Trump Tweets Out Video Playing Catch With Kids on White House Lawn Where No One Wears Masks or Follows Social Distancing Rules

Just two hours after urging all American to practice social distancing and wear masks, President Donald Trump tweeted out a video of himself playing catch with more than a dozen Little Leaguers at the White House on MLB’s Opening Day, where no one was wearing masks or following social distancing rules.

During his Thursday evening White House briefing, Trump had urged the country to follow public health best practices to help stop the spread of the coronavirus and re-open schools later this summer. Previously, on Monday, Trump publicly called the wearing of masks “patriotic” when “you can’t socially distance.” The president’s about-face, after months of dismissing masks and refusing to wear one in public, was hailed as a sea change in his approach to the pandemic.

“We will continue to monitor the areas rising, with respect to cases,” Trump said in a sober tone on Thursday. “And we ask all Americans to exercise vigilance, practice social distancing, wear a mask, do whatever is necessary so we get rid of this horrible situation, this horrible disease.”

Immediately following that briefing, Trump went outside to an event on the White House lawn with nearly 20 Little League players, to celebrate the return of baseball.

WELCOME BACK BASEBALL! pic.twitter.com/dhLSfNkI7L

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 23, 2020

However, none of the children in that video playing catch were wearing masks. Trump and his special guest, New York Yankees Hall-of-Famer Mariano Rivera, were not wearing masks, either. Trump and Rivera also took turns throwing the baseball with some of the kids from a distance of 15 – 20 feet, but they also were shown shaking hands with some of the kids and standing shoulder to shoulder with them and their parents for photo ops, violating social distancing rules.