US president Donald Trump has rejected the effectiveness of masks in the fight against Covid- 19 pandemic. The president has said he will not issue a mandate on the national level mandating the use of masks. This comes even after a new poll was released on Friday, as showed in the Washington post- ABC News poll conducted between 12th and 15th July.

When asked by Forbes News anchor Chris Wallace if he considered issuing a national mandate for the use of face masks to prevent the spread of the pandemic, he said,

"No. I want people to have a certain freedom and I do not believe in that, no"

"I do not agree with the statement that if everyone wore a mask everything would disappear." He added.

CGTN America 

According to this poll, 60% of Americans now disapprove of his handling of the pandemic. 52% of these voters also believed that the president was opening up the economy aggressively, against advice from medical practitioners. Also, 82% Democrats, 46% Independents and 16% Republicans were against reopening of the economy.

When asked how responsible they hold Trump for the rapid spread of the virus, 52% of the respondents said they hold him responsible by "a lot or some." 29% of the respondents voted they did not hold him responsible "at all"

Trump faces rising disapproval and widespread distrust on coronavirus, Post-ABC poll finds
As cases rise across the country, poll finds president disconnected from public on key issues.