- Mark Meadows, President Trump’s chief of staff, allegedly convinced Trump not to introduce a nationwide mask mandate, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
- According to the Times, Meadows said such a mandate would alienate Trump’s biggest supporters: “The base will revolt,” he said.
- Meadows’ comments convinced Trump to resign from the mask’s mandate, despite poll data showing that a majority of Republicans were in favor of one.
- Visit the Business Insider home page for more stories.
Mark Meadows, President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, was finally the one who convinced the president to resign from a national mask mandate to help fight the coronavirus pandemic, the New York Times reported on Thursday.
According to the report, President Trump’s principal researcher, Tony Fabrizio, came to the Oval Office in the middle of the summer for a meeting with Trump and his advisers. Fabrizio reported some surprising news: most voters – including likely Trump supporters – supported mandatory mask use in public.
Fabrizio’s poll found that in July, almost 70% of voters in the states targeted by the Trump campaign were in favor of a masking mandate, including more than half of Republicans. The survey data supported an argument made by senior advisers Jared Kushner and Hope Hicks: Trump could portray mask use as the key for Americans to regain their freedom to participate in group meetings and internal events.
But Meadows disagreed. During the same meeting, he argued that the policy of such a move would damage the president’s reputation with his most fervent supporters.
“The base is going to revolt,” said Meadows, according to The Times.
Several other Trump advisers shared this view, including senior White House adviser Stephen Miller. Meadows added that he was also unsure whether such a move would be legal.
For Trump, Meadows’ words ended up overcoming the wishes of Kushner and Hicks and the data from Fabrizio’s research.
“I am not serving a masked mandate,” he said.
After that, Trump was rarely seen in public wearing a mask, except after he hired COVID-19 in early October.
Trump attacked Jared Kushner for overseeing what he saw as many tests
Adviser Jared Kushner (R) watches as President Donald Trump speaks in the Oval Office.
Anna Moneymaker-Pool photo / Getty Images
In addition to Meadows’ involvement in discouraging a mask mandate, the New York Times report also detailed how Trump attacked Kushner for what he considered many tests for COVID-19.
Kushner helped oversee testing efforts across the country throughout the year.
According to The Times, during another key advisory oval meeting on August 19, Trump was angered by the increase in COVID-19 testing in the United States, which he blamed for the higher case numbers.
“You are killing me! This whole thing is! We have all the damn cases,” Trump allegedly shouted at Kushner.
“I want to do what Mexico does,” continued Trump. “They don’t take a test until you get to the ER and start throwing up.”
Trump also criticized Kushner about the tests during the preparation of the debate, according to the report.
“I’m going to lose,” said Trump, according to The Times. “And it will be your fault, because of the tests.”
Azmi Haroun contributed reporting.