This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia, which closed in 2021.

White House Residence Staffer Saw An Immediate Difference Between Trumps, Bidens

"It’s like night and day," the White House worker told The New Yorker.
White House Residence Staffer Saw An Immediate Difference Between Trumps, Bidens
Getty
White House Residence Staffer Saw An Immediate Difference Between Trumps, Bidens

A White House residence staffer recalled how ex-President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden’s stark difference in attitudes to COVID-19 were on full display on Biden’s Inauguration Day.

The unnamed staffer told how colleagues on Jan. 20 gathered in one White House room to say goodbye to outgoing President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump.

Later that day, the same staffers greeted the newly inaugurated president and first lady Jill Biden, but they were spaced out in a line across the whole State Floor.

“It’s like night and day,” the staffer told The New Yorker, pointing out the social distancing differences of the outgoing and incoming first families in an article published Feb. 24 that’s now gaining traction online.

“The Bidens came in and the first thing they did was make a loop of the State Floor and greet the staff,” the staffer remembered. “We were all very flattered. Usually we meet them in the first days or first weeks, but never in the first minutes.”

Trump downplayed the risk of the coronavirus, while privately admitting it was “deadly.” He held packed campaign rallies full of maskless supporters, mocked people who wore masks and hyped unproven and dangerous treatments. His administration’s shambolic mishandling of the pandemic helped seal his defeat.

The former president eventually contracted the virus himself and was hospitaliSed for three days. Last month, it emerged that Trump’s condition was worse than was reported at the time.

Biden, meanwhile, held socially distanced campaign events and pledged to follow the science fighting the pandemic.

More than 516,000 Americans have now died from COVID-19.

Never miss a thing. Sign up to HuffPost Australia’s weekly newsletter for the latest news, exclusives and guides to achieving the good life.

Close
This article exists as part of the online archive for HuffPost Australia. Certain site features have been disabled. If you have questions or concerns, please check our FAQ or contact support@huffpost.com.