Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) urged the White House to be more transparent regarding President Trump’s condition after he announced early Friday he had tested positive for COVID-19.
“A significant increase in conspiracy theories & outrageous claims since the President’s diagnosis. Lies spread much faster than fact checking. This is why we need frequent, detailed & transparent updates from @WhiteHouse. And why we should all be skeptical of outlandish rumors,” he tweeted.
Trump first announced early Friday that he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. He is experiencing mild symptoms, including reportedly a low-grade fever, and was taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center later Friday.
White House senior adviser Hope Hicks and Republican National Committee Chairwoman Ronna Romney McDaniel have also tested positive for the coronavirus, as well as at least three senators who attended a Rose Garden ceremony earlier this week.
The diagnosis sent Washington into a spiral Friday, with some Twitter users floating conspiracy theories over Trump’s state, including that China was responsible since that is where the pandemic first broke out.
The usually verbose president has only tweeted twice since his diagnosis was announced.
Trump’s physician will hold a press conference at Walter Reed Saturday morning.