President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for coronavirus, the president announced on Twitter early Friday morning.
“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19,” Trump tweeted shortly before 1 am Friday. “We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
The First Lady also tweeted early Friday morning after Trump announced the positive results, saying that both her and the president “are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements.”
As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together.
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) October 2, 2020
Vice President Mike Pence sent his thoughts to the Trump family Friday, saying he is praying for their “full and swift recovery.”
Karen and I send our love and prayers to our dear friends President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump. We join millions across America praying for their full and swift recovery. God bless you President Trump & our wonderful First Lady Melania.
— Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) October 2, 2020
In a memorandum released to reporters from the President’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley confirmed the “confirmation that both Trump and the First Lady have tested positive” for the virus.
“The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence,” Conley wrote in the memorandum. “The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch.”
Dr. Conley also stated that he expects Trump to “continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any future developments.”
The announcement comes hours after news broke that Hope Hicks, counselor to the president and one of Trump’s closest advisers tested positive Thursday night. She traveled with Trump multiple times this week, including on Tuesday abroad Air Force One to Cleveland for the first presidential debate and Wednesday for his rally in Minnesota.
According to reports, Hicks was experiencing minor symptoms sometime late Wednesday and quarantined on Air Force One on the trip back from Minnesota. She tested Thursday morning and her results came back positive.
The president tweeted that he and the First Lady will go into quarantine as they awaited their test results.
“Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for COVID 19. Terrible!” the president tweeted late Thursday. “The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!”
Trump spoke about Hicks positive results in an interview with Hannity Thursday night.
“She did test positive, I just heard about this. She tested positive. She’s a hard worker. She wears masks a lot but she tested positive. Then I just went out with a test. I’ll see, you know, because we spent a lot of time and the first lady just went out with a test also. So whether we quarantine or whether we have it, I don’t know,” Trump said. “I just went for a test, and we’ll see what happens… it will come back later I guess, and the first lady also because we spend a lot of time with Hope.”
White House spokesperson Judd Deere said contact tracing has occurred and “the appropriate notifications and recommendations will be made.”
Trump is 74 years old, putting him at a higher risk of serious complications from the virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control guidance. His aides have worried that Trump’s lack of sleep during the final stretch of the campaign could leave e him especially vulnerable to infection
The positive diagnosis comes at the worse time for Trump politically, with just a month out from the election and just about two weeks from the next presidential debate against Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Oct. 15 in Miami.
The White House released an updated public schedule for the president early Friday in which all of his events were canceled, including a planned rally at Sanford airport in Florida that was set for the evening. Only one event is on Trump’s Presidential schedule, where he will host a closed press phone call on COVID-19 support for vulnerable seniors.
Trump joins other world leaders who tested positive for the virus, including Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and Honduran President Juan Orlando Hernandez.
2020 Presidential Race45CoronavirusCOVID-19Dr. Sean ConleyFLOTUSHannityHope HicksJoe BidenJudd DeereMelania TrumpPresident TrumpPresidential DebateVice President Mike PenceWhite HouseWhite House News
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