Wisconsin Trump Rallies In Doubt After Coronavirus Confirmation

WISCONSIN — Two campaign rallies scheduled to be held in Wisconsin this weekend will likely be put on hold or held virtually after news early Friday that President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the coronavirus and are in quarantine.

The rallies were originally scheduled to be held at airports in Green Bay and La Crosse. The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports the La Crosse appearance on Thursday was canceled and replaced instead with a rally in Janesville, about 175 miles from La Crosse.

According to the report, the event was canceled over a lease issue, not concerns stemming from the coronavirus.

Read more: President Trump And First Lady Test Positive For Coronavirus

Before the change was made, the mayors of La Crosse and Green Bay on Thursday implored the president to cancel the planned events or delay them by two weeks.

Green Bay Mayor Eric Genrich told Bloomberg he thinks a large gathering is "incredibly unwise and dangerous" but that he would not have an issue with smaller gatherings or town hall events.

It's unclear as of this writing whether Trump's Wisconsin rallies will be rescheduled for a later date or held virtually. His campaign website has not been updated and still shows the two Wisconsin engagements as active, along with other events in Florida, Georgia and Arizona in the coming days.

On Friday afternoon, Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien said in a statement that previously announced events will be postponed or moved to a virtual format. The fate of the Wisconsin events remains unclear as of writing.

Vice President Mike Pence's campaign events will continue as scheduled, Stepien said.

Read more: Shock, Sympathy, Criticism: World Reacts To Trump Infection

The president wrote on Twitter overnight that he and the first lady "will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that people with the coronavirus remain self-isolated for at least 10 days after the onset of symptoms, as long as he or she has been fever-free without medication for 24 hours.

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.

Vice President Mike Pence took to Twitter to wish the Trumps a speedy recovery.

"Karen and I send our love and prayers to our dear friends President [Trump] and [First Lady] Melania Trump. We join millions across America praying for their full and swift recovery," he wrote. "God bless you President Trump & our wonderful First Lady Melania."

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This story was updated Friday afternoon to include statements from Trump 2020 Campaign Manager Bill Stepien.