Donald Trump Supporters Show Excitement Over Wearing Masks After He Wears One in Public

On Saturday, President Donald Trump wore a mask in public for the first time while visiting the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in suburban Washington, D.C. The president has been aloof about face masks so far, despite the advice of medical experts, and many Americans were skeptical of his reasoning for wearing one at last on Saturday. While his staffers, supporters and followers praised him for this photo op, his critics were harsh.

Trump and other members of his administration have gone to several public events conspicuously without face masks since the coronavirus pandemic began. Many critics argue that this is the reason masks have become politicized and why some Americans still refuse to wear them. However, when Trump was spotted wearing one on Saturday, many of his supporters spoke out in praise — even some who have refused to wear masks in the past.

Goodnight, @JoeBiden. pic.twitter.com/cpWUd0p8oE

— Boris Epshteyn (@BorisEP) July 11, 2020

According to The Associated Press, Trump spoke to reporters on his way out of the White House. He said: "When you're in a hospital, especially... I think it's a great thing to wear a mask." He was then wearing one as he arrived at Walter Reed Medical Center.

Some of the first photos of Trump in a mask came from staff members in his administration or on his campaign. Some critics speculated that these staffers were trying to encourage the president by spinning the covers as a positive thing — an assumption they were horrified by.

All in all, Trump wearing a mask this weekend did not seem to change any minds about his handling of the coronavirus pandemic or his presidency in general. Still, it sparked some heated discussions online. Here's a breakdown of how Twitter handled the president's mask debut on Saturday.