Trump reportedly thinks wearing a face mask sends 'the wrong message,' makes him look silly

Wearing a face mask to prevent the spread of COVID-19 has become political, and polls show Democrats are more likely to wear a face covering out of the house than Republicans. President Trump, who said from the start that he doesn't plan to wear a mask himself, despite his administration's own advice, has stuck to his guns, declining to wear a mask at any White House event or during his tour of a mask factory in Arizona on Tuesday. But he has his reasons, The Associated Press reports.

For one thing, Trump has told advisers he believes wearing a mask in front of the cameras would "send the wrong message," AP reports, citing one administration and two campaign officials. "The president said doing so would make it seem like he is preoccupied with health instead of focused on reopening the nation's economy — which his aides believe is the key to his re-election chances in November." The three officials also said Trump has told confidantes he fears he would look ridiculous in a mask and his masked visage would be used in negative campaign ads, even though Democrats generally view mask-wearing as a civic virtue.

"It's a vanity thing, I guess, with him," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said of Trump on MSNBC Wednesday. "You'd think, as the president of the United States, you would have the confidence to honor the guidance he's giving the country."

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.

Sign up

Meanwhile, Trump's re-election campaign is considering handing Trump-branded red masks out to supporters at campaign events or for donations, AP notes, though "some advisers are concerned the president will later sour on the idea."