Donald Trump Jr speaks during a rain shower to an audience wearing ponchos at a Fighters Against Socialism campaign rally in support of his father, U.S. President Donald Trump.
Paul Hennesy | LightRocket | Getty Images
Donald Trump Jr. tested positive for coronavirus at the start of the week, his spokesperson confirmed Friday evening, the latest in a series of people connected to the White House who have contracted the virus.
Trump Jr. is asymptomatic and following all medically recommended Covid-19 guidelines, the spokesperson said. He has been in quarantine at his cabin since receiving the test results.
Bloomberg first reported the news.
Trump Jr., who serves as executive vice president at the Trump Organization, is the latest member of the family to contract the virus. In October, President Trump, first lady Melania and Trump’s youngest son Barron all tested positive. The president was hospitalized for several days with the virus at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and was given supplemental oxygen before being discharged.
The confirmation of Trump Jr.’s diagnosis comes hours after Rudy Giuliani’s son, Andrew, tested positive for coronavirus on Friday. Andrew Giuliani is a special assistant to President Trump. Rudy Giuliani, the president’s lawyer, has tested negative for Covid-19. In addition, three more White House staffers have tested positive for Covid in recent days.
The Trump administration and people connected to the White House have been criticized by public health experts for holding large gatherings, where the risk of transmission is particularly high, and failing to adhere to basic medical precautions such as wearing masks and social distancing.
In total, at least 45 people connected to the White House have contracted the virus in recent months. Several people tested positive after attending the Rose Garden celebration of Justice Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court in September. White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows tested positive after attending an election night gathering at the White House.
The U.S. on Thursday reported a record 187,000 new cases of coronavirus and 2,015 deaths, the most since May, as the country faces severe outbreaks heading into the holiday season.
More than 250,000 people in the U.S. have died from the virus since the pandemic began and more than 11.8 million have been infected.
