Following confirmation late Thursday that President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for the coronavirus (with the president reportedly experiencing “mild symptoms”) the White House confirmed that 14-year-old Barron Trump has tested negative for the virus as of Friday morning.
“Barron has tested negative and all precautions are being taken to ensure he’s kept safe and healthy,” White House spokesperson Stephanie Grisham told USA TODAY.
The news comes after earlier confirmation that Trump’s daughter and son-in-law Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner reported testing negative for the virus, per a tweet from spokesperson Carolina Hurley. The two senior White House advisors were reportedly on the list circulating of individuals in the Trump’s circle who had potentially been exposed to the virus.
.@IvankaTrump and Jared Kushner were tested again today for COVID-19 and both are negative.
— Carolina Hurley (@CLH45) October 2, 2020
Late Thursday, President Trump tweeted that Hope Hicks, a close aid to the Trumps, tested positive. Shortly after, in a tweet, he confirmed that he and his wife had also tested positive for the virus and would begin their “quarantine and recovery process.”
News of the president testing positive follows reports that during Tuesday’s presidential debate members of the Trump family (including Ivanka, Donald Trump Jr., Tiffany Trump and Eric Trump) refused to wear masks while in their seats, despite venue rules, as NBC reports. It also is the latest complication in the inconsistent and often inaccurate messaging around the pandemic coming from the White House.
As previously reported, the administration spent early days of the pandemic attempting to downplay known concerns about the virus that has, as of October, claimed more than 200,000 American lives.
“I wanted to always play it down,” Trump reportedly told journalist Bob Woodward on March 19. “I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic.”
Before you go, check out our favorite face masks to keep kids safe in the pandemic:
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