White House staff reportedly had access to thousands of masks before reversing its policy for the general public

Before the Trump administration reversed its official stance on wearing facemasks in public during the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, a top National Security Council deputy, Matt Pottinger, secured a deal in mid-March with Taiwan to receive shipments of masks, fearing that both the White House and the country at large didn't have an adequate supply. Taiwan agreed and soon sent 500,000 masks to Washington. Most of those went toward the national stockpile, but a portion was set aside for White House staff, The Washington Post reports.

The NSC kept 1,800 for its own employees, while another 1,800 went to other personnel in the White House. That reportedly made some U.S. officials uncomfortable since civilians were still being told not to wear masks (the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's reversal came on April 3) and health care workers across the country had to resort to measures like crafting homemade gear. But other White House officials reportedly noted that the vast majority of Taiwan-shipped equipment were prioritized for medical staff and first responders.

Pottinger has emerged as one of the figures within the White House who warned early on that China's initial coronavirus outbreak could become a major issue for the U.S. He'd been communicating regularly with his contacts in places throughout Asia, like Taiwan and Hong Kong, about how they successfully mitigated the spread, determining masks played a role. Read more at The Washington Post.

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