll data.
“I’m not ordering masks,” he said.
Since then, Trump has rarely been seen wearing a mask in public, unless he signed the Covid-19 deal in early October.
Trump criticizes Jared Kushner for overseeing oversight
Adviser Jared Kushner (II) looks on as President Donald Trump speaks at the Oval Office.
Photo by Anna Moneymaker-Pool / Getty Images
In addition to Meadows’ involvement in discouraging the mask order, a New York Times report also detailed how Trump viewed Kushner as a further test for the Covid-19.
Kushner helped oversee nationwide testing efforts throughout the year.
According to the Times, during the second meeting of the Oval another’s top aides on Aug. 19, Trump was outraged by the increase in the Covid-19 test in the U.S., which he blamed for the number of cases.
“You’re killing me! That’s the whole point! We’ve got all the bad cases,” Trump told Kushner, according to the report.
Trump continued, “I want to do what Mexico does.” “They don’t test you until you come to the emergency room and you’re vomiting.”
Trump also reportedly criticized Kushner over the test while preparing for the debate, according to the report.
“I will lose,” Trump said, according to the Times. “And it will be your fault because of the test.”
Azmi Harun contributed the report.
