United States President Donald Trump wears a mask when he visits the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland on July 11, 2020.
Alex Edelman | fake pictures
President Donald Trump has offered his best support yet for wearing face masks in public, tweeting Monday that it is a “patriotic” move during the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump’s tweet refers to Covid-19 as the “Invisible China Virus,” a name for the disease that has been criticized for frequent use, and features a black-and-white photo of him wearing a mask.
“Many people say it is patriotic to wear a face mask when you cannot socially distance yourself,” Trump tweeted. “There is no one more patriotic than me, your favorite president!”
The president’s tweet, which appears to endorse the use of facial coatings in public, follows months of mixed messages on whether he believed they were an essential tool to help prevent transmission of the disease.
As several states experience a record increase in coronavirus cases, business leaders, politicians from both major parties, and even Trump administration health officials have defended the masks.
But until his tweet on Monday, Trump has taken a less comprehensive approach.
In a Fox News interview that aired on Sunday, for example, Trump said: “I do not agree with the statement that if everyone wears a mask everything will disappear.” The president responded to comments by Dr. Robert Redfield, director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and a member of the White House coronavirus task force, who said that if “everyone” wore masks, the virus could be under control in a matter of weeks.
“Suddenly everyone has to wear a mask and, as you know, masks also cause problems,” Trump told Fox.
But he added: “With that said, I believe in masks. I think masks are good.”
Trump has largely refused to wear a mask in public. He points out that it is not necessary for him as president, because almost everyone in his vicinity is screened for Covid-19 before approaching him.
When the CDC in early April changed its guidance to recommend the use of a face covering in public areas where social distancing was unfeasible, Trump made the announcement for himself, but while giving the news, he said, “I don’t think it’s going to. do it “.
Trump’s skepticism towards the masks, as well as his widespread refusal to wear one, even as a symbolic gesture, have played a role in the issue that divides Americans on partisan lines.
“Unfortunately, as with much of science and health, the issue was extremely politicized and I think the president has a lot of responsibility for that, “said Michael Sparer, professor and president of health policy management at Columbia University.
Only twice since the pandemic began has Trump been seen wearing a mask, and only once did he wear one in full view of the press.
The Trump administration has been criticized for failing to show strong leadership in allowing states to ignore the federal government’s recommendations for social distancing and establish their own rules on how to combat the pandemic. The administration has also repeatedly rejected pressure from Democrats and other groups to enact a national mask mandate.
According to a count by Johns Hopkins University, more than 140,000 people died from coronaviruses in the United States. More than 3.8 million have been infected.
Trump’s tweet also came after his announcement that he would resume daily coronavirus briefings at the White House, as his approval rating for handling the crisis has plummeted and has lost significant ground in polls for the Democratic rival. Joe Biden.
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