CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins complained that President Donald Trump removed his mask at the White House after leaving Walter Reed Medical Center on Monday, only for the Trump campaign to provide evidence she has done the same thing.
Only days into his diagnosis, the first thing President Trump does when he gets back to the White House is take his mask off. pic.twitter.com/kyqvHcSbIl
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 5, 2020
It appears from the short video clip that there isn’t anybody in close proximity to President Trump as he removes his mask.
That didn’t stop Collins from appearing to insinuate that the President was acting recklessly.
RELATED: Remember When Tulsi Gabbard Shredded Kamala Harris’ Horrible Record On Criminal Justice?
Collins Reminds CNN Viewers That Trump Still Has Coronavirus
“He had a level of treatment and a level of care that most Americans would not get,” Collins added, as reported by The Daily Wire.
“That’s understandable, he is the President of the United States, obviously everyone expects that.”
“But what the president is portraying by taking his mask off when he gets back to the Truman balcony to give this grand return to the White House, is that everything is fine and, as he said, don’t let coronavirus control your life,” Collins continued.
Collins then reminded viewers that Trump still has COVID-19.
“But that is very much still a president who has coronavirus,” Collins noted.
“Despite the lights and the flags and the staged entrance that the president wants to create, he still has coronavirus and he is only a few days into the diagnosis.”
Team Trump must have heard about Collins’ comments.
Kaitlan Collins Removes Her Mask In the White House
The Trump campaign shared a video clip from earlier this year in which Collins immediately removed her mask – inside the White House where other reporters were present — after a press conference wrapped up.
Team Trump tweeted, “CNN reporters like Kaitlin Collins obsess over masks when the cameras are on, but when they think they’re off, off comes their masks!”
CNN reporters like Kaitlin Collins obsess over masks when the cameras are on, but when they think they’re off, off comes their masks!pic.twitter.com/IpPSvgDqhc
— Trump War Room (@TrumpWarRoom) October 5, 2020
Monday’s incident was not the first time Collins, or more specifically, CNN, and Trump’s White House tangled over wearing masks.
The video of Collins taking off her mask at the White House was first shared in May by President Trump’s son Eric, who wrote, “Just a reminder that @CNN is a total joke.”
Just a reminder that @CNN is a total joke:
“Mask-police CNN reporter @kaitlancollins caught removing hers at presser, as soon as she thought cameras were off”
Cc: @brianstelter pic.twitter.com/dTv7d983wQ
— Eric Trump (@EricTrump) May 17, 2020
President Trump himself then got in on the action.
Collins replied, “Nearly 90,000 Americans have been killed by coronavirus, and the president is tweeting about me pulling my mask down for six seconds on Friday.”
Nearly 90,000 Americans have been killed by coronavirus, and the president is tweeting about me pulling my mask down for six seconds on Friday. https://t.co/UYib8tS7pO
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) May 18, 2020
The video of Collins removing her mask while chiding others recalls another instructive moment.
Also in May, someone pointed out that an MSNBC cameraman was not wearing a mask – in a segment where the reporter was snidely chastising Americans who don’t wear masks.
MSNBC: What is wrong with these people not wearing masks? Do they not care about their own safety?
REPORTER: "Nobody is wearing them."
HERO MAN: "Including the cameraman! Half your crew is not wearing [masks]."https://t.co/5lEtllOtfR
— The First (@TheFirstonTV) May 26, 2020
Trump releases video after leaving Walter Reed
President Trump released a video on social media after his return to the White House.
“I just left Walter Reed Medical Center, and it’s really something very special—the doctors, the nurses, the first responders—and I learned so much about coronavirus,” Trump said.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2020
RELATED: Susan Collins Says She Opposes Voting On SCOTUS Nominee – What Is Wrong With This ‘Republican?’
Trump: ‘I Led’
“And one thing that’s for certain, don’t let it dominate you,” the President advised.
“Don’t be afraid of it. You’re gonna beat it. We have the best medical equipment; we have the best medicines—all developed recently—and you’re gonna beat it.”
“We’re the greatest country in the world,” Trump continued.
“We’re going back, we’re going back to work, we’re gonna be out front. As your leader, I had to do that. I knew there’s danger to it, but I had to do it.”
“I stood out front; I led,” Trump said.
You can dislike how Trump has handled the covid messaging and still acknowledge that he isn't endangering anyone by standing 100 ft. from everyone else outside. https://t.co/3rXMCSZZkb
— Ben Shapiro (@benshapiro) October 5, 2020