After new information regarding the number of asymptomatic transmitters of the virus, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended in April that Americans begin wearing masks or other facial coverings in public to reduce the chance of unknowingly spreading the virus to others.
When announcing the policy, President Donald Trump emphasized that these were just recommendations and that he himself would not be wearing a mask.
The weeks that followed featured prominent Republicans questioning the benefits of wearing a mask and conspiracy theories sprouted that the mask advisory was a secret initiative to control Americans. Trump held a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma in late June, and though masks were made accessible, few of the six thousand supporters who attended wore masks. Weeks later, Tulsa health officials said that the rally most likely played a role in the city's subsequent case spikes.
It would be months before Trump finally wore a mask in public and endorsed mask-wearing on Twitter, though he used a racist term for the virus in that endorsement.
We are United in our effort to defeat the Invisible China Virus, and many people say that it is Patriotic to wear a face mask when you can't socially distance. There is nobody more Patriotic than me, your favorite President! pic.twitter.com/iQOd1whktN
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 20, 2020
Now, Trump is finally directly encouraging his supporters to wear a mask, as a recent email from Trump's campaign revealed.
Trump just sent an email to his supporters: "Patriots wear face masks." In it, he said, "I don't love wearing them either." pic.twitter.com/k3pZpeXvTm
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) August 4, 2020
The email reads in part:
"I don't love wearing them either. Masks may be good, they may be just okay, or they may be great. They can possibly help us get back to our American way of life that so many of us rightfully cherished before we were so terribly impacted by the China Virus [sic]."
He concludes with:
"I recently tweeted that many view wearing a mask as a patriotic act, and there is no one more patriotic than me and you. Why not give it a shot!"
With nearly 160 thousand Americans dead, many thought that the email was too little, too late.
only took 158,000 and some bad poll numbers 👍
— freekbass (@freekbass) August 4, 2020
Thanks, but you're about 5 months, 4.6 million cases & 155k deaths too late.
— Jay Diggs (@Jumpman3223) August 4, 2020
Only 8 months in!! Wow that was not fast.
— Marj 🚷🌍⏳😷🦠 (@Larjmarj4uMarj) August 4, 2020
FOUR 👏 MONTHS 👏 TOO 👏 LATE 👏
— Amelia Emmanuelle (@honey_tangerine) August 4, 2020
That ship has long sailed...
— Jose Rodriguez (@teljxr1) August 4, 2020
Trump's supporters are among the most vocal groups of Americans discouraging the use of masks.
I have never been conditioned. I knew something was foul after the first 2 weeks. I will not wear a mask and I will not give up my hope and faith in God, human kind and @realDonaldTrump!🙏🇺🇲❤
— turtlegirl (@turtleg95846300) August 3, 2020
Love you potus and not sure why you're pushing this, but I will NOT wear a mask that does nothing to protect anyone from a virus.
— Karen Wentworth (@KaGeeWent) August 1, 2020
Patriots, my niece just sent me this silly video 😒🙄
Stupid liberals don't realize it's a #hoaxavirus, it never existed to begin with! Once Trump is re-elected this November, this pandemic (if you can even call it that) will just disappear. I will not wear a mask! My choice! pic.twitter.com/l3dNHV2XpH
— Maria 🇺🇸💋 (@mariapinewick) August 3, 2020
@realDonaldTrump is the best President this country had since the founders. I respect him but also have the right as an American to make my own conclusions and decisions. I am not sick, I will not wear a mask. 2 mil died of the flu last year. #ChinaVirus has a 99.8% rec rate. Why
— 😎 Superdupe428 😎 ⭐⭐⭐ #DJTrumplicans (@suprdupe) August 4, 2020
It's unclear how many of the President's supporters will heed Trump's warning.
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