Despite warnings by state officials ahead of his visit to a Ford manufacturing plant in Michigan, President Trump didn’t publicly wear a mask during his tour of the facility.
Michigan’s attorney general had warned the president earlier in the day by appearing on CNN and writing an open letter to the president that it’s state law to wear a mask amid the coronavirus pandemic. Dana Nessel, a Democrat, requested Trump adhere to Democratic Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s executive order on face coverings in the state, saying it’s his “legal responsibility” to follow the law.
Trump’s personal decision not to wear a mask has been in the interest of much of the media and public officials alike.
When asked why he did not wear one at the facility, Trump responded he wore one in areas requested by the plant’s leadership but didn’t want to wear one while speaking to the press to spite them.
“I had one on before,” Trump told reporters. “I wore one in this back area, but I didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it … I did put a mask on.”
In other parts of the plant where Trump spoke to the press and made public statements, he said it was up to him.
“I was given a choice,” he said. “I had one on in an area where they preferred it, so I put it on, and it was very nice.”
Trump’s trip to Ypsilanti, Michigan, explored how the plant made ventilators, a piece of equipment in high demand during the pandemic.
While there, Trump attacked Democratic leadership on their handling of the coronavirus pandemic and reluctance to reopen states.
Michigan, a key 2020 battleground state, has come under fire by some Republican lawmakers and the president about its strict lockdown during the pandemic.
The state currently has seen over 52,000 coronavirus cases and over 5,000 deaths.
