Donald Trump's Tulsa Rally Brings out Woman With Newborn Baby Not Wearing Mask

A photo from President Donald Trump's political rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma is already going viral, [...]

By Michael Hein

A photo from President Donald Trump's political rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma is already going viral, as it shows a newborn baby at the event with no face mask or other protection in place. The picture was shared widely on Instagram and Twitter, raising concerns for the infant's well-being. The entire event is being criticized for its high risk of spreading COVID-19 — the coronavirus.

The unnerving baby photo comes from the Instagram Story of a user at Trump's rally in Tulsa on Saturday. It shows a young mother clutching her infant with both arms, along with the caption "three weeks old." They stand in a crowd of people outside of the venue waiting to get into the rally, and no one within sight is wearing a face mask or gloves. Many commenters fear the worst for the baby, who has not had time to build up a strong immune system.

The person who took the photo continued to share snapshots from throughout the day at the Trump rally, apparently having a conversation with the baby's mother at some point. It was not clear if they were trying to condemn the infant's presence at the event or not. However, they did include the hashtag "Babies for Trump" with a grinning emoji.

This is the first campaign rally that Trump has held in months — since before the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic. The president has continually held these events throughout his tenure in the Oval Office, and with the 2020 election coming up, he is eager to get them going again in spite of the risk of spreading the virus to attendees.

According to a report by NBC News, that concern has already become a reality. The Trump campaign announced on Saturday that six members of its staff had tested positive for COVID-19 ahead of the event. "Quarantine procedures were immediately implemented," said campaign communications director Tim Murtaugh. "No COVID-positive staffers or anyone in immediate contact will be at today's rally or near attendees and elected officials."

Another source told the outlet that at least two of the positive tests came from Secret Service members, but the identities of the rest were not revealed. Trump and his campaign have been widely criticized for hosting this event — and for doing so with little regard for preventative safety measures. About 19,000 people will be closed in together in a massive arena for the president's speech. All were required to sign a waiver stating that the Trump campaign is not liable if they get sick at the rally.

Trump is expected to give brief remarks at 7 p.m. ET before speaking at the rally itself at 8 p.m. ET. The event will be covered on news networks and streaming live online.

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