Days after the West Wing was rocked by two positive coronavirus tests, the White House unveiled its new-look press briefing. Journalists were kept behind a rope in the rose garden, staffers wore masks, and the president had a lectern all to himself as new social distancing efforts went into effect.
Absent was Vice President Mike Pence, whose press secretary was diagnosed with COVID-19 on Friday.
So while President Trump used the briefing to set out plans for an acceleration of testing around the country, he was met by questions about how people could safely return to work if even the most secure building in the country could not protect its employees.
“Three people that were in relative contact, I believe they have all tested totally negative, but they are going to, for a period of time, self-isolate. That’s not breaking down,” said a maskless Trump.
“It can happen. It’s the hidden enemy. Remember that.”
The arrival of the virus so close to the president has triggered alarm inside the White House. On Monday, staff received a memo directing “everyone who enters the West Wing to wear a mask or facial covering.”
The results were on display at the briefing, which was called to highlight the work being done to ensure that governors have the testing they need to reopen. White House aides, including the president’s son-in-law, could be seen wearing coverings for the first time.
Also, for the first time, Trump appeared alone at the podium. A second lectern was set up for other speakers to use.
And his vice president, who leads the president’s coronavirus response, was not present even though he was spotted at the White House earlier in the day.
The measures threaten to undercut the week’s messaging as officials try to encourage America back to work.
“This week – you’ll hear the White House talk about preparedness & confidence,” tweeted Alyssa Farah, the White House director of strategic communications.
“The Trump Admin is working around the clock to build our testing capacity, grow our PPE stockpiles, distribute therapeutics, & get to states to SAFELY reopen in a way Americans can have CONFIDENCE in.”
At the briefing, reporters wanted to know when the rest of the country would be able to get daily tests — much as the president’s senior staff has done.
“Normally, you would have said that you are not tested, you would have been knocking us for not getting tested, so, if we get tested, it’s a problem. And if we don’t get tested, it’s a problem,” said Trump before saying that the availability of testing was a positive feature of the response and repeating his claim that anyone who wants a test can get one.
Pence’s press secretary, Katie Miller, tested positive for the novel coronavirus on Friday. A valet to Trump returned a positive test a day earlier.
