Trump Wore Face Mask With Presidential Seal For Part Of Ford Plant Tour, Then Removed It

President Donald Trump refused to wear a face mask Thursday during the public portion of his tour of a Ford plant in Michigan.

In a statement, the company said Executive Chairman Bill Ford had “encouraged” Trump to wear a mask when he arrived, as the company policy is that “everyone wears PPE to prevent the spread of COVID-19” inside the plant.

“He wore a mask during a private viewing of three Ford GTs from over the years,” the statement said. “The president later removed the mask for the remainder of the visit.”

First view of President Trump wearing a mask, during a tour of a Ford plant today in Michigan. The logo in the lower corner is the presidential seal. pic.twitter.com/VaL1xtF9Dy

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— Paul Lukas (@UniWatch) May 22, 2020

Ford has a policy that everyone in their plants is required to wear masks, but Trump is not wearing one pic.twitter.com/LM2u5Zv1RF

— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 21, 2020

Ford made it clear that they would not fight the president on his decision to not wear a mask for the duration of the tour.

“We have shared our policies and recommendations. The White House has its own safety and testing policies in place and will make its own determination,” the statement reads.

Trump argued that he did not want to “give the press the pleasure of seeing” him in a mask and displaying a black covering with the presidential seal in the corner.

“I wore one in this back area, but I didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it,” Trump told reporters.

“I think I look better in the mask,” Trump said. “I’m making a speech, so I won’t have it on now.”

He then said he did not need a mask since he had tested negative for COVID-19 earlier in the day and masks are primarily used to prevent infected persons from transmitting the illness.

State Attorney General Dana Nessel (D) wrote in an open letter Wednesday that Trump should wear a mask because it “is not just the policy of Ford,” but “by virtue of the governor’s executive orders” it “is currently the law of this State.”

After his Thursday visit, Trump called Nessel the “Wacky Do Nothing Attorney General of Michigan” and noted he did wear a mask.

The Wacky Do Nothing Attorney General of Michigan, Dana Nessel, is viciously threatening Ford Motor Company for the fact that I inspected a Ventilator plant without a mask. Not their fault, & I did put on a mask. No wonder many auto companies left Michigan, until I came along!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 22, 2020

“The Wacky Do Nothing Attorney General of Michigan, Dana Nessel, is viciously threatening Ford Motor Company for the fact that I inspected a Ventilator plant without a mask,” Trump tweeted. “Not their fault, & I did put on a mask. No wonder many auto companies left Michigan, until I came along!”