U.S. President Donald Trump is now encouraging Americans to wear masks in public, if they cannot maintain social distancing.

His latest stance comes several months after refusing to wear a mask in public.

The new stance was announced during a White House news briefing on Tuesday, July 21, according to Reuters.

Trump has "no problem with masks"

During the press briefing, Trump urged young people to avoid going to crowded bars, and said that the situation is likely going to "get worse before it gets better".

His latest remarks, which acknowledge the growing seriousness of the Covid-19 situation in the country, represent a change in strategy, given how he has spent recent months focusing on reopening the U.S. economy.

"We're asking everybody that when you are not able to socially distance, wear a mask, get a mask. Whether you like the mask or not, they have an impact. They'll have an effect. And we need everything we can get," said Trump.

Reuters also reported that the U.S. president was "getting used to masks", and would wear one himself in groups or when on an elevator.

According to CNBC, Trump also said that he has "no problem with the masks", and will wear anything that can potentially help.

"I have no problem. I carry it. I wear it. You saw me wearing it a number of times and I'll continue," said Trump.

These statements came shortly after Trump wore a mask in public for the first time since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic during a recent visit to a military hospital, indirectly calling it a "patriotic" act.

Trump claimed that experts changed their minds on masks

However, CNBC also reported that Trump remained sceptical about the use of masks as a way to deal with Covid-19.

In a Fox News interview, Trump claimed that he did not agree with the statement that "if everybody wear a mask, everything disappears".

This was a response to remarks made by Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield, who said that if everyone wore masks, the U.S. could bring the outbreak under control in as little as one to two months.

Trump also claimed that he had experts in the recent past who said that "masks aren't necessarily good to wear", but they have since changed their minds.

CNBC did not state which experts Trump was referring to.

Anthony Fauci, who is the Director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the most prominent member of the White House Coronavirus Task Force, was not invited to the media briefing.

However, despite his public endorsement of masks, wearing masks in public in the U.S. is not mandatory.

Reuters reported that some Republican governors have resisted rules requiring their populations wear masks, after Trump's initial stance that masks were not necessary.

Top image via Donald Trump/FB.