Do as I say and not as I do.
President Trump ordered his staff on Monday to wear face masks in light of the coronavirus making its way into the White House, taking action to protect himself from the respiratory contagion despite pushing for the rest of the country to get back to work.
Staffers will also be required to get tested on a regular basis, especially if they frequent his office, said Trump, whose own face was uncovered by a mask.
“Things happen … I feel no vulnerability whatsoever,” Trump said during a wild press conference in the White House Rose Garden, during which he repeatedly attacked reporters over what he labeled as their “nasty” questions.
President Trump listens during a briefing about the coronavirus in the Rose Garden of the White House on Monday.(Alex Brandon/AP)
At least two White House officials — Trump’s personal valet and Vice President Mike Pence’s press secretary — tested positive for coronavirus last week.
Pence and several other administration officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci, have since self-isolated after confirming they were in contact with the coronavirus-positive staffers.
But the maskless president claimed in the Rose Garden that he doesn’t need to take any such precautions because he’s “very far away from everyone.”
He then pointed to a cadre of masked White House staffers who stood nearby.
“If you look at all of those people over there, every one of them, from what I see … everybody has a mask on,” Trump said. “Everybody I’ve seen today has worn a mask.”
Members of the U.S. Secret Service stand at their posts as President Trump speaks Monday.(Alex Brandon/AP)
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that all people wear face masks while in public since it can prevent asymptomatic individuals from spreading COVID-19 without realizing it.
While he and his staff enjoy plenty of perks, Trump didn’t acknowledge the need for more assistance for average Americans.
Rather, he suggested victory in the coronavirus war is just around the corner and claimed the U.S. economy is on the cusp of transitioning back to “greatness.”
“We have met the moment, and we have prevailed,” Trump said, reading from prepared remarks, as the U.S. coronavirus death toll surged above 80,000 and the unemployment rate reached the worst levels since the Great Depression.
He added, “I want our country open.”
Asked about the “prevailed” comment later in the press conference, Trump claimed he was only referring to his administration’s work on testing.
“We’ve prevailed on testing,” he said. “What I’m talking about is we have a great testing capacity now.”
But public health experts say far more testing is needed.
The U.S. only tests about 250,000 individuals per day, according to federal data. Many experts say that figure would need to nearly quadruple before the economy can be widely reopened.
Adm. Brett Giroir, assistant secretary of Health and Human Services, removes his mask to speak about the coronavirus during a press briefing in the Rose Garden Monday. (Alex Brandon/AP)
Still, Trump, who’s clamoring for an economic bounce-back before November’s election, falsely claimed anyone can get a test.
“If people want to get tested, they get tested,” he said.
Admiral Brett Giroir, Trump’s testing czar, broke in and ever so slightly contradicted Trump.
“Everybody who needs a test can get a test,” Girori said, making a distinction between “need” and “want” while noting that anyone who displays COVID-19 symptoms can generally secure a test.
Trump wasn’t done, though, and suggested some people don’t actually need testing.
“For the most part, they shouldn’t want to get tested,” Trump said. “There’s no reason. They feel good, they don’t have sniffles.”
Wearing a mask, White House adviser Jared Kushner leaves after President Trump spoke Monday.(Alex Brandon/AP)
Infectious disease experts say the public must be widely tested, regardless of whether they’re showing symptoms, in order to track and isolate the virus.
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Toward the end of the press conference, Trump was asked by a reporter why he’s so intent on professing that the U.S. has “the greatest” COVID-19 tests, especially since thousands of Americans are still dying every day.
“Maybe that’s a question you should ask China. Don’t ask me. Ask China … When you ask them that question you may get a very unusual answer,” Trump snapped.
The reporter, CBS News’ Weijia Jiang, who’s of Chinese descent, pressed the president, “Sir, why are you saying that to me specifically?”
Trump, who frequently belittles and berates women reporters, fumed, “I’m saying it to anybody that asks a nasty question.”
Ignoring a chorus of shouted followup questions, the president abruptly ended his press conference, left the Rose Garden and retreated to the White House residence for the evening.
