The President will be quarantining in the White House.
Early this morning, US President Donald Trump announced on his personal Twitter that he, along with First Lady Melania Trump, had tested positive for COVID-19. This announcement comes shortly after one of Trump’s advisers, Hope Hicks, announced that she had also tested positive for the disease. At the time of writing, the White House has not disclosed whether the President and First Lady are symptomatic, but in a statement on her own Twitter, Melania Trump said that both of them were “feeling good.” For the time being, both Trumps will be quarantining in the White House. According to White House physician Dr. Sean P. Conley, Trump is still capable of performing his duties while quarantined.
Due to this announcement, President Trump will be temporarily withdrawing from the campaign trail. As only a month remains until election day, the President’s infection could cost him valuable campaigning time. Several Trump campaign rallies in Florida, Wisconsin and Arizona have been cancelled, and the state of the next Presidential debate, scheduled for October 15, is currently unknown. Democratic Presidential Candidate former Vice President Joe Biden offered well wishes on his Twitter today, saying both he and his wife hope that the Trumps recover quickly.
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
White House officials, as well as other members of the Trump family, are currently undergoing testing themselves to determine how far the infection has spread. The process has been made more complicated by the fact that many White House officials have not been wearing face masks while working, which could exacerbate the infection’s spread. So far, no additional infections have been announced. Trump’s young son, Barron Trump, has tested negative for the virus.
“Rest assured I expect the president to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any future developments,” said Dr. Conley.