One of President Trump’s personal valets, whose a member of the US Navy, has tested positive for coronavirus.
What We Know:
- Deputy White House press secretary Hogan Gidly said “We were recently notified by the White House Medical Unit that a member of the United States Military, who works on the White House campus, has tested positive for Coronavirus.”
- This raised concerns about the President’s possible exposure to the virus.
- The valets are members of an elite military unit dedicated to the White House and often work very close to the President and the first family. The valets help the President and the first family with personal tasks. Unlike many, these men have an inside view of the President’s personal life.
- A source from the White House stated the unidentified man, started exhibiting “symptoms” Wednesday morning, and said the news that someone close to Trump had tested positive for coronavirus was “hitting the fan” in the West Wing.
- Senior White house staffers who regularly interact with Tump and Vice President Pence are said to get tested weekly.
- Thursday, Trump told reporters he would be tested daily, saying there were “a number of days missed” between when the valet was last tested and when the valet discovered he had coronavirus.
- Trump also assures he had “very little personal contact” with the valet who tested positive.
- Even through the pandemic, the White House has not enforced strict social distancing rules for staffers and a handful of people inside wear masks.
- Trump, who has described himself as a germophobe, has chastised White House aids for coughing and sneezing in his presence.
Since the incident, the President and Vice President have tested negative for the coronavirus. It is still unclear if the President will increase social distancing guidelines within the White House.
