President Trump is experiencing mild symptoms after testing positive for COVID-19, a White House official said Friday.
The president is expected to continue working in some capacity while in quarantine, and he has a phone call scheduled for Friday afternoon on providing COVID-19 support to vulnerable seniors.
According to The New York Times, which first reported Trump had mild symptoms, the president appeared lethargic during a Thursday fundraiser, and he fell asleep while flying back from a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday night.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows confirmed to reporters later Friday morning that the president was dealing with mild symptoms, but said his spirits remained high.
“The president does have mild symptoms, and as we look to try to make sure that not only his health and safety and welfare is good, we continue to look at that for all of the American people,” Meadows said.
He would not divulge how Trump was being treated for the virus, but said the president’s physician was providing care in the White House residence.
Meadows said he’d spoken to the president “a number of times” on Friday and that Trump was asking about the economy. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) tweeted that he’d also spoken to Trump about the Supreme Court confirmation process for Judge Amy Coney Barrett.
The first lady tweeted that she had “mild symptoms but overall feeling good.”
Trump revealed early Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the virus that has killed more than 200,000 people in the U.S. this year.
“We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!” he tweeted.
The White House physician said in a letter released by the press office that Trump and the first lady were “both well,” and that he expected the president to “continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering.”
The Trumps’ positive diagnoses came hours after it was reported that Hope Hicks, one of the president’s top aides, had contracted the virus. Hicks traveled with Trump aboard Air Force One on Tuesday to the first presidential debate and on Wednesday to a rally in Minnesota.
The president attended a fundraiser in New Jersey on Thursday. In total, dozens of West Wing staffers, administration officials, donors and support staff may have been exposed to the virus.
There were no additional positive tests immediately reported in the West Wing, though the White House has not typically disclosed such developments. Vice President Pence, senior advisers Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin all tested negative on Friday morning.
Meadows acknowledged that it was likely more White House staffers and officials will test positive in the coming days.
“I fully expect that, as this virus continues to go on, other people in the White House will certainly have a positive test result, and we’ve got the mitigation plan in place to make sure the government not only continues to move forward but the work of the American people continues to move forward,” he said.
—Updated at 11:26 a.m.