Trump's Mockery of Wearing Masks Divides Republicans
- by Virginia Carter
- in World Media
- — May 29, 2020
By wearing a mask at a Memorial Day ceremony in DE - and by changing his Twitter profile to a photograph of him donning the black covering - Biden signalled he is putting the coronavirus front and centre during the USA presidential race in a nation increasingly divided over the pandemic.
Trump has openly refused to wear a face mask.
The stand-off played out as the United States surpassed a jarring milestone yesterday in the coronavirus pandemic: 100,000 deaths. However, Mr Trump, despite at times saying he would be willing to wear a mask, has continued not to do so at press conferences and recent out-of-state visits.
Asked whether wearing a mask projected weakness or strength, Mr Biden chose a different description.
Following his Tuesday remarks, Biden changed his profile picture on Twitter to the one of him wearing a black mask during a Memorial Day ceremony.
He added: "Presidents are supposed to lead, not engage in folly and be falsely masculine".
Mr Trump has refused to appear in public wearing a mask, and numerous Americans who are bare-faced at demonstrations calling for states to immediately reopen are supporters of the president.
Mr Trump retweeted a photograph of Mr Biden and an accompanying message that mocked the former vice president for wearing a mask. I wasn't criticizing him, ' Trump said Tuesday.
In his video address Wednesday evening, Biden argued that the death toll milestone "could have been avoided", as he referenced a Columbia University study that indicated earlier action on social distancing could have saved 36,000 lives. Cornyn shared a photo of himself in a mask and encouraged others to also wear one.
Twitter has put a fact-check alert on Trump's tweets regarding mail-in ballots. "Especially when you know you're going to be in a position where you're going to inadvertently get closer than 12 feet to somebody", Biden said.
Mr Trump responded: "Joe Biden can wear a mask, but he was standing outside with his wife, flawless conditions, ideal weather".
Trump is gambling that his call to swiftly end lockdowns will win over undecided voters.
