Why was the Amy Coney Barrett event in the White House done without masks/social distancing? [closed]

Question

In other countries, leaders set an example by maintaining social distancing and wearing masks. I don't understand why it is different when it comes specifically to Republicans and Trump.

During the Amy Coney Barrett event in the WH, people sat as close as they can to each other, and there are videos of people hugging and not maintaining social distance when in closed rooms.

The Trump family also refused to wear masks during the debate even though they were asked to do so and were offered masks.

Why? What does Trump have to gain from putting himself in risk 1 month before the elections? I honestly don't understand it because it looks like he doesn't get any political gains from looking like he and his family doesn't care + he increases the risk of contracting COVID.

EDIT:

This question was not asked to "discredit" Trump, I honestly didn't understand his motivations behind standing aggressively against masks/social distancing.

Answer 1

Trump essentially backed himself into a corner. According to his own words in the Bob Woodward interview he knew the risks about covid-19 but he chose to downplay them publicly. This may be speculation but it appears as though he did so in order to avoid any harm to the economy in an election year, the state of which he has repeatedly touted as a major accomplishment of his administration. The result of this is that the response to covid-19 became highly politicised, with Republicans largely ignoring health experts as a show of support to Trump.

Now with over 200k Americans dead and rising, for Trump to change his attitude and start taking the advice of health experts would be to admit that he was wrong and that the approach he has taken was wrong. Trump is highly unlikely to do that and, as he has done in the past, prefers to double down on his stance and go even further in that direction. Hence the resumption of large rallies, the lack of social distancing, the lack of masks and in fact the mocking of people who have taken the situation more seriously.

He is not doing it so much for political gain, but rather to avoid political loss by admitting his mistakes and doing what he has mocked Democrats for doing for the past 6 months.

Answer 2

Trump — like all authoritarian nationalists — insists on a 'strong-man' image in public. He wants to project strength, vitality, virility, self-assuredness, fearlessness, bold aggression, and other qualities that are stereotypically 'masculine', and to avoid any action or attitude that might be perceived as weak, soft, compassionate, or otherwise stereotypically 'feminine'.

Prophylactic measures like wearing masks, social distancing, the use of hand sanitizer, etc., are explicitly intended to be circumspect. They project fear, risk-aversion, obedience to social constructs, and an acknowledgement of vulnerability. All of these run contrary to the public image that Trump is trying to project, so to the extent possible he refuses to do them and refuses to allow them in his presence. Trump even goes so far as to berate political opponents like Biden and Pelosi for wearing masks, as though taking preventative measures were a sign of weakness that renders someone unfit for office.

For the nationalist mindset there is no distinction between physical weakness and character weakness; only those who are inferior are subject to the ravages of disease. I imagine Trump felt confident that he could expose himself and his immediate circle because — as people of character — they would be unlikely to experience any physical infirmity. And so in his worldview an open, public, mask-less event would demonstrate his fearlessness at little risk to himself and those closest to him.