President Donald Trump did not hesitate to spread germs Friday by repeatedly shaking hands during his coronavirus press conference, breaking the CDC’s guidelines on how to avoid contracting the deadly virus.
But Trump wasn’t the only one to flout the safety guidelines. Vice President Mike Pence, members of the coronavirus task force and CEOs adjusted the same microphone when they came to speak at the podium.
Meanwhile, members of the media were all packed into the audience and sitting in shoulder-to-shoulder to hear Trump’s declaration of a national emergency, disregarding the call for social isolation.
Donald Trump held a press conference in the White House Rose Garden Friday where he repeatedly shook hands. Seen shaking hands with Brian Cornell, Chairman and CEO of Target Corporation
Trump also shook hands with Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart, during the news conference
CVS Executive Vice President Thomas Moriarty was also among the CEOs to shake hands with President Trump
Trump shook hands with Richard Ashworth, president of Walgreens, during Friday’s news conference
When Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID approached the podium to speak, he and Trump both adjusted the microphone and their hands overlapped
Dr. Anthony Fauci, who is on the coronavirus task force, can be seen with his hand overlapping the president’s
Trump went in for a handshake as Bruce Green, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer of the LHC Group, offered his elbow instead
Greenstein offered Trump elbow bump in place of a handshake for safety – even though Trump went in to shake his hand first
There were at least 15 people, including the President and Vice President, gathered around the podium in the White House Rose Garden for the press conference.
At one point, Trump shook hands with Brian Cornell, Chairman and CEO of Target Corporation, even after Cornell was seen coughing in his hand.
He also shook hands with Doug McMillon, president and CEO of Walmart, during the news conference.
When Dr. Anthony Fauci, Director of NIAID, approached the podium to speak, he and Trump both adjusted the microphone and their hands overlapped.
Dr. Fauci was also seen touching his face throughout the press conference.
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, and Mike Pence could also be seen with their bare hands on the podium.
But Bruce Greenstein, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy and Innovation Officer of the LHC Group, did take precaution by offering his elbow when President Trump when in for a handshake.
The president responded the elbow bump with: ‘Oh okay, I like that. That’s good.’
Members of the media were all sitting in shoulder-to-shoulder to hear Trump’s declaration of a national emergency, disregarding the call for social isolation
Dr. Anthony Fauci was also seen touching his face throughout the press conference and didn’t appear to sanitize his hands after his contact with the president
Mike Pence did not hesitate to touch the podium surface even though it had not been disinfected
Dr. Deborah Birx, White House coronavirus response coordinator, could be seen with their bare hands on the podium
Trump’s national emergency declaration will allow him to access $50 billion in emergency funds – and he started by touching the mic, setting the tone for the whole event
Trump’s national emergency declaration will allow him to access $50 billion in emergency funds.
‘The action I am taking will open up access to up to $50 billion of very important and a large amount of money for states and territories, localities in our shared fight against this disease. Furtherance of the order, I’m asking every state to set up emergency operations centers immediately,’ Trump said.
He spoke on a day when questions mounted about whether he has been infected with the virus himself, with his daughter Ivanka self-isolation – and as markets suffered yet another wild ride.
As of Friday afternoon, 1,800 people in the US had tested positive for coronavirus and 42 had died.
‘I’d like to provide an update to the American people on several decisive new actions we’re taking that are very vigilant effort to combat and ultimately defeat the corona virus, we’ve been working very hard on this. We’ve made tremendous progress,’ he said.
‘Europe was just designated as the hotspot right now. We closed that border awhile ago. That was lucky, through talent or luck, whatever you want. But through a very collective action and shared sacrifice, national determination, we will overcome the threat of the virus.’
‘Like our earlier, very aggressive actions with China this measure will save countless lives.’
President Donald Trump shaking hands with Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro during a dinner at Mar-a-Lago on Saturday night; Bolsonaro’s condition is claimed to be negative on a second test, after it was positive on a first one
‘To unleash the full power of the federal government did the separate today I am officially declaring a national emergency – two very big words,’ Trump said.
‘The action I am taking will open up access to up to $50 billion of very important and a large amount of money for states and territories, localities in our shared fight against this disease. Furtherance of the order, I’m asking every state to set up emergency operations centers immediately,’ he added.
The president announced the press conference after reports out of Brazil said the Bolsonaro tested positive for coronavirus. One of the major newspapers in Rio de Janeiro, Journal O Dia, noted The Guardian’s Tom Phillips, reported the news of Bolsonaro’s positive test.
Bolsonaro, 64, was checked for the disease after his aide Fabio Wajngarten tested positive for it.
But a second test that came back on Friday showed the president tested negative, according to a statement on Bolsonaro’s official Facebook page, which is adding to the questions and confusion.