President Trump, First Lady Melania Test Positive For COVID-19

Donald Trump has tested positive for COVID-19, the president said in a tweet early Friday morning. First Lady Melania Trump has also tested positive, he said, adding they will start the quarantine process immediately.

Only hours earlier Trump had tweeted that Hope Hicks, a top adviser to the president, had just tested positive for COVID-19, adding that he and Melania were waiting for their own test results. Hicks had traveled with Trump recently, including for the first presidential debate in Cleveland on Tuesday.

“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," presidential physician Sean Conley said in a memo. "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."

Other reports said Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and their wives have been tested and were negative.

The development will upend Trump's campaign schedule, but it is not immediately clear if the second presidential debate scheduled for Oct. 15 will be impacted. He was previously scheduled to make appearances in Florida and Wisconson on Friday.

The news pushed down yields on U.S. government debt Friday morning, CNBC reported, saying investors were searching for safer assets. Stock futures took cue and were down sharply. At 2.01 a.m. ET, Dow futures were down more than 400 points at 27,241.00 and Nasdaq futures were down more than 200 points at 11,349.00.

The president’s positive test comes after a recent whirlwind of campaign rallies, where many in attendance ignored mask-wearing and social distancing guidelines. Trump has a history of dismissing the effectiveness of social distancing and masks, even mocking Democratic nominee Joe Biden during Tuesday’s debate for wearing one. The president pulled out a mask from his pocket and said he wears it "when needed."

And had added: "I don't wear masks like him (Biden). Every time you see him, he's got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from them and he shows up with the biggest mask I've ever seen."

Under Trump’s watch, more than 7.2 million Americans have contracted the virus and over 207,000 have died since the pandemic reached the U.S. earlier this year, data compiled by Johns Hopkins University shows.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), “certain people, including older adults and those with underlying conditions … are at higher risk for developing more serious complications from COVID-19.”

Those conditions include heart and lung disease, diabetes and obesity, which is defined as having a body mass index of 30% or more. The 74-year-old president’s BMI following his last physical was 30.1%.

The 50-year-old first lady would fall in a lower risk category than her husband. She also tweeted out the bad news Friday morning: "As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together."

Trump tweeted earlier: "Hope Hicks, who has been working so hard without even taking a small break, has just tested positive for Covid 19. Terrible! The First Lady and I are waiting for our test results. In the meantime, we will begin our quarantine process!"

CNN reported that Hicks was seen boarding Marine One along with the president's son-in-law Jared Kushner and other top aides Wednesday as Trump headed to a campaign rally in Minnesota. The report said none of them were wearing masks.

Trump said in May that he had finished a two-week hydroxychloroquine therapy, an antimalarial drug he has promoted as a cure for coronavirus despite unproven claims about its efficacy. At that time he said he was on the therapy as a precautionary measure as he needed to protect his health after two staff members in the White House tested positive for coronavirus.