The fight then continued on Twitter after Huffman subtweeted Donalds, as seen below.
I just had to take a different elevator because an unvaccinated, defiantly unmasked GOP colleague doesn't give a sh*t about anyone but himself.— Rep. Jared Huffman (@Rep. Jared Huffman) 1627489254
According to Huffman's tweet, their argument began when the two men went to share an elevator and Donaldson refused to put on a mask. Huffman accused Donaldson of not giving "a sh*t about anyone but himself."
Donaldson fired back a few minutes later in a tweet in which he heralded himself as a "free-thinking American" and told the "patronizing" Huffman to "mind his own business."
Adding @JaredHuffman to the growing list of privileged liberals patronizing me for being a free-thinking American.\n\nThe list:\n@brikeilarcnn \n@ChrisCuomo \nJared Huffman\n\nMind your business; I said what I said. https://twitter.com/DaniellaMicaela/status/1420412465842692096\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/kIMBrL69HP— Byron Donalds (@Byron Donalds) 1627489535
Huffman responded that he was criticizing Donalds for being "selfish," not for being free-thinking, as well as for being "[scientifically], factually and morally wrong."
Donalds, who has publicly stated he is not vaccinated, then claimed the "real epidemic" in America is the supposed tyranny of liberals expecting people to do the bare minimum to protect public health.
The real epidemic in America is liberals continuing to tell free people how to think. \n\nJared, mind your business and I'll mind mine. https://twitter.com/JaredHuffman/status/1420420937174982658\u00a0\u2026pic.twitter.com/0ldUbiEBPC— Byron Donalds (@Byron Donalds) 1627490077
The death toll of the pandemic so far stands at more than 600,000 people, so it's safe to assume it still is, and always has been, the "real epidemic."
Huffman's and Donalds' fight comes on the heels of Democratic Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi reinstating a mask mandate in the House of Representatives following updated guidance from the CDC and the House's attending physician amidst the surging Delta variant of the virus.
The Delta variant has sent cases and hospitalizations soaring, and while the surge has been overwhelmingly amongst the unvaccinated, breakthrough infections have been happening to fully vaccinated people.
On Twitter, people had no time for Donalds' nonsense.
To enter the building everybody should show their vaccination cards. Even Fox News is doing that (while still spewing anti-vac propaganda.— Content (@Content) 1627493469
So protecting public health is not a concern to you. Glad you could put that out there. It is selfish of you to not wear a mask. Stating it as simply as can be, you are a danger to public health.— Diogenes' Philosophical Stunt (@Diogenes' Philosophical Stunt) 1627496428
You not wearing a mask is his business. I've spent the last year and 1/2 isolating and wearing a mask the few times I had to go out. Even thought I had COVID last year, I was not going to risk anyone else getting it.— Tan Dump Lord (@Tan Dump Lord) 1627510081
Insisting that the world is flat and no one cares is "free thinking". Not wearing a mask in the middle of yet another wave of a pandemic is being selfish and patronizing. #GlassHouses, dude.— Jesse V Coffey, #ASMSG Member (@Jesse V Coffey, #ASMSG Member) 1627516301
When 'your business' is infecting others with COVID because you don't give a damn about anyone else....— Amie King (@Amie King) 1627507071
Florida man who will risk his beautiful family and others because he's free thinking? Not very pro life now is he?— annieG Wear your mask Smith (@annieG Wear your mask Smith) 1627503342
Hey you want to get covid and possibly die or suffer the long covid effects that\u2019s on you but don\u2019t come back on Twitter when you do get it and ask for thoughts and prayers.pic.twitter.com/YTOsnnqeF8— Cara \ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udc99 (@Cara \ud83c\udf0a\ud83d\udc99) 1627523574
Donalds has been joined by several of his fellow Republicans, like House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy of California and Colorado Representative Lauren Boeber, in decrying the new masking public health recommendations.
@PreetBharara/X
@RepBrendanBoyle/X
@twesq/Bluesky
@christopherharris/Bluesky
@evangelinewarren/X
@FrankC164/X
AMC