This archive report was first published on 12 July 2020.
On July 11, 2020, President Donald Trump visited the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he met with wounded soldiers and front-line health-care workers. In a significant departure from his previous stance, Trump wore a mask during the visit.
Trump's decision to wear a mask came as the United States continued to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic. The virus had claimed nearly 134,000 American lives by Friday, July 10, 2020, and top public health officials had urged the use of masks to slow its spread.
At the medical facility, Trump walked by media gathered for a photo opportunity wearing a navy blue mask emblazoned with a presidential seal. He said only 'thank you' as he passed.
Trump's visit to the medical facility marked a rare moment of bipartisanship in the midst of a heated presidential election. His opponent, Joe Biden, had criticized Trump's handling of the pandemic, saying he had spent months ignoring the advice of medical experts and politicizing wearing a mask.
According to a Reuters tally, the number of confirmed U.S. infections topped 3 million as of Friday, July 10, 2020. New U.S. cases of COVID-19 rose by more than 69,000 on that day, a third straight daily record.
