SOME GOP senators are telling Trump to wear a mask, as a coronavirus surge smashes conservative states.
The urging came as Florida and Texas closed bars, and Arizona went into lockdown again due to to COVID-19 spikes.
As the Trump administration has maintained that case increases are due to conducting more tests, some senators are pushing for the president to set an example wear a mask.
“I’d prefer he do it,” Republican Senator of Florida Marco Rubio said, as reported by Politico.
“You know he’s not gonna do it. I’m not excusing it, obviously.
“I’d prefer he wore it because people follow an example,” he added.
Rubio on Thursday released a video urging people to wear masks.
Republican Sen. Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia said she thinks Trump “should be leading that effort.”
“Should he be wearing a mask? In certain situations, yes,” Moore said, as reported by Politico.
Republican Sen. Mike Braun of Indiana said that he didn’t think the president would wear a mask, Newsweek reported.
“I mean, he obviously is not going to,” Braun said.
Rick Scott, a Republican Florida Senator, said he believes elected officials like governors, mayors and the president “have a responsibility,” Politico reported.
“I think they ought to be talking about masks more and social distancing,” Scott said.
South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham also said he does not see Trump changing his mind, Newsweek reported.
“Well, I don’t think he’s going to change where he’s at on masks,” Graham said.
Despite CDC recommendations that people wear masks, Trump has only been seen in a face mask once – during a private part of a tour at Ford last month.
The mask had a presidential seal.
He also briefly put on a face shield during the Michigan plant tour, but was only publicly seen carrying the face mask.
The urging for Trump to wear a mask came as US coronavirus cases near 2.5million.
Across the nation, more than 124,000 Americans have died from COVID-19.
On Friday, Vice President Mike Pence was seen without a face mask at a coronavirus briefing.
“We just believe that what’s most important here is that people listen to the leadership in their state, the leadership in their local community and adhere to that guidance,” Pence said during the briefing.
“Whether that have to do with facial coverings, whether that have to do with the size of gatherings.”
Experts, however, urged people to wear masks.
“Plan A: Do not go in a crowd. Plan B: If you do, make sure you wear a mask,” CDC Director Robert Redfield said.
In an interview with KDKA on Thursday, Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said he would make it mandatory for Americans to wear face coverings.
“I would insist that everybody out in public be wearing that mask,” Biden said.
