White House Press Secretary, Kayleigh McEnany spoke at a press conference at the White House in Washington on June 17. Alex Wong / Getty Images
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany will not immediately answer when asked whether President Trump or the White House will be responsible if participants catch the corona virus during a rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma to be held Saturday.
McEnany was involved in an extended exchange with CNN Jim Acosta, but never responded directly to the question.
“The campaign has taken certain steps to ensure this is a safe rally, temperature check, hand sanitizer and mask,” McEnany said at a press conference Wednesday. “We are taking precautions.
CNN reported that the participants of the upcoming Trump general meeting must agree not to sue campaign if they get corona virus.
Rallygoers are asked to RSVP to get permission to enter the event and by registering, they must agree to a disclaimer stating that they recognize “the risks inherent in COVID-19 exposure exist in every public place where people are present.”
Asked by Acosta whether participants would be required to wear masks, McEnany said they would not be asked.
“They will be given a mask, it is up to them whether to make that decision,” he said, adding that, “the CDC guidelines are recommended, but not necessary,” and that it is “the individual’s personal choice.”
McEnany later accused the media of not having “internal coherence,” for not asking the same questions from protesters who came out across the country after George Floyd’s death.
Acosta points out that they march against injustice, racism, and police brutality, do not attend political rallies, and once again ask whether the President or the White House will be held responsible if people are sick.
McEnany deflected, attacked health experts who came out to support the protest, and stressed that the campaign had taken “certain steps to ensure this was a safe rally.”
Asked later by other reporters whether the White House’s position was that outdoor and indoor events carried the same risk for the corona virus, McEnany said that it was the White House’s position that “the media shouldn’t make decisions about their guidelines for us about distance social based on political ideology. ”
