Members of Donald Trump’s Bedminster golf club ignored Gov. Phil Murphy’s constant calls to social distance as they watched the president’s press conference Saturday and booed reporters who asked questions he didn’t like.
The Bedminster guests came in to watch the press conference, called by Trump at the last minute, and stood together in the back of the room.
A Washington Post White House reporter tweeted that the guests were told to keep their distance because reports were going out that they were not social distancing or wearing masks.
And then a Reuters White House correspondent said masks were handed out shortly thereafter.
Murphy has used his regular coronavirus press briefings to urge New Jerseyans to wear masks indoors and social distance.
“Please keep it up, the face coverings, no house parties, social distancing, washing hands with soap and water, staying away if you don’t feel well, get tested,” he said on Friday.
Murphy spokeswoman Alyana Alfaro Post declined to comment.
Earlier this month, Murphy tightened the rules for indoor gatherings to no more than 25 people, except for weddings, funerals and religious and political events, as coronavirus cases spiked in the state.
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Trump’s decision to hold a press conference with guests standing close together without masks drew criticism on social media, including from Walter Shaub, the former head of the U.S. Office of Government Ethics.
At the press conference, Trump was asked about the fact that his guests were maskless and violating social distancing guidelines.
“You said that the pandemic is disappearing, but we lost 6,000 Americans this week,” one reporter asked. “And just in this room, you have dozens of people are not following the guidelines in New Jersey which say you should not have more than 25 people.”
“Why are you setting such a bad example?” the reporter asked to boos.
Trump said that the guests, who he said had asked to attend the press conference, “pretty much all have masks on.”
He also said his gathering was exempt from any regulations.
“You know, you have an exclusion in the law,” Trump said. “It says — exactly — ‘political activity’ or ‘peaceful protests.’ And you can call it ‘political activity,’ but I’d call it ‘peaceful protests’ because they heard you were coming up. And they know the news is fake. They understand it better than anybody.
At that point, the crowd cheered.
They cheered again when Trump berated a reporter for asking about National Counterintelligence and Security Center Director William Evanina’s report that Russia was actively trying to re-elect the president.
Evanina also said China and Iran were hoping that Trump loses in November, but neither were working to defeat him at this time.
Russia, he said, was the only country actively involved so far in trying to influence the 2020 U.S. elections.
And Russia was the first country mentioned in the question.
“Like the question about Russia,” Trump said. “He doesn’t mention Iran was in the report. He doesn’t mention, or he mentions very late that China was in the report.”
“China wants Biden,” one of the Bedminster guests called out.
“That’s the way they are,” Trump continued. “If the press in this country were honest, if it wasn’t corrupt, if it wasn’t fake, our country would be so much further ahead. But we’re doing really great.”
The Bedminster guests then applauded.
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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com.
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August 08, 2020 at 08:43PM
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Trump N.J. golf club guests ignore social distancing at press conference. He calls it ‘peaceful protest.’ - NJ.com
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