Donald Trump’s return to the rally stage brings his supporters to Tulsa, Oklahoma, with many lining up days in advance to secure a spot inside the venue. Initially planned for June 19, the event was moved after cries about it landing on Juneteenth. It still falls with plenty of controversy, namely the debate over the ongoing coronavirus pandemic and the lack of guidelines for the rally.
That’s where the video below comes in. MSNBC talked to a man attending the rally in support of Trump and got his point of view on wearing a mask due to COVID-19. The man, clad in Trump merchandise from head to toe, went on to explain his stance on COVID-19 and the guidelines for safety.
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Trump rallygoer sans mask: “We had a friend who died from Covid, and his son was on a ventilator, he almost died. So we know it’s real, but then at the same time you don’t know what the facts are, you feel like maybe one side plays it one way and the other side plays it another.” pic.twitter.com/WGoKD1ihaW
— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈 (@aravosis) June 20, 2020
“I know COVID is real. We had a friend who died from COVID, and his son was on a ventilator. So, we know it’s real. But then at the same time, you know, you don’t know what’s the facts because you feel like one side plays it one way and the other side plays it another,” the Trump supporter says in the MSNBC clip. “So me personally, I don’t really know. But I do know this, that even the ones that are very concerned about COVID. When we spent time with them the past five days, they were interacting without their masks, normal.”
The responses to the video were shocked and frustrated at the statement, especially given the continued rise of coronavirus around the nation. “You can’t do anything to reach these people,” one person wrote.
“Wow! This is so weird. This man is so addicted to Trump, he is knowingly risking his life. For Trump. For Trump!” another added ahead of the rally Saturday night.
“‘So since I don’t know what to do I’ll just air on the side of the most reckless, selfish, and dangerous to my own health instead of just putting on a mask,’” a third added in, giving their own take on what the man said.
The Tulsa Trump rally has already become controversial before the president was even in the city. The debate over masks and the spread of coronavirus made the idea of having a rally at all troubling, not to mention the original date. On top of that, anybody attempting to protest was forcibly removed from the line at the event itself.
Still, the event fell short of expectations when it came to crowd size. A good amount of the arena was empty and a planned address to supporters outside the event was canceled.
