Republican governors face decision on masks: follow Trump or protect citizens?

The spread of coronavirus across the American south has forced many Republican governors to choose: issue a mask mandate to try to force residents to wear them, as many other states and countries have done, or stick with Donald Trump’s more hands-off approach.

Trump shifted his position on Tuesday when he said at a press conference: “We’re asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask, get a mask.”