Two Republican senators and a former senior aide to President Donald Trump have each contracted the coronavirus following a recent visit to the White House over the weekend, where all came in contact with Trump’s “inner circle.”
Senator Mike Lee (R-Utah) was the first to report his positive test result on Friday afternoon, followed by Sen. Thom Tillis (R-North Carolina) and former presidential counselor Kellyanne Conway.
BREAKING: Trump adviser Kellyanne Conway has tested positive for Covid-19 according to her daughter Claudia Conway. She attended the Saturday White House SCOTUS event with coronavirus infected GOP Senators Tillis, Lee and President Trump. pic.twitter.com/LDsstDWhwC
In addition, the president and the first lady, a White House staffer, three journalists who work at the White House and University of Notre Dame President Rev. John Jenkins have also contracted the illness. All 10 attended the White House event last Saturday, stoking concerns of a “superspreader” event.
Kellyanne Conway just confirmed reports she has COVID-19.Here is a video of her having an extended, close conversation with Bill Barr at the Rose Garden superspreader event last weekend:pic.twitter.com/s07mtfo8Rl
Both Lee and Conway were filmed in close contact with other attendees at the White House event – where the president announced his new Supreme Court pick, Amy Coney Barrett – with Lee seen doling out hugs to multiple people, while Conway stood mere inches from Attorney General Bill Barr as the two spoke.
Video: The now COVID positive U.S. Senator from Utah, Mike Lee, in the Rose Garden at the White House on Saturday, with his mask in his hand, hugging and kissing people. pic.twitter.com/Md2l93bw25
Lee, who sits on the Senate Judiciary Committee alongside Tillis, said he would remain in quarantine for 10 days, but assured that he would be back to work “in time to join my Judiciary Committee colleagues in advancing the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett.”
“Unlike the test I took a few days ago while visiting the white house, yesterday’s test came back positive,” Lee said in a statement.
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Tillis went public with his own diagnosis later on Friday, saying in a statement that after months of routine tests for the virus – including during his visit to the nation’s capital last Saturday – the result finally came back positive. He added that he is currently experiencing “no symptoms” and feels “well.”
Tonight my COVID-19 test came back positive. I’m following the recommendations of my doctor. Thankfully, I have no symptoms and feel well. COVID is a very contagious virus. If you were exposed or start to display symptoms, please call your doctor, self-isolate, and get tested. pic.twitter.com/fwc826dkvQ
Conway’s announcement came late on Friday night. Though she said she has mild symptoms, including a “light cough,” she noted she is “feeling fine” and had entered self-isolation “in consultation with physicians.”
Tonight I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are mild (light cough) and I’m feeling fine. I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians. As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic. ❤️
The string of positive coronavirus tests began on Thursday evening, after senior Trump adviser Hope Hicks was confirmed to have contracted the illness after accompanying the president to multiple campaign stops, including on Air Force One.
The president and first lady’s diagnoses came just hours later, and Trump has been moved to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment “out of an abundance of caution,” according to the White House.
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