Trump’s golf club press conference was a social distancing disaster — until the tweet-shaming began

The president held a surprise press conference at one of his golf clubs late on Friday evening, and few of the attendees were wearing masks — until Twitter shamed them about it. 

During Friday’s conference at the Trump National Golf Club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump spoke about a strange selection of topics, but did address the government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic, which he repeatedly referred to as the “ChinaVirus.” 

At the start of his speech, Trump encouraged Americans to continue social distancing, wash their hands, and wear masks. But just moments before he came out, a staffer was seen handing out masks out to the crowded audience made up of members the golf club, Associate Press correspondent Jonathan Lemire tweeted. 

Despite clinical evidence that covering faces and maintaining at least six feet of distance drastically limits the spread of the coronavirus, few attendees appeared to come to the press conference with masks, much less be concerned with maintaining social distance. 

In addition to being bad optics for the president who has struggled to maintain a consistent message on how best to contain the deadly virus, the crowded gathering may also not adhere to New Jersey’s social distancing regulations. 

Earlier this week, Gov. Phil Murphy decreased the maximum number of people allowed at indoor gatherings from 100 to just 25, regardless of the room’s capacity. The change is applicable to weddings, funerals, memorial services, religious services, or political activities. Even exceptions, however, are limited to 25 percent of the room’s capacity with a maximum of 100 people. People are also required to wear a mask in indoor commercial spaces that are closed to the public. 

This is a developing story.