US House speaker Nancy Pelosi has claimed her visit to a hair salon, in breach of coronavirus rules, was a "set-up".
The Democrat is facing fierce backlash after footage emerged from eSalon in San Francisco showing her walking through the salon with wet hair and a mask around her neck rather than on her face.
The salon was reportedly reopened just for Mrs Pelosi. Outdoor haircuts are allowed under California coronavirus rules but indoor salons have not reopened.
Mrs Pelosi said she takes responsibility for trusting the word of a hair salon that a solo visit was permitted, but she called the visit a "set-up" and said the salon owes her an apology for misrepresenting city health orders.
"I take responsibility for trusting the word of a neighbourhood salon that I've been to over the years many times, and that when they said ..we're able to accommodate people one person at a time, and that we can set up that time, I trusted that," she said.
"As it turns out, it was a set-up. I take responsibility for falling for a set-up."
A reporter asked why she was not wearing a mask in the brief clip.
“I just had my hair washed. I don’t wear a mask when I’m washing my hair. Do you wear a mask when you’re washing your hair? I always have a mask,” Mrs Pelosi said.
Mrs Pelosi has repeatedly criticised Donald Trump for mostly avoiding face coverings, calling him a "coward" and adding: "Real men wear masks."
She said this week that the president had "slapped science right in the face" for a Republican convention event where attendees were not wearing masks.
Critics, including Mr Trump, called her a hypocrite and asked why she did not know the coronavirus-related rules in her home city.
Senate Republicans tweeted: "Speaker Pelosi has pushed policies that would keep our economy closed and our small businesses shut down. But for herself? A salon visit whenever she pleases."
eSalon owner Erica Kious, who rents space to stylists, also spoke out about her frustration after one of her hairdressers told her Mrs Pelosi was coming in for a wash and blow dry.
"It was a slap in the face that she went in, you know, that she feels that she can just go and get her stuff done while no one else can go in, and I can't work," Ms Kious told Fox News.
"We have been shut down for so long, not just me, but most of the small businesses and I just can't - it's a feeling - a feeling of being deflated, helpless and honestly beaten down."
