This archive report was first published on 13 July 2020.
On July 11, 2020, US President Donald Trump made a significant change in his stance on wearing masks in public. He visited the Walter Reed military hospital outside Washington, where he met wounded soldiers and healthcare workers.
As he left the White House earlier that day, Trump said, "I've never been against masks but I do believe they have a time and a place." This statement marked a departure from his previous stance, where he had mocked Democratic rival Joe Biden for wearing a mask.
However, during his visit to the hospital, Trump's tone shifted. He stated, "I think when you're in a hospital, especially in that particular setting, where you're talking to a lot of soldiers and people that, in some cases, just got off the operating tables, I think it's a great thing to wear a mask."
The change in tone came as the US recorded 66,528 coronavirus cases on Saturday, a new daily record. Some media reports have suggested that aides had repeatedly asked the president to wear a mask in public.
