Trump campaign spokeswoman on holding rallies: ‘The president is the best authority on this issue’

A spokeswoman for President Trump’s reelection campaign defended Trump’s decision to continue holding campaign rallies despite the spread of coronavirus, saying in an interview with Fox Business Network’s Stuart Varney that Trump is “the best authority on this issue.”

Campaign spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany said the rallies would continue despite National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases head Anthony Fauci’s recommendation against such large public gatherings.

“The president is the best authority on this issue. He takes into consult the words of everyone around him, that would include [Health and Human Services Secretary] Alex Azar, that would include Dr. Fauci, that would include others. So, I’ll leave it to the president,” McEnany said. “Right now, we’re proceeding as normal.”

McEnany also defended Trump’s decision to continue shaking hands with political allies and civilians despite warnings from infectious disease experts.

“He’s taking precautions, he’s washing his hands — we’re all doing that, but he’s a man of the people, he talks to the people, he shakes their hands. That’s the nature of the business,” she said.

Both Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) and former Vice President Joe Biden have announced the cancellation of planned rallies due to the coronavirus threat.

“Joe Biden is looking for an excuse to get off the campaign trail, and let me just add, the media’s best hope is for Donald Trump to suspend his rallies,” McEnany said, accusing the media of wanting Trump to cancel rallies to keep him from directly interacting with supporters.

“And, Joe Biden, we’re certainly not going to follow his lead as he tries to hide from the American people,” she added.