“Several security officials with executive branch experience said in interviews Friday that the White House has taken a lax and risky approach that, in their view, reflected Trump’s consistent efforts to minimize the threat from the virus.” washingtonpost.com/politics/trump…
“If he backtracks now, and starts wearing a mask, it will contradict the red meat he’s feeding to his base constantly. This is the first health crisis that has been politicized.”
“Normally the WH would defer to the medical unit on safety. They would defer to the Secret Service on security,” said one former Trump official. “But in this White House, everybody seems to be just doing their own thing.”
“Yet Katie Miller’s (Stephen Miller’s wife) positive test raised questions over who else she might have been in contact w/. She has attended nearly all of the WH coronavirus task force meetings, led by Pence. No aides wore masks in those meetings...”
“One official said Stephen Miller is “an ultimate germaphobe” who scrupulously sanitizes his hands and maintains social distancing.”
“Since early April, those who visit Trump or Pence have been required to undergo rapid coronavirus tests from Abbott Laboratories, which can deliver results within 15 minutes, officials said.
“But close aides have been lax around Trump on other counts. On Thurs, the president met with close advisers, including Kushner, RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and campaign manager Brad Parscale, who brought with him five prototype masks featuring the Trump-Pence reelection logo.”
