- trump is set to visit a ford facility that builds ventilators on thursday and has yet to announce if he’ll be wearing a mask or not.
- the president's visit is in violation of michigan gov. gretchen whitmer's executive order banning tours of manufacturing facilities.
- trump has yet to wear a mask while on camera, either during tours or during briefings.
despite an executive order signed by michigan's governor, gretchen whitmer, banning nonessential visits to manufacturing facilities, president trump will be visiting the rawsonville ford facility on thursday in ypsilanti, michigan. ford is gearing up for the visit, but what's still not certain is whether trump will wear a protective mask during the tour.
when asked about his upcoming tour of the ford facility and whether he would be wearing a mask, trump was recorded saying: "i haven't even thought of it. it depends. in certain areas i would, in certain areas i don't. but i will certainly look at it. it depends on what situation. am i standing right next to everybody, or am i spread out? and also you look, is something a hospital? is it a ward? what is it exactly? i'm going to a plant. so we'll see. where it's appropriate i would do it certainly."
ford originally issued a statement that all its policy was that everyone wears ppe (personal protective equipment) to prevent the spread of covid-19. "we shared all of ford’s safety protocols, including our manufacturing playbook, employee pamphlet, and self-assessment survey with the white house ahead of time and in preparation for this trip."
the automaker then appeared to back down from its own rule that everyone must wear a mask at the facility and issued an updated statement: "the white house has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination."
earlier today ford tweeted that it was requiring face masks to protect workers.
trump’s visit to the factory isn’t just a guessing game on if he’ll wear a mask or not, it’s also in violation of an executive order signed by michigan's governor. the order, signed on may 18, lays out rules for multiple industries in the state and specifically says that manufacturing has to "suspend all nonessential in-person visits, including tours."
when contacted, zack pohl, communications director for governor whitmer, told car and driver: "ford and the uaw are doing incredible work for the country, and their ingenuity will save lives. while the president's visit is contrary to the governor's order, this is an opportunity to showcase how important michigan is to the response to covid-19 and rebuilding our nation's economy."
while cdc guidelines have recommended wearing a face covering when out in public, trump has opted not to wear a mask either at briefings or during a recent tour of a honeywell mask-manufacturing facility. when questioned about that decision, trump explained: "i didn’t need it, and i asked specifically the head of honeywell, 'should i wear a mask?' and he said, 'well, you don’t need one in this territory.' and as you know, we were far away from people, from the people making the masks."