President Donald Trump announced Friday that he will “most likely” be tested for coronavirus.
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 13: U.S. President Donald Trump takes reporters’ questions after declaring a national emergency during news conference with members of his coronavirus task force and leaders from the healthcare industry about the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic in the Rose Garden of the White House March 13, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump is facing a national health emergency as COVID-19 cases continue to rise and 30 people have died from the virus in the United States, according to The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Trump, answering a reporter’s question in the White House Rose Garden, said that he never claimed he would not be tested, and based on recent headlines, would probably do so in the near future. (RELATED: EXCLUSIVE: White House Officials Allege Speaker Pelosi Pushed To Include Hyde Amendment Loophole Into Coronavirus Stimulus Plan)
A reported asked Trump if he was being “selfish” by not being tested for coronavirus.
“I didn’t say I wasn’t going to be tested,” the president responded. The reporter followed up by asking if he planned to be tested.
“Most likely, yes,” Trump said.
His announcement comes after it was revealed that Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro is currently under “medical examination” and was tested twice for coronavirus. One set of results came back positive, while the second came back negative.
Now we’re getting reports that the Brazilian President has tested both positive and negative for Coronavirus. His senior aide tested positive. President Trump met with both men last weekend.
Is there ANY reasonable reason for POTUS to *not* get tested & self-quarantine?
— Guy Benson (@guypbenson) March 13, 2020
Both Bolsonaro’s press aide Fabio Wajngarten and Bolsonaro dined and visited with Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, senior advisers to the president Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, and Acting Director of National Intelligence Rick Grenell among others. Wajngarten tested positive earlier on Thursday.
Australian Home Affairs Minister Peter Dutton, who has also tested positive for coronavirus, met with Ivanka, Attorney General Bill Barr, Grenell, and Domestic Policy Council Director Joe Grogan last week.
White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said Thursday that Trump had not yet been tested and that there are no plans to test him in the immediate future, as he has not exhibited any coronavirus symptoms.
“The White House is aware of public reports that a member of the Brazilian delegation‘s visit to Mar-a-Lago last weekend tested positive for COVID-19; confirmatory testing is pending,” Grisham said in a statement to the press. “Exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps. Both the President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time. (RELATED: Congress Pushing To Get An Additional Coronavirus Bill Passed Before Recess)
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 11: US President Donald Trump addresses the nation from the Oval Office about the widening Coronavirus crisis on March 11, 2020 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Doug Mills-Pool/Getty Images)
“As stated before, the White House Medical Unit and the United States Secret Service has been working closely with various agencies to ensure every precaution is taken to keep the First & Second Families, and all White House staff healthy,” she added. “To reiterate CDC guidelines, there is currently no indication to test patients without symptoms, and only people with prolonged close exposure to confirmed positive cases should self-quarantine. (RELATED: Louisiana Postpones Presidential Primary Amid Coronavirus Concerns)
During his Rose Garden speech, Trump outlined a number of economic measures to help Americans deal with the fallout from coronavirus and took roughly 20 questions from reporters.
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 13: U.S. President Donald Trump leaves the Rose Garden after announcing a national emergency during news conference with members of his coronavirus task force and leaders from the healthcare industry about the ongoing global coronavirus pandemic at the White House March 13, 2020 in Washington, DC. Trump is facing a national health emergency as COVID-19 cases continue to rise and 30 people have died from the virus in the United States, according to The Center for Systems Science and Engineering at Johns Hopkins University. (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
After declaring a national emergency, freeing up roughly $50 billion to use for health-related activities, Trump announced he empowered the coronavirus task force to waive laws preventing local medical facilities from properly handling coronavirus patients. The president additionally announced multiple partnerships with private companies — including Google, Walmart, Target, Walgreens, and CVS — to help deal with potential coronavirus cases.
Google will launch a website that will help people determine if they need to be tested for coronavirus or not, and the retail marketers will all devote portions of their parking lots to set up drive thru coronavirus testing centers.
