Trump Campaign Discourages Staff from Wearing Masks at the Office, Speaking Openly About Infections

The Trump campaign discourages staff from wearing masks at the office, according to individuals who spoke on condition of anonymity to Politico. While staff have been instructed to wear masks outside in the event they’re spotted by reporters, they’ve been told it’s acceptable not to wear them while on the clock. These actions have contributed to an internal culture wherein staff members make light of the pandemic and its severity.

“You get made fun of, if you wear a mask,” according to one individual. “There’s social pressure not to do it.”

Higher-ups have also instructed staff members not to tell their colleagues whether they were exposed to the virus, particularly after a slew of bad press. The most recent member of the Trump campaign to become infected was top fundraiser Kimberly Guilfoyle, the girlfriend of Donald Trump Jr.

Tim Murtaugh, the Trump campaign’s communications spokesperson, defended the campaign’s practices, saying the campaign “takes the health and safety of our staff very seriously.”

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“We have enacted numerous safety measures above and beyond what most private employers consider, at the expense of the campaign, including weekly deep cleaning, daily temperature checks in the office for staff and guests, widely available masks and PPE, and testing of staff both before events and before returning to the office,” he said.

Murtaugh did not respond to queries about when the deep cleanings began.

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump had been scheduled to host a political rally in New Hampshire this Saturday, but that event has been postponed for the time being. Officials blamed inclement weather brought on by Tropical Storm Fay for the cancellation.

With Tropical Storm Fay heading towards the Great State of New Hampshire this weekend, we are forced to reschedule our Portsmouth, New Hampshire Rally at the Portsmouth International Airport at Pease. Stay safe, we will be there soon! #MAGA2020,” the president later wrote on Twitter.

Alan Herrera

Alan is a writer, editor, and news junkie based in New York.