President Trump, Wife Test Positive For Coronavirus

President Trump announced in a tweet early Friday morning that he and his wife Melania have both tested positive for the novel coronavirus.

“We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately,” he wrote. “We will get through this TOGETHER!” The news came just hours after it was reported that Hope Hicks, a close adviser to Trump who traveled with him aboard Air Force One several times this week, had tested positive.

The president’s physician, Sean P. Conley, wrote later that Trump and his wife “are both well at this time, and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.”

Former White House doctor Ronny Jackson told Fox News early Friday morning that Trump was asymptomatic and predicted the president would “weather this storm.”

“I will bet you that he does not develop symptoms, that he moves on and this does not become a big deal,” Jackson said.

The president has often claimed the U.S. has the pandemic “under control,” but his own positive test result – assuming it is accurate – is certain to raise questions about the reopening of schools and businesses when the virus could not be contained within the White House, arguably the most secure facility in the world.

Trump has dismissed concerns about those large campaign events, of which he hosted more than a dozen in September. He has also downplayed the importance of a face covering for himself, noting that he is regularly tested at the White House, and mocked Democratic nominee Joe Biden.

Well, so far we have had no problem whatsoever,” Trump said of the rallies during his debate Tuesday with Democratic nominee Joe Biden. “It’s outside – that’s a big difference according to the experts. And we do them outside, we have tremendous crowds, as you see.”

Trump, 74, was the latest world leader to test positive for COVID-19. British Prime Minister Boris Johnson became the first major leader in March. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro fell ill in July and had a series of positive tests. Both men recovered.