White House turns press corps into anti-social distancing props
New York(CNN Business) Members of the White House press corps became the latest political prop in President Donald Trump's quest to reopen the country on Friday.
The White House Correspondents Association said the administration's conduct "violated the federal government's guidelines on social distancing and needlessly put reporters' health at risk."
The White House set up press seats for a Friday event in the Rose Garden, which was billed as a news conference, though Trump ended up taking no questions from reporters.
The folding chairs were originally placed six feet apart, just like they have been since April, in accordance with social distancing guidelines.
News crews set up their cameras, took photos of the setting, then left the Rose Garden. When they were brought back in several minutes later, the folding chairs were close together.
Sometime in between, White House staffers had rearranged the chairs with approximately one foot between each reporter's seat.
Visually it was back to business almost as normal, pre-pandemic, without social distancing, despite ongoing recommendations from the Centers for Disease Control to take precautions.
The president seemed to like what he saw.
"You're getting closer together, even you, I noticed," Trump remarked to reporters. "I noticed you're starting to get much closer together. Looks much better."
But it wasn't their choice -- the chairs were arranged by the White House. Some journalists and news executives were privately outraged by the bait and switch.
White House deputy press secretary Judd Deere said he made the decision to move the seats.
"It was my decision. It looks better. I would remind you that those in the pool are tested, everyone is temperature checked, and asked if they have had symptoms," he told CNN in an email.
The event was open to other reporters who had not been tested because they were not in the pool -- the small, rotating group of reporters covering the President each day. There have been many cases of asymptomatic spread nationally, and it's possible to spread the virus before one begins exhibiting symptoms.
The Trump administration's own CDC guidelines maintain that social distancing is the best way to slow the spread of coronavirus.
"Limit close contact with others outside your household in indoor and outdoor spaces. Since people can spread the virus before they know they are sick, it is important to stay away from others when possible, even if you—or they—have no symptoms," the CDC's website said.
It appeared that the White House was using the press corps as human props to send a visual message that social distancing is no longer necessary -- something the President is insisting, as well, as he seeks to fill a packed arena for the Republican National Convention.
"This is a flagrant violation of CDC guidelines on social distancing and a move that puts reporters at risk for the purpose of turning the press corps into a prop for a so-called 'press conference' where the president refuses to answer a single question," WHCA president Jon Karl said in a post on Twitter.
