by Joe Callen
President Trump announced early Friday that he and First Lady Melania tested positive for the COVID-19 China coronavirus. The announce came hours after news broke that close presidential aide Hope Hicks tested positive for the virus on Thursday after presenting symptoms Wednesday night while on a campaign trip to Duluth, Minnesota with the President. Hicks was reportedly quarantined on Air Force One for the return trip to D.C.
“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
Earlier Thursday evening, President Trump announced he had put himself and the First Lady in immediate quarantine for COVID-19 late Thursday night, after a close aide tested positive for the virus.
The aide, Hope Hicks, 31, tested positive Thursday evening, and is reportedly “experiencing symptoms” of the disease.
“She tested positive. She’s a hard worker, a lot of masks, she wears masks a lot, but she tested positive and I just went out with a test … Whether we quarantine or whether we have it, I don’t know,” Trump said in an interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity.
Trump said when he and White House aides were with the military service members and police officers, it was difficult to demand that they keep their distance.
“They come over to you. They want to hug you, they want to kiss you because we really have done a good job for them,” Trump said.
Trump said that he and the first lady were tested because they spend a lot of time with Hicks.
“I was surprised to hear with Hope, but she’s a very warm person with them. She knows there’s a risk, but she’s young,” Trump said.
The president is scheduled for a campaign rally in Florida on Friday and for two campaign rallies in Wisconsin on Saturday.
After the interview with Hannity, Trump said he would quarantine until he got the results of the test.
Hope Hicks (below) traveled with the president aboard Air Force One to the presidential debate on Tuesday and also traveled with the president to his Minnesota rally on Wednesday, according to reports.
“Some people close to Hicks were told that she is experiencing symptoms of the disease,” Bloomberg News reported. “Hicks was seen on Tuesday riding maskless in a staff van with White House senior adviser Stephen Miller, campaign adviser Jason Miller and others. When they returned to Washington on Tuesday, Stephen Miller and Hicks were seen sharing an umbrella as they exited Air Force One in the rain. … Hicks felt poorly in Minnesota on Wednesday and was quarantined aboard Air Force One during the return flight, according to people familiar with the matter.”
The president had been scheduled for a campaign rally in Florida on Friday and for two campaign rallies in Wisconsin on Saturday.
The next presidential debate is scheduled for October 15th.
This is a breaking story, and updates will be posted to this page as reported.
