City investigator inspects Trump's D.C. hotel after president, guests spotted not wearing masks

After President Trump was filmed not wearing a mask while at the Trump International Hotel in Washington, D.C., an inspector with the D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration paid the property a visit on Wednesday to check for compliance with city rules.

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To slow down the spread of the coronavirus, Mayor Muriel Bowser ordered in the spring that people wear face coverings while in D.C. hotel lobbies and common areas. On Monday, Trump went to his hotel for a GOP fundraiser, and video later posted online showed him, as well as several other people in the lobby, not wearing masks.

D.C. Alcoholic Beverage Regulation Administration inspectors can only issue a fine or warning if they witness violations in person, and during Wednesday's investigation, the inspector saw that all hotel staffers and visitors were wearing face coverings, The Washington Post reports.

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A spokeswoman for the Republican National Committee told the Post that before the fundraiser, guests had to be tested for coronavirus, answer wellness questionnaires, and have their temperatures taken. Before making his maskless appearance, Trump tweeted a photo showing him with a face covering and declared that "many people say it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can't socially distance."

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Catherine Garcia

Catherine Garcia is night editor for TheWeek.com. Her writing and reporting has appeared in Entertainment Weekly and EW.com, The New York Times, The Book of Jezebel, and other publications. A Southern California native, Catherine is a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.