Trump’s inner circle: Who’s got COVID-19 and who’s at risk after President, First Lady get infected
Donald Trump’s senior policy adviser Stephen Miller has contracted COVID-19 as the number of the President’s closest aides and family exposed to the virus worsens.
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Bad news continues to come from the White House as more members of President Donald Trump’s inner circle, staff, and political colleagues continue to test positive for coronavirus.
The President and First Lady announced they both tested positive to the virus on Friday after a senior Trump aide, Hope Hicks, tested positive earlier in the week.
Now, key players of the Trump clan continue to fall.
One of Trump’s close aides, Stephen Miller, is the latest to have tested positive for COVID-19, on Tuesday local time.
STEPHEN MILLER, 35
As the President’s senior adviser on policy, Stephen Miller spends long days at the White House and in the company of the President.
“Over the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday. Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine,” Miller said in a statement.
Miller’s wife, Katie, who is Vice President Mike Pence’s communications director, contracted the virus in May.
She tested negative on Tuesday morning local time.
KAYLEIGH MCENANY, 32
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany is one of Mr Trump’s most senior staffers, and like Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, is in near daily contact with the US President.
She tested negative to the virus on Friday, local time.
“After testing negative consistently, including every day since Thursday, I tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning while experiencing no symptoms,” she said on Twitter, Monday morning local time.
“No reporters, producers or members of the press are listed as close contacts by the White House Medical Unit.”
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) October 5, 2020
McEnany had approached reporters on Sunday evening without wearing a mask.
In addition to McEnany, two other staff connected to press at the White House have tested positive to the virus: Chad Gilmartin and Karoline Leavitt. Leavitt’s desk is in an area where dozens of reporters and White House staffers pass each day.
CHRIS CHRISTIE, 58
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie has checked into hospital after testing positive for COVID-19.
Mr Christie helped President Trump prepare for the first presidential debate against Joe Biden on Tuesday, and told CNN he went to hospital as a precautionary measure. Mr Christie is considered to be in the high risk category due to his weight and pre-existing asthma. It is understood he is being treated with a course of remdesivir.
KELLYANNE CONWAY, 53
Conway, one of Trump’s most senior former aides also tested positive for coronavirus. Conway’s daughter, Claudia confirmed the diagnosis on social media.
Conway left the White House in August after a public feud with Claudia, but remains close with the President and attended a ceremony for the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett last week. According to the New York Post, at least six other guests from the event have tested positive.
CLAUDIA CONWAY, 15
Just a day after confirming her mother had the virus, Claudia Conway announced on social media Sunday that she has coronavirus.
“Hey guys currently dying of covid!” Conway, the daughter of President Trump’s former aide Kellyanne Conway, wrote on a TikTok post.
NICK LUNA
A White House aide who serves as a personal attendant or “bodyman” to President Trump, Nick Luna has also now tested positive for the coronavirus.
Luna, who runs Oval Office operations for the White House, accompanied Trump on his trip to Cleveland for the presidential debate on Tuesday and was also aboard Air Force One on the Minnesota trip when Hicks first began experiencing symptoms.
THOM TILLIS, 60
Republican Senator Thom Tillis also tested positive to COVID-19 and was also present at the Coney Barret event.
RONNA McDANIEL, 47
The Republican National Committe Chair tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday, according to The New York Times. She was last in contact with Mr Trump last Friday.
BILL STEPIEN, 42
The President’s campaign manager Bill Stepien has been in non-stop contact with President Trump over recent weeks as the election continues to near its November date.
Stepien has become the latest of Mr Trump’s senior aides to be diagnosed after coming down with “mild flu-like symptoms”.
The 42-year-old is in isolation and working remotely with deputy campaign manager Justin Clark taking over some of his duties.
MIKE LEE, 49
US Senator Mike Lee. Picture: Stefani Reynolds/AFP
Senator Mike Lee also attended the Rose Garden event for Coney Barrett and tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.
“Yesterday morning, I was experiencing symptoms consistent with longtime allergies,” Mr Lee said in a statement.
“Out of an abundance of caution, I sought medical advice and was tested for COVID-19. Unlike the test I took a few days ago while visiting the White House, yesterday’s test came back positive. On advice of the Senate attending physician, I will remain isolated for the next 10 days.”
RON JOHNSON, 65
Chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs committee Ron Johnson has tested positive for coronavirus. Picture: AFP
Republican senator from Wisconsin, Ron Johnson confirmed he had also tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday.
Johnson, chairman of the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, was tested on Friday afternoon, his office said in a statement.
“Senator Johnson feels healthy and is not experiencing symptoms,” his office said a statement. “He will remain isolated until given the all-clear by his doctor.”
