Vice President Mike Pence’s trip to Phoenix, Arizona was delayed after at least one Secret Service agent assisting with the trip tested positive for the coronavirus Monday, administration officials told the Washington Post.
After eight to 10 other Secret Service agents and federal officers also assisting with Pence’s visit reported being sick Monday, Pence’s trip was delayed from Tuesday to Wednesday, the WaPo reported. It is unclear if the other agents and federal officers tested positive for the coronavirus.
Pence had planned to visit Tuscan and Yuma, but after his staff voiced coronavirus concerns Saturday, decided Pence would visit Phoenix, senior officials told the WaPo. Pence’s Phoenix trip was a smaller meeting with Republican Gov. Doug Ducey and other health care officials.
Pence said the purpose of visiting Phoenix was to obtain a report on the coronavirus situation in Arizona, according to a press briefing Wednesday with Pence, Ducey, Rear Adm. John Polowczyk and Dr. Deborah Birx, the response director of the White House Coronavirus Task Force.
“But with cases rising dramatically — and not just here in Maricopa County, but all across Arizona — we wanted to be here to get a report from the ground. We’ll take back what we heard here today,” Pence said during the press briefing.
“We’ll ensure with the team that we brought with us, including the acting secretary of Homeland Security who oversees FEMA, to make sure that Arizona has what you need, when you need it,” Pence said.
U.S. President Donald Trump listens to Vice President Mike Pence speak during a roundtable discussion on “America’s seniors” in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 15, 2020. REUTERS/Leah Millis
Secret Service Director of Communications Catherine Milhoan declined to comment on operation details to the Daily Caller News Foundation in an email.
“The men and women of the Secret Service continue to meet operational mission requirements without fail,” Milhoan said.
Milhoan also told the DCNF the Secret Service puts the health safety of their staff and families first and is complying with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
“Since the beginning of this pandemic, the Secret Service has been working with all of our public safety partners and the White House Medical Unit to ensure the safety and security of both our protected persons and our employees,” Milhoan said.
White House Press Office did not respond immediately to the Daily Caller News Foundation.
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