‘No risk of exposure’ to Trump after national security advisor positive for COVID-19
President Donald Trump’s national security advisor has tested positive for COVID-19 days after attending a family function, White House officials said Monday.
Robert O’Brien, Trump’s fourth national security advisor, is the highest-level U.S. government official known to have tested positive for the novel coronavirus since the pandemic began.
One of the president’s top advisers with a corner office in the West Wing, the national security advisor typically comes in regular contact with the president. But since attending a family gathering roughly a week ago, O’Brien has worked away from the White House and has not had contact with either the president or Vice President Mike Pence, sources said.
“National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien tested positive for COVID-19,” the White House said in a statement. “He has mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site. There is no risk of exposure to the President or the Vice President. The work of the National Security Council continues uninterrupted.”
Since the coronavirus outbreak became apparent in March, several other White House officials have tested positive. Pence’s press secretary tested positive just before boarding a plane with the vice president. One of Trump’s personal valets in the West Wing tested positive for the virus in May.
Speaking with reporters on Monday ahead of a trip to North Carolina, Trump said he had not seen O’Brien recently.
“I haven’t seen him lately,” the president said. “I heard he tested. Yeah. I have not seen him. I’m calling him later.”
Last week, Trump said he is tested regularly, while those who come into close proximity with him — including senior staff and reporters — are routinely tested.
“I do take probably, on average, a test every two days, three days,” Trump said. “And I don’t know of any time I’ve taken two tests in one day, but I could see that happening.”
Updated with Trump comment on O’Brien diagnosis.
This story was originally published July 27, 2020 at 7:14 AM with the headline "‘No risk of exposure’ to Trump after national security advisor positive for COVID-19."
