- Before President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 early Friday morning, he came into contact with hundreds of people.
- Here’s a running list of the high-profile contacts we know about, and whether they have tested positive or negative for the coronavirus.
- First lady Melania Trump, top aide Hope Hicks, Sen. Mike Lee, and Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel are among those who have tested positive so far.
- Visit Business Insider’s homepage for more stories.
In the days before President Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19, he attended private fundraisers, campaign rallies, White House events, and a 2020 presidential debate.
In that time, he came into contact with at least hundreds of people. Many of them were maskless, sitting or standing close together, and sometimes indoors.
Experts say the best ways to prevent the spread of the coronavirus is to stay physically distant from other people, with masks on, outdoors.
Trump announced his positive test result early Friday morning. Since then, first lady Melania Trump, White House aide Hope Hicks, Sen. Mike Lee, and Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel are among those who have also announced they have the virus.
Here’s a running list of the people we know Trump came into contact with in the days before he tested positive, based on White House pool reports, news stories, and official statements. We will update it as we learn more information.
White House staff and family members Trump is regularly in contact with
- Mike Pence, vice president – tested negative
- Melania Trump, first lady – tested positive
- Karen Pence, second lady – tested negative
- Ivanka Trump, daughter and adviser – tested negative
- Jared Kushner, son-in-law and adviser – tested negative
- Barron Trump, son – tested negative
- Hope Hicks, counselor – tested positive
- Ronna McDaniel, RNC chairwoman – tested positive
- Mark Meadows, chief of staff
- Stephen Miller, senior adviser
- Jason Miller, Trump campaign senior adviser
- Dan Scavino, White House spokesman
- Kellyanne Conway, senior counselor – tested positive
- Kayleigh McEnany, press secretary
- Larry Kudlow, National Economic Council director
- Nicholas Luna, director of Oval Office operations
- Bill Stepien, Trump campaign manager
- Robert O’Brien, NSA adviser
- Donald Trump Jr., son
- Tiffany Trump, daughter
- Eric Trump, son
- Lara Trump, daughter-in-law
- Kimberly Guilfoyle, son’s girlfriend and campaign fundraiser
- Judd Deere, deputy press secretary
- John McEntee, director of the White House Presidential Personnel Office
This list is not exhaustive. A few hundred people work in the West Wing, and a couple hundred more staff members keep the White House running.
Members of the White House press corps and traveling pool have been regularly tested for the coronavirus for months, but at least three have tested positive since the president’s diagnosis, CNN reported.
Saturday, September 26: Trump announced his Supreme Court pick at an event with 150 attendees at the White House and held a rally in Pennsylvania
According to the president’s official schedule, Trump met with evangelical leaders in the Oval Office, announced his Supreme Court pick in an event in the Rose Garden, and held a rally in Middletown, Pennsylvania.
People who attended these events include:
- Amy Coney Barrett, his Supreme Court pick – had the coronavirus this summer and tested negative on Friday
- Barrett’s husband Jesse and their seven children
- John Jenkins, Notre Dame University president was in the audience at the Rose Garden event – tested positive
- Sen. Thom Tillis – a member of the Judiciary Committee, tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday
- Bill Barr
- Laura Ingraham
- Corey Lewandowski
- David Bossie
- Matt and Mercedes Schlapp
- An estimated 150 people at the White House Rose Garden event
- A few thousand people at the campaign rally, including attendees and event staff
Sunday, September 27: Trump went to his private golf club in D.C. and held 2 events at the White House
According to the president’s schedule and pool reports, he went to the Trump National golf club in Washington, DC., had a press conference in the White House briefing room, and held an event for Gold Star Families in the East Room of the White House.
People he came into contact with this day include:
- Chris Christie, Trump ally and former New Jersey governor
- Rudi Giuliani, Trump’s former lawyer and former mayor of New York City
- Army Gen. Mark Milley – tested negative
- Army Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville
- Air Force Chief of Staff Charles “CQ” Brown
- Dozens of attendees at the Gold Star families event
Monday, September 28: Trump held 2 events at the White House with attendees
According to the president’s schedule, he held an event with Lordstown Motors representatives on the South Lawn and a press conference in the Rose Garden.
The following people were on the invite list, according to the White House pool report:
- Peter Navarro, assistant to the president
- Sen. Rob Portman
- Rep. Mike Turner
- Steve Burns, CEO of Lordstown Motors
- Rich Schmidt, Lordstown Motors employee
- Michael Fabian, Lordstown Motors employee
- Dr. Scott Atlas, Advisor
- Douglas Hoelscher, Assistant to the President and Director of Intergovernmental Affairs
- Brad Smith, Deputy Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy
- Ja’Ron Smith, Deputy Assistant to the President and Deputy Director of the Office of American Innovation
- Quellie Moorhead, Special Assistant to the President and Director of the Office of Policy Coordination
- Secretary Alex Azar, Department of Health and Human Services
- Secretary Betsy DeVos, Department of Education
- Administrator Seema Verma, Administrator for the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services
- Admiral Brett Giroir, Assistant Secretary for Health, Department of Health and Human Services
- Rear Admiral Michael Weahkee, Director of the Indian Health Service
- Dr. Tammy Beckham, Director of Infectious Disease and HIV/AIDS Policy, Department of Health and Human Services
- Gov. Tate Reeves of Missouri
- State Senator Robert Taylor of Texas
- State Representative Dan Huberty of Texas
- Robert Ford, President and Chief Executive Officer, Abbott Laboratories
Tuesday, September 29: Trump attended the first presidential debate with Joe Biden in Ohio
Trump faced off with Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. Procedures like testing and mask-wearing were put in place, but the president’s family were seen without their masks during the event.
People at the debate or who greeted Trump before it included:
- Joe Biden
- Jill Biden
- Chris Wallace, Fox News anchor and debate moderator
- Alice Marie Johnson, whom Trump previously pardoned. She traveled on Air Force One to go to the debate.
- Rep. Jim Jordan
- State Representative Bernadine Kent
- James Whitaker
- Bob Paduchik, Trump campaign adviser
- Colby Covington, MMA fighter invited by Trump and sat behind Guilfoyle
- James Evanoff Jr., a Biden invite and United Steelworkers Local 979 member
- Gurneé Green, a Biden invite and Cleveland boutique owner
- Kristin Urquiza, a Biden invite who lost her father to COVID-19
- About 80 audience members, including both candidates’ families and invited guests
- Event staff
Wednesday, September 30: Trump held a campaign rally and a private fundraiser in Minnesota
Trump attended a private fundraiser in Shorewood, Minnesota, and held a campaign rally in Duluth.
People he may have come into contact with include:
- Rep. Jim Hagedorn
- Rep. Tom Emmer
- Rep. Pete Stauber
- Kurt Daudt, MN House Minority Leader
- Paul Gazelka, MN Senate Majority Leader
- Maralee Gazelka
- Jason Lewis, Republican nominee for Minnesota senate seat
- Major General Shawn Manke, of the Minnesota National Guard
- Col James Cleet, Wing Commander of the 133rd Air National Guard
- Chief Master Sargent Mark Legvold, of the 133rd Air National guard
- Marty Davis, Cambria CEO who hosted the fundraiser
- Attendees at the private fundraiser
- An estimated 3,000 people at the rally and event staff
Thursday, October 1: Trump held a fundraising event at his New Jersey golf club
On Thursday afternoon, Trump had a fundraiser at his private golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey. Names of attendees at that event have not been released.
Trump announced his positive COVID-19 diagnosis just before 1 a.m. ET on Friday. He went to Walter Reed medical center on Friday evening for tests and to stay for a few days.
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