Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow wears mask at press conference, says it's necessary to reopen economy

The White House now seems to believe masks are necessary to restart the economy.

While he was previously reluctant to endorse masks, White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow wore one on Monday for a press conference even though it was held outside and he stayed far from reporters. Kudlow said he'd been "emphasizing" masks over the past few weeks, saying America wouldn't "keep the economy open" or "get kids back to school" without following guidelines like wearing masks and social distancing.

Kudlow reluctantly told Trump supporters to wear a mask at the president's campaign rally last month, but cited surging case numbers and reporters wearing masks around him as reasons to fully embrace them now. Still, Kudlow seemed to have trouble wearing his mask correctly as it kept slipping off his nose.

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President Trump was seen in public wearing a mask for the first time earlier this month, and tweeted his first picture of himself wearing a mask last week, calling it "patriotic" to do so.