White House COVID-19 outbreak

In September and October 2020, multiple people at the White House tested positive for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. 

Background
On September16, it was reported that at least one unnamed staffer had tested positive.

On October 1, President Donald Trump, his wife Melania Trump, press advisor Hope Hicks, presidential campaign manager Bill Stepien, and former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway tested positive for the coronavirus. Claudia Conway, the daughter of Kellyanne Conway, announced on Oct 4 that she had tested positive as well. On October5, White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany announced she had also tested positive.

Trump tested positive days after the first presidential debate against Joe Biden in Cleveland, Ohio. Around eleven people tested positive who worked at the debates in Cleveland. Some of Trump's personal aides who prepared him for the debates also tested positive.

Many of the cases were rooted to be at the announcement of Amy Coney Barrett's nomination to the United States Supreme Court on September 26 and at a Trump campaign fundraiser event in Bedminster, New Jersey on October 1.

That same day, it was revealed that Senators Thom Tillis and Mike Lee both tested positive, as well as University of Notre Dame president John I. Jenkins. Three members of the White House press corps, including Michael D. Shear, also tested positive. 

On October 2, Trump was hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. 

Also on October 2, many individuals connected to the White House were diagnosed with COVID-19.

Trump response
On October 4, Trump left the hospital in order to ride past a gathering of supporters at the medical center, waving from the back seat of an SUV, before returning to the hospital. This was seen as a political stunt and many criticized Trump for possible putting other people at risk for getting infected. Many Secret Service agents were upset at Trump as he could have infected them with one agent saying: "He's not even pretending to care now".Martin Kaste, Secret Service Agents Frustrated With Trump's Unnecessary Coronavirus Risks, NPR (October 6, 2020).

Reaction
200px|thumb|right|Trump while hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center with COVID-19 in October 3
The incident has been compared to the non-fatal shooting of Ronald Reagan in 1981, which saw similar concerns over continuity of government amid incapacitation of the president.

Stock markets briefly fell more than 1.5 percent after Trump announced his diagnosis, but they cut their losses after Pelosi said she anticipated an economic relief deal. The S&P 500 Index ended the day down almost 1 percent.

Twitter announced that any posts wishing for Trump's death would be removed for violating the platform's terms of service. Congresswomen Rashida Tlaib, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Ilhan Omar, and Ayanna Pressley criticized Twitter for not taking threats against them seriously, pointing to longstanding posts calling for their deaths that had not been removed. Facebook and TikTok announced similar policies.

Tested negative
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife Karen, Presidential candidate Joe Biden, Biden's running mate Kamala Harris, Biden's wife Jill Biden, Attorney General William Barr, and Trump Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett all tested negative in the day following public revelation of the outbreak. 

Many of Trump's family members, including Ivanka Trump, Barron Trump, Jared Kushner, Eric Trump, and Donald Trump Jr. also received a negative result.

Cases
+Timeline of event attendance by people who have tested positive for COVID-19 Patient Position Was event attended by the patient? Current status Date the diagnosis was first reported publicly Barrett nominationSep 26 Gold Star DaySep 27 Ohio debateSep 29 Duluth rallySep 30 Bedminster fundraiserOct 1Multiple unidentified staffersWhite House staffersUnknowndata-sort-value="3: Positive" Head of White House Security OfficeDiagnosed before Barrett nomination event, hospitalized in Septemberdata-sort-value="1: Hospitalized" Senior Counselor to the Presidentdata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic"  (R)45th President of the United Statesdata-sort-value="1: Hospitalized"  (R)United States Senator from Utahdata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic"  (R)United States Senator from North Carolinadata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic" First Lady of the United Statesdata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic" Former Counselor to the Presidentdata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic" Chair of the Republican National CommitteeAttended D.C. fundraiser with Trump on Sep 25data-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic"  & wife White House correspondent for The New York Times  Michael Shear was at the White House on Sep 26 only for a required COVID-19 test in advance of traveling with Trump and Kayleigh McEnany to the Pennsylvania rally later that daydata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic" Trump campaign managerTraveled to Cleveland debate aboard Air Force One with President, First Lady, Hope Hicks, and Steven Millerdata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic"  White House press room photojournalistdata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic" One unidentified journalistWhite House press room journalistUnknowndata-sort-value="3: Positive" 11 unidentified personsDebate preparation staff or mediadata-sort-value="3: Positive" Body man to Donald Trumpdata-sort-value="4: Cancelled" data-sort-value="3: Positive"   (R)Former Governor of New JerseyExposed to Trump at Amy Coney Barrett meeting on Sep 26, at debate prep meetings and a press conference on Sep 27data-sort-value="1: Hospitalized"  President of the University of Notre Damedata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic"   (R)United States Senator from WisconsinExposed to unnamed individual on Sep 14data-sort-value="4: Positive, Asymptomatic" Daughter of Kellyanne ConwayExposed to motherdata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic"   White House press secretary data-sort-value="4: Cancelled" data-sort-value="5:  Positive"  Senior pastor of Harvest Christian Fellowshipdata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic"   Principal assistant press secretarydata-sort-value="5:  Positive"   Assistant press secretarydata-sort-value="5:  Positive" Two unidentified staffers White House residence staffRegularly exposed to First Familydata-sort-value="5:  Positive"  U.S. Coast Guard aide to the presidentdata-sort-value="5:  Positive" One unidentified military personnel President's valetRegularly exposed to Trumpdata-sort-value="5:  Positive"  Vice commandant of the Coast Guarddata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic"  Assistant White House Press Secretary data-sort-value="5:  Positive"   Senior Advisor to the President data-sort-value="5:  Positive"   (D)United States Representative from CA-24Reportedly exposed to Sen. Mike Leedata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic" Oct 6 Gen.  Marine Corps’ assistant commandantExposed to Gen. Milleydata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic" Oct 7  US Representative from IL-12Exposed to Mike Leedata-sort-value="2: Positive, symptomatic" Oct 9

References

Category:September 2020 events
Category:October 2020 events
Category:Donald Trump
Category:COVID-19 pandemic
Category:2020 in the United States