This article is from the source 'guardian' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.

You can find the current article at its original source at https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/live/2020/oct/02/donald-trump-tests-positive-coronavirus-covid-mike-pence-joe-biden-us-politics-live-latest-news

The article has changed 39 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.

Version 10 Version 11
Trump reportedly showing mild 'cold-like symptoms' after positive Covid test – live Trump showing mild 'cold-like symptoms' after positive Covid test – live
(32 minutes later)
New York Times’ Maggie Haberman says president seemed lethargic at New Jersey fundraiser Thursday, in which he came into contact with about 100 White House confirms president has mild symptoms, following New Jersey fundraiser Thursday, in which he came into contact with about 100 people
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows confirmed that Trump is currently experiencing mild symptoms from coronavirus.
“The president does have mild symptoms,” Meadows told reporters at the White House. “The doctors continue to monitor both his health and the health of the first lady.”
Meadows said the president remains “very energetic” and is paying close attention to the economy and coronavirus relief negotiations despite his illness.
Meadows spoke to reporters without wearing a mask.
This video from 2016 is making the rounds again, after Trump announced he and the first lady has tested positive for coronavirus.
In the video, Trump reacts to the news that Hillary Clinton had contracted pneumonia during the 2016 presidential campaign.
Trump said, “Here’s a woman, she’s supposed to fight all of these different things, and she can’t make it 15 feet to her car. Give me a break.”
Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, sent an internal note to staff encouraging them to “immediately begin self-quarantining” if they have had exposure to someone who has tested positive for coronavirus, according to reports.
Stepien also encouraged employees to wear masks, frequently wash their hands and practice social distancing.
Trump has previously encouraged Americans to wear masks, but the president himself has frequently been seen in public not wearing a mask.
At the president’s recent campaign rallies, most of which have been outdoors, many attendees have been photographed not wearing masks and not practicing social distancing.
House intelligence committee chairman Adam Schiff opened a hearing this morning by wishing the president and the first lady a swift recovery.
“Let me just express my best wishes to the president and the first lady for a speedy recovery from Covid-19,” Schiff said.
“I know we were all quite shocked and distressed this morning to learn of their illness, and we hope for a very speedy recovery. They’ll be very much in our thoughts.”
Schiff was the lead impeachment manager during Trump’s Senate trial earlier this year, making him a frequent target of the president’s ire. Trump has repeatedly referred to the Democratic congressman as “Shifty Schiff.”
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said the president’s positive coronavirus test result would not disrupt Republicans’ plans to get supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett confirmed quickly.Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said the president’s positive coronavirus test result would not disrupt Republicans’ plans to get supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett confirmed quickly.
“We can move forward. Our biggest enemy obviously is ... the coronavirus, keeping everybody healthy and well and in place to do our job,” McConnell told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt this morning. “We don’t anticipate any kind of unanticipated event that could throw us off schedule.”“We can move forward. Our biggest enemy obviously is ... the coronavirus, keeping everybody healthy and well and in place to do our job,” McConnell told conservative radio host Hugh Hewitt this morning. “We don’t anticipate any kind of unanticipated event that could throw us off schedule.”
Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, similarly said Barrett’s confirmation hearings were still “on track” to begin on October 12.Lindsey Graham, the chairman of the Senate judiciary committee, similarly said Barrett’s confirmation hearings were still “on track” to begin on October 12.
Supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett has tested negative for coronavirus, a White House official told the National Journal.Supreme court nominee Amy Coney Barrett has tested negative for coronavirus, a White House official told the National Journal.
That news should reassure the dozens of Republican senators who met with Barrett this week.That news should reassure the dozens of Republican senators who met with Barrett this week.
Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris has reportedly tested negative for coronavirus.Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris has reportedly tested negative for coronavirus.
Harris also echoed Joe Biden’s warm wishes to the president and the first lady for a speedy recovery.Harris also echoed Joe Biden’s warm wishes to the president and the first lady for a speedy recovery.
“Doug and I join Joe Biden and Dr. Biden in wishing President Trump and the First Lady a full and speedy recovery,” Harris said in a tweet. “We’re keeping them and the entire Trump family in our thoughts.”“Doug and I join Joe Biden and Dr. Biden in wishing President Trump and the First Lady a full and speedy recovery,” Harris said in a tweet. “We’re keeping them and the entire Trump family in our thoughts.”
Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican national committee, has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus.Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican national committee, has reportedly tested positive for coronavirus.
The New York Times reports:The New York Times reports:
The White House said Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and senior adviser, and her husband, Jared Kushner, had received another coronavirus test this morning.The White House said Ivanka Trump, the president’s daughter and senior adviser, and her husband, Jared Kushner, had received another coronavirus test this morning.
