Photos show how Trump and the White House coronavirus task force started taking their own social distancing advice at press conferences
On February 26, Trump held a crowded press conference to discuss the novel coronavirus and to announce that Vice President Mike Pence would lead his administration's efforts against the disease.
Trump encouraged Americans to treat the coronavirus like the flu, said he had ordered "a lot" of masks to combat the virus, and that the US was "really prepared" to halt the spread.
Sources: CNN, Business Insider
Pence was captured touching his face — one of the main things the CDC recommends avoiding to prevent the spread of the virus, in addition to washing your hands and staying inside.
Source: Business Insider
Two days later, Trump held another closely packed White House press conference. The same day, he attended the Conservative Political Action Conference, where he was seen shaking hands with multiple people. A person who attended CPAC later tested positive for the virus.
Source: Business Insider
On March 2, as cases continued to rise and spread throughout multiple states, Pence held another crowded press conference.
Source: White House
By March 5, the coronavirus had infected more than 95,000 people and killed 3,000 worldwide. By this point it had been known for weeks that the virus could spread from person-to-person contact.
Sources: Business Insider, WHO
On March 9, 10 other people stood shoulder-to-shoulder with Trump and Pence as they addressed the media on the coronavirus spread. That same day, Trump downplayed the virus by blaming Democrats and saying the flu was more dangerous.
Sources: Business Insider, Twitter
On March 13, Trump held a press conference with 18 people packed closely behind him.
Source: Business Insider
You can see the full crowd in this wide shot from official White House photographer Tia Dufour.
During that same press conference, Trump shook hands with multiple people, including the president of Walgreens ...
... and the executive vice President of CVS ....
... and the president and CEO of Walmart.
On the morning of March 14, Trump tweeted "SOCIAL DISTANCING", then held another crowded press conference. The White House started taking people's temperatures before they met with Trump or Pence on this day, including reporters'.
Sources: Business Insider, Twitter
On March 15, two days after Trump declared the virus a national emergency, the CDC recommended limiting gatherings to 50 or less people. At least 14 people stood behind Trump in front of a crowd of reporters in the White House briefing room.
Sources: Business Insider, Business Insider
On March 16, the Trump administration recommended Americans avoid gatherings of more than 10 people, and the White House cut the number of reporter seats in the briefing room in half. But there were still more than 10 people gathered in the room.
Sources: Business Insider, New York Post
By March 18, the conferences seemed to become more "socially distant" as fewer people took the stage.
During Thursday's briefing, it seemed like the president had finally started taking his own advice. Reporters were sat in every other seat, and Trump had a buffer of space around him.
This time, only four people took the stage with Trump.
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