The outlet claims that Melania told her staff to work from home unless absolutely necessary and required them to wear face masks if they had to come into the East Wing. The first lady also appeared «taken aback» during multiple incidents when she came into contact with maskless White House staffers, the report says.
According to Bloomberg, Melania subsequently decided to limit the number of aides traveling with her aboard Air Force One. On one trip, she was reportedly «perplexed» to see none of the president’s aides wearing masks.
On another flight, Melania reportedly asked if masks would be worn and was told yes. But when she walked into a conference room to greet members of Congress, no one had a face covering on.
«What is wrong with these people?» she later said, according to a Bloomberg source.
Since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic in the US, President Trump has repeatedly downplayed the effectiveness of face masks, social distancing, and more public health guidelines. During the first presidential debate on 29 September, he openly mocked his Democratic opponent, Joe Biden, for frequently wearing face masks. Two days later, the president tested positive for the coronavirus and was hospitalised.
Melania herself tested positive for Covid-19 at the same time as her husband, but was able to recover from home.
AOC says Biden has ‘exceeded expectations’ for progressives
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez says the Biden administration has “exceeded expectations” for progressive Democrats.
The New York congresswoman gave the president a thumbs up for his first 100 days in office, which he will mark at a drive-in rally in Atlanta on 29 April.
“The Biden administration and President Biden have definitely exceeded expectations that progressives had,” said Ms Ocasio-Cortez during a virtual town hall meeting.
“A lot of us expected a much more conservative administration.”
And she said she had been impressed with the White House’s approach to negotiating with Congress to make headway.
“It’s been good so far,” she added.
The high-profile lawmaker also gave Mr Biden credit for his $1.9 trillion Covid-19 stimulus package, the American Rescue Plan.
The president is now trying to pass the giant $2.25 trillion American Job Plan, which is focussed on US infrastructure, which Ms Ocasio-Cortez said could actually be larger.
“I think the infrastructure bill is too small,” she said.
“I have real concerns that the actual dollars and cents, and programmatic allocations of the bill, don’t meet the ambition of that vision, of what’s being sold.”
The lawmaker also told the town hall that she will not be able to attend Mr Biden’s first State of the Union address, as Covid-19 restrictions will limit the audience to 200 people.
