Trump coronavirus: Who else has been exposed to Covid in the White House?

The Trump administration put Joe Biden at risk, one expert says

President Donald Trump announced late on Thursday that he and First Lady Melania Trump, had tested positive for the coronavirus and would immediately quarantine, leading to speculation as to whether his rival, Joe Biden, may also be at risk.

Mr Trump’s diagnosis came shortly after a White House counsellor, Hope Hicks, tested positive for the virus as early as Wednesday evening.

In the run-up to her result, Ms Hicks had accompanied the president to the presidential debate on Tuesday, and a rally in Minnesota on Wednesday.

So, which other political figures have been exposed to the coronavirus?

It depends when Mr Trump and Ms Hicks were first exposed – there are several unknown factors. We don’t know how long the president, the first lady and the aide have had the virus for.

Typically, it takes five or six days for symptoms to appear following infection, according to the World Health Organisation, but it can take up to 14. 

Ms Hicks reportedly began to feel unwell on Wednesday, while at the Minnesota rally. 

The White House has said its medical team is conducting contact tracing.

Here are some of the key names the president was in contact with in the days leading up to his diagnosis.

Joe Biden

The Democratic candidate faced Mr Trump in the first presidential debate on Tuesday in Cleveland, Ohio.

Hope Hicks, the White House aide who tested positive before Mr Trump on Thursday, was also present.

Audience members had to wear masks throughout the debate. However, several guests – including, reportedly, members of the president's family and Ms Hicks – did not stick to the rules.

Andrew Weinstein, a White House appointee under President Barack Obama, criticised the Trump administration for putting Mr Biden “in harm’s way”.

He tweeted: "Hope Hicks travelled with Donald Trump to the debate. She did not wear a mask that evening.

"The failure of the Trump administration to take the coronavirus seriously put Joe Biden and countless others in harm’s way."

Due to their age both Mr Biden, 77, and Mr Trump, 74, are considered high-risk for complications from Covid-19.

Mike Pence

Mike Pence, the vice president, attended a White House coronavirus task force briefing with the president on Monday. 

Mr Pence did not attend the presidential debate. 

CNN medical analyst Dr Jonathan Reiner said on Thursday that it is possible that both the president and the vice president Mike Pence could become ill, and urged the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, to self-isolate in case she needs to step in.

“The continuity of government requires that we have a clear leader here,” he said, adding that it’s “very possible” that both Mr Trump and Mr Pence could become sick.

Both the vice president and his wife tested negative on Friday morning.

Mitch McConnell and Amy Coney Barett

Amy Coney  Barrett, the conservative judge chosen by Mr Trump to replace Ruth Bader Ginsberg, met with the president in the Oval Office on Saturday, shortly before he announced her nomination.

Mitch McConnell, the senate majority leader, then met with Ms Barrett and Mr Pence, in the Capitol on Tuesday.

Both the judge and the vice president had been in contact with Mr Trump prior to their meeting with Mr McConnell.

Mark Meadows

The president’s chief of staff at the White House, Mark Meadows, has tested negative for the coronavirus, CBS News reported on Friday morning.

Mr Meadows and his aide Ben Williamson, who also tested negative, were aboard Air Force One on Wednesday with Mr Trump and Ms Hicks.

According to reports, Mr Meadows met with Mr McConnell, Ms Barrett and GOP senators in the Capitol this week, as Congress prepares to approve the president’s Supreme Court nomination later this month.

Politico’s Andrew Desiderio wrote on Twitter: “White House officials, including chief of staff Mark Meadows, were at the Senate all week for Amy Coney Barrett’s meetings with GOP senators. The Senate left town on Thursday afternoon. I expect we’ll hear more later today (Friday) on testing/quarantine protocol for senators."

Kayleigh McEnany

The White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany was aboard Air Force One with Mr Trump and Ms Hicks on Wednesday, as the campaign travelled to Minnesota.

She took to the podium on Thursday to deliver a press conference at the White House, with reporters in attendance, and no mask.

At that time, Ms McEnany would have known about Ms Hick’s symptoms, if not her positive Covid-19 test, as she shared a room with members of the media.  

MSNBC reporter Jon Lemire told Good Morning Joe on Friday that the press secretary did in fact know about Ms Hick’s positive test before holding the press briefing.

Following Mr Trump’s announcement on Friday morning, the press secretary wrote on Twitter that “the strength of the entire country is with president Donald Trump and first lady, Melania.”

“America stands united. Our country stands strong. Your president will continue to put the people first!”

Mike Pompeo

US secretary of state Mike Pompeo has said that he and his wife have both tested negative positive for the coronavirus on Friday morning, as he flew from Rome to Dubrovnik with reporters.

Mr Pompeo has not met Mr Trump in person since an event at the White House on 15 September, some two weeks ago, CNN reported.

Whilst the secretary of state has been outside the United States sine that encounter, he suggested on Friday that he may postpone a scheduled visit to Asia as a precaution.  

“We are praying for the President and first lady that they’ll have a speedy recovery," he added in a statement. 

Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner

The president’s oldest daughter and her husband were both in attendance at Tuesday night’s televised presidential debate, where Mr Trump’s entourage - including Ms Hicks - sat together without masks.

Ms Trump, Mr Kushner, and the president’s aide all travelled together aboard Air Force One to the event in Cleveland, Ohio, where the president debated his Democratic opponent Mr Biden.

On Wednesday, all three were reported to have travelled to Mr Trump’s campaign rally in Minnesota, with Mr Kushner and Ms Hicks flying together on Marine One. Photographs showed nobody wearing a mask.

Later that day, Ms Hicks would report feeling unwell, and enter self-isolation.

Stephen Miller

Senior adviser to president Trump, Stephen Miller, was aboard Marine One on Wednesday with son-in-law Mr Kushner and Ms Hicks, who would later test positive with coronavirus.

The controversial White House official was later seen disembarking Air Force One on Wednesday whilst sharing an umbrella with Ms Hicks.  

Prior to Tuesday’s debate, he was said to have spent time working as a member of Mr Trump’s debate preparation time, along with former New Jersey governor Chris Christie and Bill Stepien, Mr Trump’s campaign manager.