The mayor of Baltimore, Maryland, urged President Trump to abide by the city’s stay-at-home order and scrap his planned Memorial Day visit.
“The City of Baltimore remains under a Stay at Home order that was put into place to help safeguard our residents from the dangers associated with COVID-19,” Mayor Jack Young said in a statement posted to Twitter. “We have worked closely with our health professionals to educate the public about the benefits of social distancing and staying home unless leaving for an essential reason, like visiting a doctor or picking up groceries.”
“That President Trump is deciding to pursue non-essential sends the wrong message to our residents, many of whom have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 virus,” Young said. “I wish that the President, as our nation’s leader, would set a positive example and not travel during this holiday weekend.”
Dear Mr. President @realDonaldTrump, please stay home! The City of Baltimore is currently under a Stay at Home order for the safety of our residents, who have been hit hard by #COVID19. pic.twitter.com/7FwrHIHyeX
— Mayor Bernard C. Jack Young (@mayorbcyoung) May 21, 2020
Trump is slated to visit the Fort McHenry National Monument to observe the Memorial Day holiday. Young argued that the city of Baltimore cannot afford the security costs associated with a presidential visit because of the revenue shortages from coronavirus-related closures that have resulted in the loss of $20 million per month for the city.
“I would hope that the president would change his mind and decide to remain at home,” Young wrote.
Trump has feuded with the city of Baltimore in the past. The president called the city a “rat and rodent infested” place where “no human being would want to live” during a spat with the late Rep. Elijah Cummings.
Republican Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan lifted the state’s stay-at-home order last week. The state has had 2,159 COVID-19 deaths since the outbreak began.
