Trump wearing a face mask in Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on July 11. Photo: Alex Edelman/AFP via Getty Images
President Trump wore a face mask during his Saturday visit to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, according to AP.
Why it matters: This is the first known occasion the president has appeared publicly with a facial covering as recommended by health officials since the coronavirus pandemic began, AP writes.
What they're saying: “When you’re in a hospital, especially ... I think it’s expected to wear a mask," Trump said as he left the White House Saturday, per AP.
The big picture: The president refused to wear a mask in May while touring a Ford Motor Co. plant in Michigan because he "didn’t want to give the press the pleasure” of seeing him wearing the protective covering.
- Joe Biden criticized Trump in May for ridiculing face masks, calling him "an absolute fool to talk that way."
- Congressional Republicans have recently started to advocate for masks and aggressive testing for the virus coronavirus amid a surge in new cases around the country.
Go deeper: Where the science stands on using face masks against coronavirus