Trump has reportedly grown increasingly concerned about how it would appear if he contracted the coronavirus
Publicly, President Trump has appeared undaunted by the coronavirus. He mostly refuses to wear a mask in public, eschewing federal guidelines, and has recently held large campaign rallies in states where the pandemic is really just taking off. But privately the president is reportedly concerned about contracting COVID-19, primarily because he's aware of how it would affect both the country's view of him and his ability to lead, CNN reports.
So, despite Trump's more casual attitude while he's speaking to crowds and posting on Twitter, the White House has gone to great lengths to make sure the commander-in-chief doesn't get infected. Every venue he enters while traveling is first inspected by advance security and medical teams, bathrooms designated for his use are scrubbed and sanitized before his arrival, and staff maintain a close eye on whom he'll come into contact with to make sure they get tested prior to any sort of meeting, people familiar with the matter told CNN. So far, the practice has worked out for the president, although several campaign aides and Secret Service personnel recently tested positive.
But, per CNN, some of Trump's advisers and allies have become more and more concerned that he is publicly moving on from the pandemic too soon, a decision that seems all the more paradoxical considering how watchful the White House is behind the scenes. Read more at CNN.
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Tim is a staff writer at The Week and has contributed to Bedford and Bowery and The New York Transatlantic. He is a graduate of Occidental College and NYU's journalism school. Tim enjoys writing about baseball, Europe, and extinct megafauna. He lives in New York City.
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