Joe Biden appeared to go against government travel advice as he flew to Delaware to spend the weekend with his family.
Marking his first-ever Air Force One trip as the 46th president of the United States, Biden took off from Washington, DC and headed to Wilmington on Friday ahead of the Super Bowl weekend.
The president’s private trip comes as the Centers for Disease Control warned Americans to stay at home and delay travel.
“Travel increases your chance of getting and spreading COVID-19. CDC recommends that you do not travel at this time. Delay travel and stay home to protect yourself and others from COVID-19,” a CDC COVID-19 alert reads.
Dismissing questions about the president’s private trip amid the pandemic, the White House defended Biden’s journey saying he took a private plane.
“He is from Delaware and has a home there and is going to spend the weekend with his wife and family there,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki explained.
“The key is ensuring that people don’t take steps to make others vulnerable in our effort to get the pandemic under control. As you know, any president of the United States, Democrat or Republican, obviously takes Air Force One, a private plane, when they travel.”
The head of the press team went on to defend the trip by saying Delaware is the president’s home, whereas he “looks forward to spending the weekend there and some time there with his family.”
While the President took some time off after intense weeks in the White House following his inauguration, he frequently refrained from unnecessary traveling during his campaign in a bid to counter the spread of the virus.
Besides holding off on major events and rallies amid his campaign, Biden also ensured that the attendance of his inauguration was kept at a minimum and in compliance with COVID-19 health protocols.
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