On Friday, President Donald Trump said he disagrees with the CDC director’s message of how effective masks would be in curbing COVID-19, adding that masks “cause problems too.”
In an interview with Fox News’ Chris Wallace, which is set to air on Fox News Sunday, Trump was asked to comment on the CDC director Dr. Robert Redfield’s statement that “if we could get everybody to wear a mask right now, I really do think over the next four, six, eight weeks, we could bring this epidemic under control.”
Wallace asked Trump, “The CDC says if everybody wore a mask for four to six weeks, we could get this under control. Do you regret not wearing a mask in public from the start, and would you consider- will you consider a national mandate that people need to wear masks?”
The president answered, “No. I want people to have a certain freedom, and I don’t believe in that, no. And I don’t agree with the statement that if everybody would wear a mask, everything disappears.”
“Hey, Dr. [Anthony] Fauci said ‘don’t wear a mask;’ our Surgeon General — terrific guy — said don’t wear a mask,” Trump continued. “Everybody was saying don’t wear a mask, all of a sudden, everybody’s got to wear a mask, and as you know, masks cause problems too. With that being said, I’m a believer in masks. I think masks are good.”
In the early phases of the pandemic, Dr. Fauci and Surgeon General Dr. Jerome Adams said they did not think masks were necessary. However, they and the CDC have been urging people to use masks since April.
Dr. Fauci and Dr. Adams said they had to change their message when they found out more about how the new coronavirus spread.
Last week, Dr. Adams told CBS’ Face the Nation, “We’ve learned more about asymptomatic spread up to 50 percent of people who can spread this disease, spread it without having symptoms. And that’s why the American people need to know that science is about giving the best recommendations you can and when you learn more, you change those recommendations.” Trump has largely avoided being seen in public with a mask but recently he made headlines by wearing one in front of cameras while visiting Walter Reed Hospital.
