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 In his first press briefing in months focused on the outbreak, Trump
urged young people to avoid going to crowded bars and maintained
that the virus would disappear at some point.
Trump's remarks were a change in strategy from his robust emphasis
on reopening the U.S. economy after its long, virus-induced shutdown
and represented his first recent acknowledgement of how bad the
problem has become.
"It will probably, unfortunately, get worse before it gets better -
something I don't like saying about things, but that's the way it
is," Trump told reporters.
Nearly 142,000 people have died in the United States from the highly
contagious respiratory illness COVID-19, the most of any country.
The Republican president, who downplayed the virus in its early
stages and once referred to mask-wearing as politically correct, has
been reluctant to wear a face covering himself.
He wore one for the first time in public during a recent visit to a
military hospital but has otherwise eschewed putting one on in front
of the press.
Mask-wearing has become a partisan issue, with some supporters of
the president arguing that requirements to wear one infringe on
their civil liberties. Few people wore masks at Trump's first rally
since the pandemic in Tulsa, Oklahoma, earlier this summer.
As coronavirus cases skyrocket across the country, including in
politically important states such as Florida, Texas and Arizona,
Trump, who is trailing Democrat Joe Biden in opinion polls ahead of
the Nov. 3 election, on Tuesday showcased a new position on the
importance of covering mouths and noses.
"We're asking everybody that when you are not able to socially
distance, wear a mask, get a mask. Whether you like the mask or not,
they have an impact. They'll have an effect. And we need everything
we can get," he said.
Trump said he was getting used to masks and would wear one himself
in groups or when on an elevator.
"I will use it, gladly," he said. "Anything that potentially can
help ... is a good thing."
A Biden campaign spokeswoman said Trump's assertion that his
administration has had a "relentless focus" on COVID-19 was
preposterous.
U.S. House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi, a Democrat, said
in an interview with CNN that Trump's new embrace of mask-wearing
was a recognition of his mistakes in dealing with the coronavirus.
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"This is not a hoax - it is a pandemic that has gotten worse before it will get
better because of his inaction, and in fact clearly it is the Trump virus,"
Pelosi said.
Trump referred to the virus as the "China virus." The novel coronavirus outbreak
began in the Chinese city of Wuhan.
STRATEGY CHANGE
Trump conducted the briefing on his own, without doctors or other members of the
White House Coronavirus Task Force. His subdued tone contrasted with his
previous calls to reopen the economy along with praise for Republican governors
who did so and criticism of Democratic governors who implemented tough
restrictions in their states.
The strategy shifts come amid tension within his senior staff about the best way
to discuss the virus with the American public and frustration among doctors on
the task force that their advice is not being heeded.
The reopening has gone too quickly in some states, leading to spikes in cases
and an ever-increasing number of deaths. Following Trump's initial lead, some
Republican governors have also resisted rules requiring that their populations
wear masks.
“We're … asking Americans to use masks, socially distance and employ vigorous
hygiene - wash your hands every chance you get while sheltering high-risk
populations. We are imploring young Americans to avoid packed bars and other
crowded indoor gatherings. Be safe, and be smart,” Trump said.
Trump sought to leave some optimism about treatments even as he acknowledged the
grim numbers at present.
"I think you're going to see something over the next fairly short period of time
- maybe very short period of time - having to do with therapeutics and vaccines
that are very good," he said.
(Reporting by Alexandra Alper and Jeff Mason; Additional reporting by David
Brunnstrom, Timohty Ahmann, Mohammad Zargha, Eric Beech and John Whitesides;
Editing by Alistair Bell and Peter Cooney)
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