President Donald Trump received criticism this week after he returned to the White House from Walter Reed Medical Center and stood on the South Portico of the executive mansion in a made-for-TV moment in which he removed his mask and saluted.
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden’s campaign quickly posted a video of Trump removing his mask juxtaposed with a clip of Biden putting a mask on with the caption “masks matter.”
On Tuesday, White House Communications Director Alyssa Farah said that Trump removing his mask was a display of strength.
Farah told Fox News, “In times like this, in these moments in our country, it’s highly important that the commander-in-chief express confidence to our domestic population but it’s also very important to our allies and adversaries who are watching closely to see is he projecting an image of strength? And that is exactly what he did last night.”
Farah called the backlash to Trump removing his mask while being infected with the virus “much ado about nothing by the media. I would say this: The world and the American people needed to see their president strong and leading and that’s exactly what he’s doing.”
Farah’s remarks (starting at 4:00):
LISTEN: President Trump is back at the White House to continue his recovery from COVID-19, @Alyssafarah addresses the controversial moment when the president removed his mask after arriving at the White House on Monday #nine2noon pic.twitter.com/UAcxOoaXwS
— America's Newsroom (@AmericaNewsroom) October 6, 2020
When a reporter tweeted a summary of Farah’s Fox News appearance and remarks, she doubled down, saying, “I noted that in moments of uncertainty it’s important for the President to project CONFIDENCE & STRENGTH – not just to the America people but to our allies & adversaries alike. America is STRONG!”
I noted that in moments of uncertainty it’s important for the President to project CONFIDENCE & STRENGTH – not just to the America people but to our allies & adversaries alike.
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) October 6, 2020
America is STRONG! https://t.co/b9nlkuVdU4
Trump campaign press secretary Hogan Gidley also appeared on Fox News on Tuesday and when asked about the situation, Gidley attacked Joe Biden, saying, “Take a look at MSNBC, Joe Biden is sitting there without a mask next to Lester Holt without a mask, it’s absolutely ridiculous to hear the media to go apoplectic about this.”