White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump was experiencing mild symptoms after being infected, along with First Lady Melania Trump, with the novel coronavirus. He continues to work from the White House residence as he quarantines, Meadows added.
"They remain in good spirits,” he stated.
Despite the startling news, Meadows also said it was business as usual at the White House.
He started his remarks by commenting on the most recent jobs report.
He said Trump’s first question to him this morning was, "How’s the economy doing? How are the stimulus talks going on Capitol Hill?”
Meadows also said that the core staff members at the White House have been tested.
"I fully expect as this virus continues to go on, other people in the White House certainly will have a positive test result,” he said.
The first lady later said that like her husband, she is also experiencing mild symptoms.
"Thank you for the love you are sending our way. I have mild symptoms but overall feeling good. I am looking forward to a speedy recovery,” she tweeted.
Trump's youngest child, Barron, 14, has tested negative for the virus.
The president's positive test result comes a month until the election and after he spent the year largely downplaying the threat of the virus, and just hours after the White House announced that senior aide Hope Hicks had come down with the virus after traveling with the president several times this week.
Trump was last seen by reporters returning to the White House on Thursday evening and looked to be in good health. Trump is 74 years old, putting him at higher risk of serious complications from a virus that has now killed more than 205,000 people nationwide.
