The irony wasn’t lost on anyone Tuesday when Trump visited the Honeywell plant in Arizona, a factory that makes masks, and yet he wouldn’t wear one, despite signs all around the plant saying they are required. Trump even went so far as to claim that the head of Honeywell told him Trump he didn’t need to wear one – a little like violating the law against having gatherings inside the Lincoln Memorial, just get someone to say the rule doesn’t apply to you and do what you want.

But according to reports, it has nothing to do with safety or policies – it has to do with Trump’s self-interest, of course: Link.

Trump has told White House and campaign aides in private he believes if he wears a mask it will “send the wrong message.” Mask-wearing is to protect other people, not the wearer.

“The president said doing so would make it seem like he is preoccupied with health instead of focused on reopening the nation’s economy — which his aides believe is the key to his reelection chances in November,” the AP adds.

This, of course, is insane. One can be preoccupied with getting the country out of the position where anyone needs a mask, while wearing a mask. Obviously.

When a reporter noted that Trump wasn’t wearing a mask or practicing social distancing rules during a signing ceremony with nurses, Trump came up with a typically Trumpian answer:

“Well I can’t help that,” Trump snarled. “I mean look I’m trying to be nice I’m signing a bill, and you criticize us. Look, here’s the story: there’s nothing I can do to satisfy the media, the Democrats, or the fake news, and I understand that.”

Yes, you can help that by wearing a mask. It is true that there is nothing you can do to satisfy Democrats, but that has nothing to do with wearing a mask.

We cannot help but wonder if the mask issue is similar to not visiting the D-Day festivities in France, where Trump wouldn’t go out in the rain. Is it a style issue? Does Trump not like how he looks in a mask? That would be plenty and everyone knows it. Or, people often note that Trump seems out of breath, and masks do make it harder to breathe. Is it possible that he feels somewhat suffocated in a mask? We can’t know that either.

All we know is that as per usual, the rules do not apply to Trump, and that the White House is giving out bogus reasons for him not appearing in a mask. Frankly, we believe he’d just assume get sick as wear a mask in a crowd. We have also wondered whether Trump has already received one of the very first trial vaccines now being tested and feels invulnerable to things. We know he would order it if he believed it would help him.

****

Peace, y’all

Jason

[email protected] and on Twitter @MiciakZoom