A federal mandate on wearing masks nationwide is "long overdue," House Speaker Nancy Pelosi told ABC's "This Week" on Sunday.
Pelosi said the only reason the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has only "recommended the use of masks [as opposed to requiring it] is because they don't want to offend the president," who has repeatedly flouted the guidelines of public health officials by refusing to wear a mask in public.
Pelosi insisted that "the president should be [an] example. You know, real men wear masks. Be an example to the country and wear the mask … it's not about protecting yourself. It's about protecting others and their families."
Even though research has demonstrated that face coverings help prevent coronavirus transmission, the issue of wearing a mask has become politicized across the nation, according to CNBC.
Vice President Mike Pence on Sunday deflected a question about a federal mandate requiring the wearing of masks, telling CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sunday that people should listen to what local officials are saying, because "every state has a unique situation" and "we believe people should wear masks wherever social distancing is not possible."
Joe Biden, the Democratic Party's presumptive presidential nominee, has said that he would require the use of masks in public if he is elected to the White House, CNBC reported.
The CDC currently recommends that face coverings be worn in public where social distancing is difficult to maintain, with some states and local communities requiring them.
Brian Freeman ✉
Brian Freeman, a Newsmax writer based in Israel, has more than three decades writing and editing about culture and politics for newspapers, online and television.
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