What Donald Trump was missing: the coronavirus arrived at the White House

In parallel, within the White House, concern has grown over the arrival of the virus in the circle closest to Trump with the confirmation of three cases in the last few hours.

The facts are there: COVID-19 is approaching President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, who are now being screened daily. The reason? In recent days, two members of the White House staff tested positive for coronavirus: first it was a personal assistant to the Vice President, and on Friday it was the turn of an adviser to Ivanka Trump, daughter of the president.

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The new coronavirus made its official appearance at the White House a few days ago: Katie Miller, Pence’s spokeswoman and wife of Stephen Miller, a close adviser to Trump, tested positive. An aide to the president too.

In addition, three members of the crisis cell of the US Executive to face the pandemic decided to isolate themselves as a precaution: Anthony Fauci, the world-renowned epidemiologist who has distinguished himself in the fight against many viruses, from AIDS to Ebola; Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Infectious Disease Prevention (CDC), and Stephen Hahn, the head of the drug regulatory agency, FDA.

In an internal memo released Monday, the White House asked everyone who works in the West Wing to wear face masks when entering and working in the building, unless they are at their desk.

Thus, three key figures for the health response to the virus will have to take precautions for the next two weeks.

Take away from Pence

United States President Donald Trump said Monday that Vice President Mike Pence tested negative for the new coronavirus, but is still evaluating limiting his contact with it. Trump also suggested that Pence was in quarantine after it was learned on Friday that his press secretary had tested positive for COVID-19, although the president did not say so directly.

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“I would say he and I will talk about it,” Trump told reporters at the White House when asked if he was considering taking distance from Pence as a precautionary measure.

“During this quarantine period, we will probably talk,” Trump said, adding: “I have not seen him since.”

A Pence spokesman, Devin O’Malley, denied press reports over the weekend that the vice president was in quarantine. “Vice President Pence will continue to follow the advice of the White House medical unit and is not in quarantine,” O’Malley said.

“Vice President Pence has tested negative every day.”