Thumbing his nose at public health guidelines to control the spread of the coronavirus, Secretary of State Mike Pompeo invited 900 people to a Tuesday gala indoor Christmas Party at the State Department, but fewer than 70 people actually showed up, the Washington Post reports.

Pompeo was so embarrassed by the sparse attendance, he canceled his scheduled address at the event and instead sent a subordinate to give a speech.  The event was for the families of diplomats stationed overseas in dangerous areas, where families are not allowed to travel with the government representatives.

Seventy people had RSVP’d for the event, but fewer actually attended the event, where boxed lunches were served and a masked Santa mingled among the crowd. 

The State Department claimed that masks would be required and that social distancing guidelines would be suggested, however, photos of the event showed people largely unmasked and mingling.

Some people who declined the invitation told the Post that they were not going to attend the typically-crowded event out of fear of contracting the coronavirus.  With her husband overseas, one woman said, no one would be able to care for their children if she got sick.

“I am concerned that these parties pose a significant health risk, not only to attendees, but to the employees and workers who must staff these events, as well as to State Department employees who may feel pressured to attend,” Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) said in a letter addressed to Pompeo earlier this month.