City investigator inspects Trump's D.C. hotel after president, guests spotted not wearing masks
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
You are now subscribed
Your newsletter sign-up was successful
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.
View this post on InstagramWell this was cool.A post shared by Madison Cawthorn (@madisoncawthorn) on Jul 20, 2020 at 6:42pm PDT
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.
Article continues belowThe Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
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.
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."
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Catherine Garcia has worked as a senior writer at The Week since 2014. Her writing and reporting have appeared in Entertainment Weekly, The New York Times, Wirecutter, NBC News and "The Book of Jezebel," among others. She's a graduate of the University of Redlands and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.
