Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel torched President Trump after he failed to wear a mask while visiting a Ford plant outside of Detroit Thursday afternoon.
On Wednesday evening, Nessel urged Trump in an open letter ahead of his visit to comply with executive orders by Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer (D) and Ford’s policy, which mandates masks in an effort to slow the spread of the novel coronavirus. Nessel then doubled down on her request during an interview on CNN the next morning, saying that if the President doesn’t adhere to the mask-wearing policy, he won’t be welcomed back to enclosed facilities in her state.
Although Trump brought a mask with the presidential seal during his visit to the Ford plant on Thursday, he refused to wear it on camera because he “didn’t want to give the press the pleasure of seeing it.”
When asked during an interview on CNN later Thursday about her thoughts on Trump refusing to wear a mask, Nessel responded that “it’s exactly right” that the President won’t be welcomed back to her state because his actions were “extremely disappointing and yet totally predictable.”
Nessel then compared Trump to a “petulant child who refuses to follow the rules” before adding that her remark is “no joke” due to the overwhelming amount of deaths nationwide from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“He’s conveying the worst possible message to people who cannot afford to be on the receiving end of terrible misinformation,” Nessel said. “And it’s very, very concerning.”
Pressed on what message she thinks the President sent to Michigan residents by not wearing a mask at the Ford plant, Nessel responded that it’s “the same message” he conveyed upon entering office in 2017, which she said is “I don’t care about you.”
“I don’t care about your health, about your safety, your welfare,” Nessel said. “I don’t care about anyone but myself, and he’s continuously sent this message.”
Watch Nessel’s remarks below:
Michigan Attorney General Dana Nessel says Trump is "a petulant child" for refusing to wear mask at Ford plant pic.twitter.com/skZlPIrxnl
— Talking Points Memo (@TPM) May 21, 2020
