A new report has confirmed only a specific group of President Donald Trump’s supporters were mandated to wear masks at his recent campaign rally.
According to a report released by the Associated Press, Trump’s rally defied the state of Nevada’s coronavirus mitigation guides due to the size of the gathering and lack of masks worn by rally-goers.
The report also revealed that only the rally-goers who were captured on television sitting directly behind Trump were mandated to wear masks. However, the vast majority of attendees who were not seen on television did not wear masks.
The Associated Press reported:
“In open defiance of state regulations and his own administration’s pandemic health guidelines, President Donald Trump on Sunday hosted his first indoor rally since June, telling a packed, nearly mask-less Nevada crowd that the nation was ‘making the last turn’ in defeating the virus.
Eager to project a sense of normalcy in imagery, Trump soaked up the raucous cheers inside a warehouse. Relatively few in the crowd wore masks, with one clear exception: Those in the stands directly behind Trump, whose images would end up on TV, were mandated to wear face coverings.”
Photos and footage from the Henderson, Nevada, rally also appear to support the claims detailed in the report
and they didn't even put them on until Trump was on stage.
— Doug Landry (@dougblandry) September 14, 2020
before & after: pic.twitter.com/Br7Rj7DXvm
Trump’s packed rally tonight. No social distancing and few masks pic.twitter.com/Pn9ihBRjHl
— Emily Goodin (@Emilylgoodin) September 14, 2020
Trump’s rally came shortly after Nevada Gov. Steve Sisolak (D) expressed concern about the event.
The Democratic governor took to Twitter with a string of tweets slamming Trump and as he deemed his actions “dangerous” and “irresponsible.”
“At a time when Nevada is focused on getting our economy back on track and protecting public health, the President’s actions this weekend are shameful, dangerous, and irresponsible,” Sisolak tweeted.
At a time when Nevada is focused on getting our economy back on track and protecting public health, the President’s actions this weekend are shameful, dangerous and irresponsible.
— Governor Sisolak (@GovSisolak) September 14, 2020
The United States has reported more than 6.7 million coronavirus cases, nationwide, since the beginning of the pandemic.