Here’s who is currently testing negative but who could be at risk:
JOE BIDEN, 77
Former Vice President and Presidential nominee Joe Biden attended the US’s first presidential debate with Trump on Tuesday. Despite keeping the recommended distance apart, neither wore masks for the 90-minute-long discussion.
On Friday Mr Biden’s doctor released a statement saying that Joe and Jill Biden had tested negative for the virus.
DR JILL BIDEN, 69
Dr Biden attended the debate and sat in the front row of the incredibly small audience. Unlike many others in attendance, Dr Biden wore a mask and appeared to follow social distancing rules and, as of Friday local time, is virus-free.
MIKE PENCE, 61
Vice President Pence met with Trump earlier this week, and is in line to take over as Commander in Chief should the President die.
The White House confirmed Mr Pence tested negative for the virus on Friday local time, and again on Saturday after a second test.
KAREN PENCE, 63
The Second Lady has also had contact with President Trump, but so far has also tested negative twice, along with her husband.
CHRIS WALLACE, 72
Veteran journalist and Fox News presenter Chris Wallace was the moderator for Tuesday night’s debate, and like Mr Biden and Mr Trump, did not wear a mask in the closed-air venue.
Mr Wallace said on Friday, local time, that he would take a COVID-19 test in the coming days after US President Donald Trump announced he had contracted the virus.
“I’m going to have to get a test,” Mr Wallace said in an appearance on Fox & Friends.
“You know, I’ve been trying to sort of go over it in my mind. It’s got to have been 10, 12 feet,” he said of his proximity to Mr Trump.
DONALD TRUMP JR, 42
The President’s eldest son attended Tuesday night’s debate alongside his girlfriend Kimberly Guilfoyle, who tested positive for coronavirus earlier in the year. Trump Jr did not fly home with his father and Hope Hicks following the debate.
IVANKA TRUMP, 38
Like her brother, Ivanka also attended the debate, and as an Adviser to her father is in almost constant daily contact with her father and stepmother. The White House on Monday said she had tested negative again, local time.
JARED KUSHNER, 39
Kusher, who is married to Ivanka, also attended the debate. He too is in daily contact with the President and other key White House staffers given his role as a senior Adviser to Trump. He tested negative on Monday according to the White House.
ERIC TRUMP, 36
While the President’s third child works for this father’s business and not within the White House itself, Eric attended the debate.
LARA TRUMP, 37
A former television presenter, Lara Trump attended the debate and has made a series of public appearances at Trump events across the country in recent weeks in a bid to win over female voters. Her virus status is unknown at this time.
TIFFANY TRUMP, 26
The President’s only daughter from his brief marriage to actor Marla Maples, Tiffany attended the debate and her virus status is not yet known.
MARK MEADOWS, 61
As the White House Chief of Staff, Meadows routinely comes into contact with Mr Trump, Mrs Trump, and Hope Hicks. He said his test on Monday was negative.
DEREK LYONS
Mr Lyons has held a number of key positions within the Trump White House over the years, starting out as Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Staff Secretary. He was later promoted to White House Staff Secretary, a role which includes the responsibility of overseeing the information hitting Donald Trump’s desk each day.
Mr Lyons is also a Counsellor to the President alongside Hope Hicks and was seen travelling with her before her diagnosis.
JASON MILLER, 44
Both a senior Adviser and communications specialist, Miller spends a serious amount of time in the President’s company.
DAN SCAVINO, 44
In addition to being the White House’s Director of Social Media, Dan Scavino is also the White House Deputy Chief of Staff, and is in daily contact with other key White House staffers including Hicks.
RUDY GIULIANI, 76
The former New York mayor and lawyer works as the President’s personal attorney and attended Tuesday’s debate with Trump and his family, even joining them on the President’s official plane, Air Force One. He has tested negative so far.
ROBERT O’BRIEN, 54
O’Brien joined Trump’s staff in 2019 as the National Security Adviser, and is a constant presence in the White House and was seen alighting Air Force One on Tuesday ahead of the debate.
JIM JORDAN, 56
The Representative for Ohio, Jordan is one of Trump’s closest allies and colleagues within the Republican Party and frequently meets with the President. Like O’Brien and Guiliani, Jordan was also spotted on Air Force One.
ALICE MARIE JOHNSON, 65
A former federal prisoner who was pardoned by the President after a plea for clemency from Kim Kardashian West, Johnson flew on Air Force One with Mr Trump ahead of Tuesday’s debate.
AMY CONEY BARRETT, 48
Trump Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett has tested negative for coronavirus, the White House said on Friday.
White House spokesman Judd Deere said Judge Barrett, who was last with the president on Saturday, is tested on a daily basis and her Friday test was negative. He added that she has been adhering to COVID-19 guidelines set by the CDC.