Kayleigh McEnany's husband has claimed he would have 'happily worn a mask' when he went to her off-the-rails White House brief...
Kayleigh McEnany's husband has claimed he would have 'happily worn a mask' when he went to her off-the-rails White House briefing but admits a photographer in attendance rebuked him for not doing so.
Sean Gilmartin, a professional baseball player who is currently a free agent, was at his wife's press briefing on Wednesday watching from the back of the room where he was told to wear a mask by President Donald Trump's favorite photographer.
Gilmartin, who wore a visitor's badge but not a face covering as he watched his wife answer reporters' questions, claimed was only asked to wear a mask by the photographer, Doug Mills of the New York Times, once the briefing had finished.
'There were no words spoken by me in response to his statement,' Gilmartin told the New York Post. 'If the photographer had asked me to wear a mask during the two times he passed me during the briefing, I would have happily obliged.'
'During the entirety of the briefing, I was never asked to wear a mask by anyone,' he also noted on Thursday. There are multiple signs in the room asking for mask wearing.
Gilmartin's version of events was backed up by one of his wife's staff, assistant press secretary Harrison Fields, who accompanied Gilmartin into the West Wing James S. Brady briefing room. Gilmartin's cousin, Chad, is also a member of his wife's staff.
Kayleigh McEnany's husband Sean Gilmartin (in the yellow pullover) stood at the back of her press briefing on Wednesday and was rebuked by New York Times photographer Doug Mills, in the foreground, for not wearing a face mask
The White House Correspondents Association asks people to wear masks in the briefing room to help prevent the spread of the COVID-19 virus, which journalists follow even as most White House staff do not.
New York Times photographer Mills pointed out the rules to Gilmartin.
A White House staffer who was with Gilmartin said Mills: 'Kayleigh's husband?'
Mills said he didn't recognize the pitcher, who was playing for the Tampa Bay Rays but became a free agent on November 2.
It's unclear why Gilmartin attended White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany's briefing and why he stood in the back
Gilmartin was not seen wearing a mask during any point of McEnany's 25 minute briefing.
Mills has been called 'my genius photographer' by President Trump, who was so enamored of Mills' photos of him that he asked for prints.
The president also retweets favored images from Mills and has joked his only flaw is he works for The New York Times.
It's unclear why Gilmartin was at his wife's briefing, particularly why he was standing in the back of the room.
There is seating at the side of briefing room for White House staff and guests. Members of the press office were seated there during the briefing, also maskless.
One of those staffers present was Gilmartin's cousin Chad, who Kayleigh McEnany hired to work for her when she became White House press secretary.
Most of the press staff tested positive for COVID-19 in October when McEnany had it, including Chad Gilmartin.
White House staff and guests usually sit to the side of the briefing room during a briefing, as seen above, the first person above is Chad Gilmartin, Sean Gilmartin's cousin who works for Kayleigh McEnany
First Class Fatherhood podcast host Alec Lace shouted 'You crushed it Kayleigh' at the end of her press briefing
Kayleigh McEnany and Sean Gilmartin have one daughter Blake Avery Gilmartin
Compounding to the strangeness of the briefing, at the end of it a pro-Trump figure in attendance shouted out: 'You crushed it Kayleigh.'
That person was First Class Fatherhood podcast host Alec Lace, who was also in the White House briefing room.
He has interviewed Eric Trump, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, Fox News host Sean Hannity, and quarterback Tom Brady - among others - about fatherhood.
'Yes that was me who yelled "You crushed that Kayleigh!" At today's White House Press briefing @PressSec crushed it as always. She is a First Class Mom all the way,' he tweeted after the briefing.
McEnany and Gilmartin were married in November 2017.
They have one daughter Blake Avery Gilmartin, who features prominently on McEnany's personal Twitter account.
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