Baltimore Mayor Bernard "Jack" Young on Thursday asked President Trump to "please stay home" and not visit the city's Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine on Memorial Day.
Baltimore is under a stay-at-home order because of the coronavirus, and Young said in a statement the city has worked "closely with our health professionals to educate the public about the benefits of social distancing and staying home, unless leaving for an essential reason, like visiting a doctor or picking up groceries. That President Trump is deciding to pursue nonessential travel sends the wrong message to our residents, many of whom have been disproportionately impacted by the COVID-19 virus."
Young wishes that Trump, "as our nation's leader, would set a positive example and not travel during this holiday weekend." Not only does a trip to Baltimore send "a conflicting message to our residents, his visit requires personnel and equipment and has a price tag that our city, which is still dealing with the loss of roughly $20 million in revenue per month, simply can't afford to shoulder."
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The White House announced on Wednesday that Trump would spend part of Memorial Day at the Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, which is currently closed to the public. Trump has called Baltimore a "rat and rodent infested mess," and was greeted by protesters last September when he came to the city for an event. On Thursday evening, the White House said Trump isn't going to cancel his plans, as "the brave men and women who have preserved our freedoms for generations did not stay home and the president will not either as he honors their sacrifice by visiting such a historic landmark in our nation's history."
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