The following is a transcript of an interview with President Trump by CBS News senior investigative correspondent Catherine Herridge at the White House on Tuesday, July 14, 2020.

CATHERINE HERRIDGE: President Trump, thank you for speaking with CBS News. Over the weekend, you went to Walter Reed and you wore a face mask in public for the first time. What message were you sending?

DONALD TRUMP: Well, I think when you're in a hospital setting and, in the case of, Walter Reed, I went to see the troops that have been very badly injured in some cases. One had just come out of an operation. And I think I really have that obligation to do that.

I was still, you know, quite far away, but I don't want to be far away. I want to hug 'em because they're really great heroes, amazing heroes. So I went, and then I also met with some of the people worked on, whether we want to call it COVID or the China virus, but they worked on it and very successfully, a lot of the doctors, and also. And I did put on a face mask. I have no, you know, I've had 'em on before, too. I have no problem with that.

But in private, not public.

Well you have to understand, I'm probably the most tested person in the world and I can guarantee the people that come see me are all tested. No matter who they are, they're all tested.

I understand that. The surgeon general told CBS News that if we could get a critical mass of Americans to wear face coverings in the next two to three weeks, we could really turn this around, crush the spike in cases that we've seen. Will you tell the American people to wear a face mask?

Well, I'd say listen to that instruction, listen to your governors, but I have to say the same people that say wear a mask are people that said, a long time ago, don't wear a mask, masks are bad.

Reed Moar and video:

https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/trump-race-face-mask-school-roger-stone/