Trump tests positive for COVID-19: All the Trumps could be exposed to virus
At least 20 White House staff and members of the Trump family could be infected with COVID-19, after the US President tested positive.
As many as 20 White House staff and members of the Trump family could be infected with COVID-19, after the US President tested positive.
Donald Trump announced on Twitter on Friday afternoon that he and his wife Melania had both contracted coronavirus, and would begin their quarantine and recovery process immediately.
“We will get through this together,” he said.
It’s likely that the Trumps were exposed to the virus by one of the President’s closest advisers, Hope Hicks.
Ms Hicks, a former White House communications director who returned to the administration as a counsellor to Mr Trump earlier this year, travelled to and from this week’s presidential debate in Cleveland, Ohio, with him.
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The President and First Lady aren’t the only ones who’ve recently travelled with Ms Hicks, however, with a chance all but one of the President’s children may have been directly exposed.
Mr Trump’s daughters Tiffany and Ivanka, son-in-law Jared Kushner, sons Donald Jr (who didn’t fly back with Ms Hicks) and Eric, and daughter-in-law Lara could all have been exposed to the virus.
A number of the President’s key aides, including press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, also run the risk of testing positive, throwing the White House, the Trump campaign, and the upcoming election into jeopardy.
Counsellor to the President Derek Lyons, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, senior Adviser Jason Miller, White House Deputy Chief of Staff for Communications and Director of Social Media Dan Scavino and the President’s senior Adviser for policy Stephen Miller also travelled with Ms Hicks.
Other people exposed include TV personality and Trump Adviser Kimberley Guilfoyle, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, lawyer and former New York mayor Rudy Giuliani, US National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien, US Representative for Ohio Jim Jordan and Alice Marie Johnson, a former federal prisoner who was pardoned by the President after a plea for clemency from Kim Kardashian West.
It’s not yet known who, among the 20, has already entered quarantine or submitted for testing.
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The President’s positive test result will throw a curve ball at his presidential election campaign, with Mr Trump’s second debate against Joe Biden scheduled for October 15.
Following his test, Mr Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity it was “very hard” for him to avoid coronavirus because of the level people want to interact with him.
“It’s very hard when you’re with soldiers, when you are with airmen, when you’re with the Marines, and the police officers, I’m with them so much. And when they come over to you, it’s hard to say, ‘stay back, stay back.’ You know, it’s a tough kind of situation, it’s a terrible thing,” he said.
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