Pelosi told MSNBC’s Stephanie Rule on Friday that the news was “tragic” and “very sad” but she also highlighted his attendance at campaign rallies and his attitude toward mask-wearing.
“But it also is something that again, going into crowds, unmasked and all the rest was sort of a brazen invitation for something like this to happen,” Pelosi said. “Sad that it did but nonetheless hopeful that it will be a transition to a saner approach to what this virus is all about.”
The president announced the test results on Twitter in the early hours of Friday, just days after the first presidential debate with former Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday and following a campaign rally in Duluth, Minnesota, on Wednesday.
“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!” Trump tweeted.
During Tuesday’s presidential debate, Trump criticized Biden for wearing a mask. Both men are in their 70s and are considered to be in a high risk category for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. Trump has occasionally worn a mask in public settings.
“I don’t wear masks like him [Biden],” the president said. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from them and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
Democratic presidential candidate Biden sent his Republican rival and first lady his well wishes on Friday morning, before Pelosi’s TV appearance.
“Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family,” he tweeted.
Pelosi has consistently worn a mask in public and when speaking to the press. She has urged Americans to wear masks and even called on the Centers for Disease Control to make mask-wearing mandatory.
“Real men wear masks,” Pelosi told CNBC’s Jim Cramer on June 4. “And these masks are essentially important. And if you decide not to wear a mask, you’re insulting anyone with whom you come in contact.”
