President Trump announced he took the coronavirus test on Friday night and is awaiting results.
As the White House Coronavirus Task Force gave a press conference on Saturday, Trump told reporters that he decided to take the test in response to Friday’s press conference where the president declared a state of national emergency.
“By the way, I had my temperature taken coming into the room,” Trump prefaced his statement to reporters. “I also took the test last night. And I decided I should based on the press conference yesterday.”
After declaring a national emergency to combat the pandemic on Friday, Trump was asked by a reporter if it was “selfish” not to be tested for the coronavirus, potentially putting others at the risk of infection.”I didn’t say I wasn’t going to be tested,” he said.
“Are you going to be?” a reporter asked.
“Most likely, yeah. Most likely. Not for that reason, but because I think I will do it anyway,” the president said.
Asked when the test would happen, Trump said, “Fairly soon. We’re working out a schedule.”
Minutes earlier, Trump maintained there was no reason to be tested for the virus. “No, we have no symptoms whatsoever,” Trump said. “We had a great meeting with the president of Brazil, Bolsonaro. Great guy, very tremendous. He’s doing a fantastic job for Brazil,” he said. “And, as you know, he tested negative, meaning nothing wrong, this morning. And we got that word, too.”
In a White House statement released Friday, Dr. Sean Conley said that since the president has not exhibited any symptoms related to the growing COVID-19 pandemic, neither quarantining nor testing is “currently indicated.” However, Conley would “closely monitor and care for the President.”
“Last weekend, while hosting the Brazilian delegation at Mar-a-Lago, the President briefly came in contact with an individual who 3 days later began showing symptoms and was subsequently confirmed to have COVID-19. This evening we learned of another dinner guest, this one sharing the table with the President and White House Delegation,” Conley said at the time, prefacing his conclusion.
“These interactions would be categorized as LOW risk for transmission per CDC guidelines, and as such, there is no indication for home quarantine at this time. Additionally, given the President himself remains without symptoms, testing for COVID-19 is not currently indicated,” he continued, though he did not mention Trump was undergoing the test.
Nearly 147,000 people have tested positive for the virus around the world, killing at least 5,500 people, according to the New York Times. In the United States, there are nearly 2,200 confirmed cases of the virus, which has killed approximately 49 people.
