⁍ U.S. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell has avoided visiting the White House for more than two months because of its handling of the coronavirus.


⁍ McConnell relies instead on phone conversations to discuss important issues such as COVID-19 economic stimulus legislation and Supreme Court moves with President Donald Trump.


⁍ His remarks drew a sharp contrast with Trump, who was hospitalized for three days with the coronavirus but publicly removed his mask in front of TV cameras after returning to the White House.


– Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he hasn’t been to the White House in more than two months because the administration’s handling of the coronavirus has been “different from mine.” “I actually haven’t been to the White House since Aug. 6, because my impression was their approach to how to handle this was different from mine and what I insisted that we do in the Senate, which is to wear a mask and practice social distancing,” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky, per Reuters. “You’ve heard about other places that have had a different view, and they are paying a price for it,” he said. McConnell—one of President Trump’s most powerful allies—says he still talks to the president by phone about issues including the COVID-19 economic stimulus legislation and Supreme Court moves, the Hill reports. Melania Trump and other White House officials have tested positive for the virus, which has killed more than 211,000 Americans.



Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-health-coronavirus-trump-mcconnell/mcconnell-avoids-white-house-citing-laxity-on-masks-covid-19-precautions-idUSKBN26T3DW