Trump Refuses To Wear Mask During Factory Visit, Focuses On Reopening Economy Even As More Americans Expected To Die

The gesture of "unpresidential" masks and no emphasis on wearing masks hints that the President wants Americans to return to work.

US President Donald Trump participates in a tour of a Honeywell International plant that manufactures personal protective equipment in Phoenix, Arizona on May 5, 2020. (Photo by Brendan Smialowski / AFP)

Washington:  Even as the Covid-19 deaths in the US continue to escalate, President Donald Trump said more people will die after the economy is reopened and insisted that the Covid-19 threat is diminishing by refusing to wear a mask while visiting a mask-making factory. On questioned by ABC News if easing the social distancing measures and kick-starting the economy will lead to higher deaths, the President said "it's possible there will be some," according to an AFP report. "Because you won't be locked into an apartment or a house or whatever it is," Trump said at the Honeywell factory in Phoenix, Arizona, in on of the first major trip since the lockdown started. On probed if it will impact some people badly. He admitted Yes. But we have to get our country open. The audience at Honeywell wore masks in compliance with US government recommendations and their own company rule, which was clearly displayed on a sign in the facility reading: "Please wear your mask at all times." The gesture of unpresidential masks and no emphasis on precautions such as wearing masks hints that he wants Americans to return to work. The US Presidential re-election due in November is also impacted by the Covid-19 lockdown which has already taken 70,000 lives in America and expected to take tens of thousands more lives. On his visit to the factory, the President praised the Honeywell workers, who are producing masks for medical staff and others Trump reiterated stressed that it's time to look ahead. "I want to be a cheerleader," he added. Also Watch: In line with the Trump’s response, the White House also hinted that the emergency coordination group created for the pandemic will get disbanded most likely by June. A few days back US vice-president, Mike Pence created a controversy after being photographed mask-less during a visit to the famous Mayo Clinic hospital in Rochester, Minnesota, which requires visitors to cover up. Meanwhile, the US Covid-19 death toll climbed 2,333 in the past 24 hours, according to Johns Hopkins University, more than twice as many as the day before.