Of Course Donald “I Don’t Wear Masks” Trump Caught COVID-19

Photo Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images

Update: According to an NBC report, President Trump was airlifted to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD Friday afternoon after developing symptoms, including a mild-t0-high fever overnight.

Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump are both under quarantine.

President Donald Trump — who has downplayed the potency of the Coronavirus, mocked people who have worn masks, held rallies where social distancing measures weren’t recognized, and has been the leader in spreading misinformation about a respiratory disease that has killed over 200,000 Americans — has tested positive for Covid-19. Trump made the announcement early Friday morning.

In a tweet, he revealed that he and first lady Melania Trump had gotten the virus. Melania also sent a tweet 30 minutes after. Both Trumps said they would quarantine.

Complicating things is the fact that we are 32 days away from the 2020 presidential election. Which means Trump won’t be able to hold a rally at that time. Rallies in Florida, Wisconsin, and Arizona — which were expected to happen over the next couple of days — have been canceled. Trump has debate number two with Biden coming up on October 15th. It’s unclear what will happen to that debate.

White House physician Sean Conley issued a memo confirming the news, saying that this will not disrupt Trump’s performance:

“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.”

Hours before the news, Bloomberg reported that Hope Hicks, a top Trump advisor, had tested positive for COVID-19. Hicks, who exhibited minor symptoms, is a figure that is close to Trump and his inside circle. According to the New York Times, officials have known about Hicks’s diagnosis since Wednesday — when she traveled with Trump and close of members of his team on Air Force One for a campaign rally in Duluth, Minnesota. Hicks felt symptoms during Trump’s rally, and she took a quarantined flight to Washington.

Just days ago, Trump conducted his first debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden in Cleveland. The two were socially distanced and never got within six feet of each other. However, at one point, Trump mocked Biden for wearing masks

“I don’t wear masks like him…Every time you see him, he’s got a mask.”

Joe and Jill Biden have taken the test. Their results have not been released yet. On Friday morning Biden sent his wishes on social media.

All the major figures close to Trump have taken the COVID-19 tests. As of Friday morning (October 2nd) we know Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen tested negative. Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and stepson Jared Kushner have also tested negative.

The presidential line of succession is the Vice President then Speaker of the House, who is Nancy Pelosi (CA-D).

As os of October 2nd, there have been more than 7 million cases and 200,000 deaths in the United States. Over the last six months, Trump has been a leader in downplaying COVID-19, constantly pushing for businesses and schools to reopen, and being lax about wearing masks or honoring social distancing guidelines. In journalist Bob Wooward’s new book, Rage, it is revealed that the president downplayed the pandemic, despite knowing how dangerous the virus was.

“I wanted to always play it down. I still like playing it down, because I don’t want to create a panic,” Trump told Woodward in a March 19 on-the-record conversation. In a Feburay 7th conversation, he told Woodward, that COVID was “deadly stuff,” and “more deadly than…even your strenuous flus.”

Dimas Sanfiorenzo

Dimas Sanfiorenzo is the Managing Editor for Okayplayer. He specializes in coverage centered around music, pop culture, and politics. Email: Dimas@okayplayer.com