RNC Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel Tests Positive For COVID-19

Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has tested positive for COVID-19 and is experiencing mild symptoms, the RNC said Friday. The announcement comes after both President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were revealed to be infected with the virus.

McDaniel originally tested positive on Wednesday and has been quarantined in her Michigan home since last Saturday. She was with the president last Friday.

McDaniel has been a frequent defender of the Trump administration’s response to COVID-19. The RNC chairwoman has previously said that history would vindicate Trump for his response to the virus, despite the high U.S. death toll.

"The president was calm and steady in a time of unrest and uncertainty. And I think history will look back on him well as to how he handled this pandemic," she told NBC News in mid-September. McDaniel made the comments after it was revealed that Trump intentionally downplayed the virus in the early stages of the outbreak.

Trump’s positive test result has caused an upheaval to his reelection campaign, and disrupted operations in the White House. CNN reported that residence staff in the White House are “nervous” after Trump’s positive diagnosis.

So far, Vice President Mike Pence and Second Lady Karen Pence have tested negative for the virus. Pence would possibly need to take over presidential duties if Trump’s health condition deteriorates.

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, two advisers to the president, have also tested negative. In addition, Barron Trump, the president’s 14-year-old son, has received a negative diagnosis