More than 130 Secret Service officers are infected with the coronavirus or quarantining due to exposure after President Donald Trump’s extensive campaign travel, the Washington Post reported Friday.
The agency reportedly ordered the officers to quarantine “recently” due to them either being infected or having had close contact with an infected colleague, according to WaPo. Trump held up to five rallies per day in the lead up to the November 3rd election, each of which the Service was responsible for protecting.
SCOOP: More than 130 Secret Service officers are said to be infected with coronavirus or quarantining in wake of Trump’s campaign blitz…
me and @jdawsey1 https://t.co/OxfdMHPWbW— Carol Leonnig (@CarolLeonnig) November 13, 2020
The news comes after a string of infections within the Trump administration and campaign, with senior adviser Corey Lewandowski testing positive for the disease Wednesday. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany and several other White House staffers have tested positive in recent weeks, in addition to the president and First Lady Melania Trump. (RELATED: Trump Aides Reportedly Held Private Call On What They Can Get Done Before Biden Takes Office)
Trump is still planning to hold campaign-style rallies in the weeks ahead to highlight his legal challenges to the result of the election. The Trump campaign has lawsuits pending in Arizona, Pennsylvania and Michigan, while its legal actions in Nevada and Georgia were thrown out almost immediately. Georgia is also in the midst of a by-hand recount.
Trump reportedly understands how slim his chances of remaining in the White House are and plans to announce his 2024 run shortly after former Vice President Joe Biden is officially certified the winner. Trump would be 78 years old next election cycle, the same age as Biden is now.