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The US President and First Lady are currently in quarantine after Trump’s aide Hope Hicks also tested positive.
- US President Donald Trump said in a tweet that he and his wife Melania have contracted the corona virus and are going into quarantine.
- Trump’s tweet on Friday came after Hope Hicks, one of his closest advisors, tested positive for the disease after months of downplaying the severity of a pandemic that killed more than 200,000 people in the U.S.
- The news reverberated through the world media and financial markets, raising questions about the impact on next month’s presidential election.
Here are the latest updates:
07:49 GMT – EU President Michel wants a speedy recovery
European Council President Charles Michel wished Donald and Melania Trump a speedy recovery after the US President and his wife tested positive for COVID.
I wish @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS a speedy recovery. #COVID ー 19 is a battle we all continue to wage.
Every day.
No matter where we live. https://t.co/w5WH1pgvpB
– Charles Michel (@eucopresident) October 2, 2020
07:27 GMT – A “Prize for Gambling”: China’s Newspaper
Global Times editor-in-chief in China Hu Xijin said on Twitter that Trump and Melania had paid the price of downplaying the pandemic, adding that it will negatively affect his re-election.
President Trump and the First Lady paid the price of gambling to downplay COVID-19. The news shows the severity of the U.S. pandemic. This will have a negative impact on the image of Trump and the US, and it can also negatively impact his re-election.
– Hu Xijin @ 进 (@HuXijin_GT) October 2, 2020
07:20 GMT – Vice President Pence sends “Love and Prayers”
Vice President Mike Pence said on Twitter that he and his wife are sending “love and prayers” to the presidential couple.
Karen and I send our love and prayers to our dear friends President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump. We join millions across America in praying for their full and speedy recovery. God bless you, President Trump and our wonderful First Lady Melania.
– Mike Pence (@Mike_Pence) October 2, 2020
07:07 GMT – Trump’s rally in Florida canceled
The US health protection agency CDC recommends a 14-day quarantine for people who test positive for COVID-19. During that time, Trump should speak at rallies in Florida, Wisconsin and Arizona. All three are swing states.
The White House has already released a new schedule of Trump’s activities that did not include his planned trip to Florida. His only planned event is a “COVID-19 Support Phone Call for Vulnerable Seniors”.
The White House just released an updated press schedule for tomorrow. President Trump’s only event planned is “a phone call in support of COVID-19 for vulnerable seniors”. pic.twitter.com/Nbm1PWB70I
– Andrew deGrandpre (@adegrandpre) October 2, 2020
06:51 GMT – At higher risk
Questions arise about the health effects of COVID-19 on Trump, who is 74 years old, and Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden, who is 77 years old.
Because of their age, both belong to a category of people who are at higher risk of developing serious illness from the virus.
Trump is 74 pic.twitter.com/fmGE9CoRhv
– Helen Sullivan (@helenrsullivan) October 2, 2020
06:30 GMT – Great Britain wishes Trump a speedy recovery
The British government wishes Trump a speedy recovery, but the United States has a clear follow-up protocol should it be needed, a British minister said.
“We all want to send our best wishes to President Trump, the First Lady and the Trump family, and wish them a speedy recovery,” Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News.
“We know what it’s like to have a prime minister who tests positive for COVID and puts politics aside. We all want him and his wife to be better soon,” he said, referring to Boris Johnson, who after that was seriously ill catching COVID-19 in March.
06:15 GMT – Spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi “should be isolated”
Speaking to CNN, Jonathan Reiner, a professor at the George Washington School of Medicine, said that House Spokeswoman Nancy Pelosi should be in isolation as it is possible that both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence could get sick. In that case, she would probably have to intervene.
Dr. Jonathan Reiner says on CNN that Nancy Pelosi should be in isolation now because having been exposed to Covid, it is possible that both Trump and Pence could get sick pic.twitter.com/pkcdT33vYN
– Aaron Rupar (atrupar), October 2, 2020
05:30 GMT – Trump says he tests positive for COVID-19
Trump announced on Twitter that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus.
Tonight @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will start the quarantine and recovery process immediately. We’ll get through this TOGETHER!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
The news came a few hours after the president and first lady began quarantine after finding out that Hope Hicks, one of his closest associates, had tested positive.
Hope Hicks, who worked so hard without taking a little break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Dreadful! The first lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we are starting our quarantine process!
– Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
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