Politics

Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins Tests Positive For COVID Days After Visiting White House

(Photo by Jeff Haynes- Pool/Getty Images)

Brianna Lyman News and Commentary Writer
Font Size:

Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins, who visited the White House for the Saturday announcement of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court, has tested positive for the coronavirus.

Rev. Jenkins had been in contact with someone who tested positive for COVID-19 and subsequently tested positive, according to a letter sent to students per NBC Chicago.

“During self-quarantine this week, University of Notre Dame President Rev. John I. Jenkins, CSC, learned that a colleague with whom he has been in regular contact tested positive for COVID-19,” the statement read. “Fr. Jenkins was tested and found to be positive for COVID-19 too.”

“My symptoms are mild and I will continue work from home,” Fr. Jenkins said. “The positive test is a good reminder for me and perhaps for all of how vigilant we need to be.”

Rev. Jenkins was at the Rose Garden ceremony Saturday for the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, an alumna of Notre Dame and law professor there.

Rev. Jenkins issued an apology Monday after students called him out for not wearing a mask and shaking hands with multiple people.

“I regret my error of judgment in not wearing a mask during the ceremony and by shaking hands with a number of people in the Rose Garden,” Rev. Jenkins wrote. “I failed to lead by example, at a time when I’ve asked everyone else in the Notre Dame community to do so.”

Rev. Jenkins and other guests were given rapid-coronavirus tests prior to the event, according to ABC News. Jenkins began quarantining after the event in accordance with university policy.

The news comes as President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive early Friday morning for the coronavirus after White House staffer Hope Hicks also tested positive. (RELATED: Barron Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner All Test Negative For Coronavirus)

The Daily Caller has reached out to Notre Dame but did not receive a response at the time of publication.