President Joe Biden lost his mask during an outdoor drive-in car rally with supporters in Georgia on Thursday.
Biden wore his mask up to the podium and kept it on throughout first lady Jill Biden’s introductory remarks.
After hugging the first lady, the president removed his mask to deliver his remarks. He coughed and cleared his throat throughout his speech, which lasted about 20 minutes.
At the end of his speech, Biden invited Democrat Sens. Raphael Warnock and Jon Ossoff, who were watching the speech in the back, to join him on stage.
The first lady pointed at her mask and reminded the president to put on his own mask, but he could not find it.
Biden repeatedly flipped through his folder of notes but the mask did not appear.
“I’m looking for my mask. I’m in trouble,” Biden apologized to the crowd.
An aide ran up on stage to hand the president a new mask, but Biden ultimately discovered his old one in his pocket, which he dutifully put on as he stood with Warnock and Ossoff.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention updated mask rules for Americans on Tuesday, allowing vaccinated people to remove their masks when outdoors.
But the president and the first lady wore masks during all of their events on their trip to Georgia, even when walking outside between flights and at the campaign rally.
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