President Trump may be required to wear a mask when he visits a Ford Motor plant in Michigan on Thursday.
A spokeswoman said the company is requiring all visitors and employees to wear personal protective equipment during the coronavirus pandemic.
“Our policy is that everyone wears PPE to prevent the spread of COVID-19,” Ford spokeswoman Rachel McCleery said. “We shared all of Ford’s safety protocols, including our manufacturing playbook, employee pamphlet and self-assessment survey with the White House ahead of time and in preparation for this trip.”
Ford later issued another statement: “We have shared our policies and recommendations. The White House has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination.”
And now Ford has issued an updated statement this afternoon: “We have shared our policies and recommendations. The White House has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination.” https://t.co/HtcFAEOgxU
— Monica Alba (@albamonica) May 19, 2020
Trump said he will consider wearing a mask, but it depends on the circumstances.
“I haven’t even thought about it. It depends,” Trump told reporters Tuesday. “I will certainly look at it. It depends on what situation. Am I standing right next to everybody? Or am I spread out? … Where it’s appropriate, I would do it, certainly.”
Trump has thus far declined to wear a mask in public, even though the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the facial coverings to curb the spread of the coronavirus. Trump has not tested positive for the virus.
Trump claimed he briefly wore a mask when he visited an Arizona factory producing masks earlier this month. The president said he “put a mask on” when he was out of sight of reporters but was told by a Honeywell International executive that he did not need to wear one in the plant.
Other members of the White House, including Vice President Mike Pence and Ivanka Trump, have worn masks when visiting warehouses.
