Chris Wallace: ‘Thank God’ there was no opening handshake at Tuesday’s debate

Fox News anchor and political analyst Chris Wallace expressed relief Friday that President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden did not shake hands before Tuesday’s debate, following Trump’s announcement that he recently tested positive for the coronavirus.

“The debate commission had decided there would be no opening handshake, and thank God for that. They were about eight feet apart from each other at their podiums,” Wallace said on “America’s Newsroom.”

Wallace, who moderated the debate in Cleveland, said he “never got any closer to [Trump] than what you saw on TV” and was about eight feet away from each candidate.

Still, that was “close enough that I’m gonna get a test,” Wallace added.

Trump tweeted early Friday morning that he and first lady Melania Trump are quarantining after they both tested positive for the virus. News of the coronavirus entering the president’s inner circle first broke earlier Thursday when it was revealed that Hope Hicks, a close adviser to the president, had tested positive after exhibiting symptoms.

Hicks was onboard Air Force One with President Trump and other top White House aides as they traveled to Cleveland for the debate. They also accompanied Trump to a campaign rally in Minnesota the following day.

Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie (R), a key member of Trump’s debate prep team, said Friday morning that nobody in the room during Trump’s debate prep on Tuesday was wearing a mask.

Biden, who briefly walked close to Wallace’s table after the debate concluded, is expected to get tested Friday morning.

“He never approached me at the end of the debate,” Wallace said of Trump earlier Friday morning on “Fox and Friends.”

“Vice President Biden did briefly to basically — I’m trying to remember the exact words basically to say, I bet you didn’t know you had signed up for this. Obviously, it was an extremely contentious debate. I certainly saw no sign of any flagging of energy in the president during the debate,” Wallace said.