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Trump, Melania Test Positive for COVID-19
President Trump took to Twitter just before 1 a.m. ET to announce that both he and the First Lady tested positive for COVID-19.
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
Sean Conley, the Physician to the President, released the following statement:
I release the following information with the permission of President Donald J. Trump and First Lady Melania Trump.
This evening I received confirmation that both President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus.
The President and the First Lady are both well at this time and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence.
The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of our country’s greatest medical professionals and institutions. Rest assured I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any future developments.
Get well soon, President and First Lady!
Published in General
2020 sucks.
Let’s get the worst-case scenario out of the way: does the VP automatically take the place of POTUS on the ballot box?
2020 never takes a break. Dang.
Do we know what the false positive percentage is for the test they took.
Get well soon. I don’t want anyone getting sick.
I’m a little nervous. He’s in that age category where a positive test is a problem. He’s also not in good shape. I’m concerned.
At the same time, it would be very 2020 for him to not do anything more than sneeze and be totally fine.
Basically… there is no way there will be a healthy conversation about the outcome of this event on twitter.
Because Trump says he has COVID, even if White House physicians confirm that, you can automatically assume people of the left are now going to make the dual claims that this is what Trump gets for going out on the road and campaigning, and that Trump really doesn’t have COVID and is just trying to gain public sympathy because he’s trailing in the polls.
Yes, I would love to know the CT for the test they took. See https://justthenews.com/politics-policy/coronavirus/growing-body-research-indicates-many-confirmed-covid-19-cases-might-not. CT matters. Not doubting the reports, but we’ll have see how things go over the next few days.
I could vote for Pence-Haley; I will not vote for Trump-Pence.
Well, this makes it virtually certain that the remaining debates will be canceled, for starters.
And joe will pretend that hiding in his basement was always the best normal thing to do.
This refers to infectivity, not infection. If he has the infection, he can get sick. I’m guessing that they’re using one of the rapid tests, which can pretty much be done at point of care and takes 15 minutes, rather than full out PCR (though they could certainly be doing the testing at Bethesda and get the more sensitive test every day). The difference between the two is that the rapid test misses lower level infection, so it’s good for catching the most contagious. In reproducibility studies in our lab done across all four testing platforms we use, the tests are robust and reproducible. We don’t have a real false positive issue in the true sense. Whether we’re picking up dead virus in a resolved infection or someone with such a low viral load that they’re not problematic is where the idea of “false” positive comes in. I’m afraid that’s not likely the case with the President and Melania. He was reportedly in contact with someone who was both symptomatic and tested positive (Hope Hicks, according to Israeli media) a couple of days ago. This is very likely real. Let’s pray for a full and rapid recovery for both of them and that no one else in the chain of command gets it. I hope he follows doctors’ orders (good luck) and gets some rest. Really.
Now would be a good time to avoid allusions to your hatred of Trump.
No. From what I read, the party’s national committee / leadership body would select a nominee, which of course COULD be the VP nominee, but doesn’t have to be. Whether the new nominee can make it onto the ballot or not varies by law from state to state.
Not the information I wanted to hear, but its the information I asked for. Thank you.
I think you mentioned that before
I’m just speculating here, but since we actually vote for electors, I’d think that if it’s too late to change the ballot the original slate of electors pledged to Trump would still be valid, and it would be up to them to decide how to cast their votes in the Electoral College.
That’s pretty much all he talks about.
Dreading the spin.
Well, I suppose this could also result in Biden and the debate moderator requiring quarantining and testing as well. They may all get it.
Again, and again, and again, ad infinitum.
Ok, back on topic. Time for debates via remote location broadcast. The President in the Oval Office, Slow Joe in his basement.
I’m shocked to read this. Stop the presses.
The President and First Lady have COVID. I wonder how Gary is going to vote now????
Unbelievable.
Ew… why? That’s like saying I can’t support Stalin but Kurchev was just fine. They are his enablers and therefore unfit and unworthy of support. Don’t go soft on me now we both took the NeverTrumper blood oath at Bill Kristols Geogrgetown cocktail party. That isn’t a thing you can just go back on.
As for Trump getting COVID, well I’m sure his Hydroxychloroquine will save him. In fact wasn’t he taking it prophylactically? Or are we past that now?
Oh well hopefully this takes Trump out of action and the cabinet can invoke the 25th amendment just like Pence planned this whole time.
I just hope Biden is okay he was next to this fool for 90 minutes while the orange jackass was shouting probably spreading the disease everywhere.
You just never let it alone, do you Gary?
Moderator Note:
Whether or not the Code of Conduct specifically prohibits wishing disease and possible death on people, we're striking it.I doubt it’s that easy. They are pledged. They cant just use their discretion, not any more. I would think that if dead Trump and live Pence win. Pence becomes VP and the president slot goes to the House of representatives. Or Pence is made VP and the becomes President after that and the Senate votes on the VP. But honestly I hope it gets bogged down in litigation and no one becomes president and the Supreme court picks. But really Joe Biden (god chosen instrument on earth, a second King David, and savior of the Republic) just crushes the now dead Trump ticket as Republicans face complete electoral collapse. [Redacted]
Thank goodness yours’ is the tolerant, respectful side.
I pray for their quick and complete recovery. I could not possibly put my feelings in more appropriate words than this message from James Woods:
“In my 73 years on this earth I have never witnessed a man and his family be put to the test like this President and First Lady have been. God challenges those who are needed most. While the Left is no doubt sniggering with glee, we patriots pray for our @POTUS and our @FLOTUS.“
May God guide them and our Beloved Nation in this time of extraordinary trial.
What about the outcome that Trump gets mildly sick for a few weeks (or not at all), then fully recovers? Seems to me this would be a positive politically for Trump. He has then suffered through the disease like ordinary people.
The media is in a pickle. Do they pile on a sick President? I don’t see how they can resist it. If Trump keeps a positive outlook and shows himself as a fighter and beats the disease, this could actually turn out very well for him. Trump has a lot of bad qualities, but he’s a master at turning circumstances like this to his advantage.
In what I call the “COVID Freakout group” in my former Chicago suburb, people are already saying they don’t believe Trump has it and it is just a calculated political move.
Of course others are outraged that Trump exposed the savior of the free world (i.e., Joe Biden) to COVID.