Donald Trump and Melania have tested positive for COVID-19 just hours after it was learned that senior advisor Hope Hicks contracted the virus and was showing symptoms on Air Force One as the President’s entourage was heading back to D.C. after the debates last Tuesday.
Meanwhile, vice president Mike Pence has tested negative for coronavirus while former vice president and current democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden will be tested this morning after sharing a debate stage with Trump for 90 minutes the other night. Meanwhile, much of the top level of the federal government in the United States will be rushing to get tested due to their exposure to Trump.
It should also be noted that Trump held a private indoor fundraiser at one of his properties in New Jersey yesterday which brings into question the timing of Hope Hicks’ positive test and whether or not the President and his administration actually knew if they were exposed to the virus and knowingly exposed individuals who attended the fundraiser?
So what happens with the election?
With the election in a month, there’s no question this will have a huge impact on how the final four weeks will play out. It doesn’t seem plausible that the next debate will take place on October 15 since that date still falls within the isolation period for someone whose tested positive for COVID-19, and that’s not taking into considering what kind of longer-lasting effect this could have on Trump if he starts having severe complications from the virus. I think at this point we need to keep in mind that Donald Trump is 74-years-old, is obese, and falls within that high-risk category.
Furthermore, it doesn’t seem fathomable that the vice-presidential debate happens next Wednesday when you consider that despite Pence’s negative test today, it’s still highly recommended by the CDC that anyone exposed to the coronavirus quarantine for 14-days.
Then there’s the longer term issues that can come with the novel coronavirus.
Lastly, what does this do to the nomination of Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court? It was reported that this morning the Judge had tested positive for COVID-19 but was exposed to Donald Trump. So based on those CDC guidelines, should she quarantine for the next 14-days? If so, you would have to think this pushes back any nomination hearings in front of the Senate.
My best bet, nothing will change if Trump recovers
I can’t imagine Trump’s outlook with any of this will change if he in fact survives the virus. I actually fear what his reaction will be if he survives. I can totally see him sitting in the Oval Office at the Resolute desk or at a rally later in the month rambling on about how the virus is “overrated” and that his recovery is just “further proof” that the country “shouldn’t worry”, despite over 200,000 people (and counting) dying of the virus in the United States alone.
Nonetheless, Trump will continue to downplay the use of a mask, pressure schools to open back up, and rush to get the economy going at full steam to save any chance he has at re-election in the final week or days prior to Election Day.
Lets also not feel bad for any lack of sympathy for Donald Trump.
Donald Trump is the same guy who downplayed the severity of the disease back in February when he knew just how bad COVID-19 would actually be. He’s the same guy who continued to hold rally’s, downplay the use of a mask, refer to the disease as a “hoax” and push for the economy to be reopened strictly for his own benefit.
The President of the United States is going to get the best care possible for this and will probably survive. That best care though comes as many of the over 200,000 who have died in the U.S. didn’t have that same luxury and as Trump’s administration is currently trying to take away the health care of millions of Americans as we’re still in the middle of a deadly global pandemic.
