Despite new mandatory mask rules, Trump insists it's everyone's 'personal choice'

After the city of Jacksonville, Florida, announced that masks will be mandatory for public and indoor locations starting Monday, White House press secretary Kaleigh McEnany would not directly say if President Donald Trump planned to wear one at his acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention.

The event, scheduled for August, is expected to bring more than 40,000 people from all over the country to Jacksonville, and while the rules may apply to them, it's likely Trump will exempt himself.

"I talked to the president before coming out here," McEnany said. "It's his choice to wear a mask. It's the personal choice of any individual as to whether to wear a mask or not. He encourages people to make whatever decision is best for their safety, but he did say to me he has no problem with masks, and to do whatever your local jurisdiction requests of you."

Her rationale comes on the heels of a growing number of health officials urging the public to wear masks as cases rise alarmingly across the southern United States.

At the first public task force briefing in two months last Friday, Vice President Mike Pence spent much of the time applauding the Trump administration's efforts and emphasizing how much worse the pandemic could have been without their response.