President Trump And First Lady Test Positive For Coronavirus

WASHINGTON — President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the COVID-19 virus, the president announced via Twitter Friday morning, just more than a month before the 2020 election, and both are now in quarantine.

The president and his family were tested after White House adviser Hope Hicks was shown to be positive for the coronavirus just hours after traveling with the president. The president and his wife are now among more than 7.26 million Americans who have tested positive for the virus. More than 207,800 Americans have died.

"Melania and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!

Trump has for months downplayed the severity of the virus and told a political dinner just Thursday night that “the end of the pandemic is in sight.”

» The Latest On The Trumps' Positive Coronavirus Tests

The president has pushed publicly for fully reopening the country despite stubbornly high levels of cases. The announcement that the president tested positive is sure to raise concerns nationally about reopening businesses and schools — both key pushes from the president as the disease has spread.

The country's adversaries could also see an opening for further efforts to disrupt the campaign.

Dr. Sean Conley, Trump's physician, released a statement to reporters confirming the diagnosis.

"This evening I received confirmation that both President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 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.

"The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of our country’s greatest medical professionals and institutions. 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."

White House officials did not say if the president is showing signs of illness. At 74, he falls into an age group particularly vulnerable to COVID-19, accounting for 80 percent of all deaths.

With the president in quarantine, the nation's leadership is uncertain, and the 2020 election campaign is perhaps even more so.

Even if Trump does not become seriously ill, he will have to withdraw from the campaign trail and stay isolated in the White House for an unknown period. If he becomes sick, he may not have a chance to return to the type of rallies and television appearances he has been hoping would boost his poll ratings before the Nov. 3 vote.

After downplaying the seriousness of the coronavirus since the first case was identified in the United States, one of the many questions that will be raised is inevitable: If the president, with all the resources available to him, has been struck by the virus, how safe are the rest of us?

After White House officials learned of Hicks’ symptoms, the president and many of his aides flew Thursday to New Jersey, where The Washington Post reported Trump attended a fundraiser at his golf club in Bedminster and delivered a speech. Trump was in close contact with dozens of other people, including campaign supporters, at a roundtable event, according to reports.

Gov. Phil Murphy said in a statement that contact tracing is underway to determine if anybody else was infected or exposed at the Bedminster event. "We urge everyone who attended yesterday's event in Bedminster to take full precautions, including self-quarantining and getting tested," Murphy said.

The president did not wear a mask Thursday, including at the events at his golf course and on the plane, officials told The Post. He was tested after he returned to the White House. He also appeared on Sean Hannity’s TV show from the residence by telephone.

Trump is not the first world leader to be infected with the coronavirus. Several have been infected and recovered. Great Britain Prime Minister Boris Johnson was briefly hospitalized with the coronavirus over the summer.

Trump contracted the coronavirus after months of downplaying the outbreak and eschewing masks. Just two days earlier at the presidential debate in Cleveland, Trump mocked former Vice President Joe Biden, the Democratic nominee, for his diligence in mask-wearing.

With a little over a month left before the Nov. 3 election and voters already casting early ballots, the development seems bound to shake up the race. The final two scheduled debates are now in question. Under siege for his handling of the pandemic, Trump's infection is likely to ensure that the coronavirus remains the central issue of the race.

White House staffers and those who come into contact with the president are routinely tested to protect the nation's commander in chief. Along with the president's family, Hicks attended the first presidential debate with Biden on Tuesday.

Four of Trump's children opted not to wear masks Tuesday evening in Cleveland, where the debate was held. On Wednesday, Hicks boarded Marine One along with the president and his son-in-law Jared Kushner and other Trump advisers. None wore masks, and hours later, Hicks reported symptoms of the coronavirus, according to CNN.

Often questioned about his refusal to wear masks, Trump has said it is largely unnecessary because those around him are routinely tested for the coronavirus. In recent weeks, the president has held massive rallies that were criticized for violating local health orders prohibiting large gatherings. Many attendees at the president's rallies famously follow his lead in flouting mask requirements.

News of Trump's infection triggered an immediate outpouring from his supporters.

Vice President Mike Pence and second lady Karen Pence tested negative for the COVID-19 virus Friday morning, hours after the president and first lady were diagnosed with the coronavirus, The Associated Press reported.

Spokesman Devin O’Malley said Pence “remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery.” Pence is tested every day for the virus, O’Malley confirmed.

Biden said Friday that he and his wife, Jill, “send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery.” In a Friday morning tweet, he added, “We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family.”

It was not immediately clear whether the former vice president had been tested since appearing at Tuesday’s presidential debate with Trump or whether he was taking any additional safety protocols. Trump and Biden did not shake hands during the debate but stood without masks about 10 feet apart for the 90-minute event.

Patch staffer Bea Karnes contributed to this report.