Both of the White House advisers tested negative.Both of the White House advisers tested negative.
The president’s youngest son, Barron Trump, has also tested negative for the virus and is taking precautions to avoid catching it, per CNN.The president’s youngest son, Barron Trump, has also tested negative for the virus and is taking precautions to avoid catching it, per CNN.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was grateful the vice president had tested negative for coronavirus.House speaker Nancy Pelosi said she was grateful the vice president had tested negative for coronavirus.
“Thank God the vice president has tested negatively and the second lady as well,” Pelosi told MSNBC. “That continuity of government is always in place.”“Thank God the vice president has tested negatively and the second lady as well,” Pelosi told MSNBC. “That continuity of government is always in place.”
The Democratic speaker said she had also taken a coronavirus test this morning and was waiting on the results.The Democratic speaker said she had also taken a coronavirus test this morning and was waiting on the results.
Pelosi met with treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday, but Mnuchin said this morning that he had tested negative.Pelosi met with treasury secretary Steven Mnuchin on Wednesday, but Mnuchin said this morning that he had tested negative.
House speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed the news of Trump testing positive for coronavirus in an MSNBC interview this morning.House speaker Nancy Pelosi addressed the news of Trump testing positive for coronavirus in an MSNBC interview this morning.
“We all receive that news with great sadness,” Pelosi told MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle.“We all receive that news with great sadness,” Pelosi told MSNBC anchor Stephanie Ruhle.
The Democratic speaker said she always prays for the safety of the president and his family and those prayers had “intensified” since she heard the news.The Democratic speaker said she always prays for the safety of the president and his family and those prayers had “intensified” since she heard the news.
Pelosi pivoted to making a pitch for the Democrats’ coronavirus relief package, noting the president and the first lady would receive “the best of care and that’s what we want for everyone in this country.”Pelosi pivoted to making a pitch for the Democrats’ coronavirus relief package, noting the president and the first lady would receive “the best of care and that’s what we want for everyone in this country.”
Pelosi also suggested this may be “a learning experience” for the president and his supporters about the importance of wearing masks and social distancing.Pelosi also suggested this may be “a learning experience” for the president and his supporters about the importance of wearing masks and social distancing.
The speaker said Trump’s behavior in recent weeks, such as holding rallies with hundreds of attendees and avoiding wearing a mask in most settings, were a “brazen invitation” for coronavirus.The speaker said Trump’s behavior in recent weeks, such as holding rallies with hundreds of attendees and avoiding wearing a mask in most settings, were a “brazen invitation” for coronavirus.
Pelosi expressed hope that this moment will be an opportunity to take a “saner approach” to limiting the spread of the virus.Pelosi expressed hope that this moment will be an opportunity to take a “saner approach” to limiting the spread of the virus.
This is Joan Greve in Washington, taking over for Martin Belam.
World leaders are sending their warm wishes to the president and the first lady, after they announced they had tested positive for coronavirus.
Italian prime minister Giuseppe Conte said in a tweet this morning, “My best wishes to @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania for a speedy recovery. Hope both of you will get better soon!”
There’s a little groundswell of Republican figures already criticising Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on social media for being slow off the mark this morning in sending well wishes to the president and the first lady.
Steve Guest, the Republican rapid response director, sent this message about twenty minutes before Joe Biden issued his statement this morning.
And on that note, I’m off. I’m handing over to Joan Greve now, so take care, stay safe, and I’ll see you next week…
Health and human services secretary Alex Azar is the latest official to come out and say that he has tested negative for Covid-19 after protectively being screened following news of Donald Trump’s positive test.
“Out of an abundance of caution I was tested for Covid-19 this morning and the result was negative. I will be testifying before Congress as scheduled,” Azar wrote on Twitter.
Trump is showing symptoms of the novel coronavirus, but mild ones, according to two people familiar with his condition, reports the New York Times. Maggie Haberman writes:
Joe Biden has just sent his and his wife Jill’s best wishes to the president.
Away from the coronavirus for a second – well, not really, because its the coronavirus that has destabilised the economy – my colleagues Dominic Rushe and Michael Sainato have this look at the latest US jobless figures, which are one of the last chances to assess the economy before the election:
Read it in full here: US unemployment rate falls to 7.9% in last look at jobs market before elections
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell has added his voice and prayers to those wishing Donald and Melania Trump well.
Reuters have a quick snap that US secretary of the treasury Steven Mnuchin has tested negative for coronavirus this morning.
He joins vice president Mike Pence and Pence’s wife Karen in announcing a negative Covid test result in the wake of the news that the president and his wife have both tested positive.
A refreshingly honest headline from Matt Berman over at Buzzfeed this morning: I am the politics editor and I have absolutely no idea what happens next. Berman has at least helpfully identified three of the key questions however:
As he helpfully puts it: “The mind boggles”
Read it here: Buzzfeed News – I am the politics editor and I have absolutely no idea what happens next
A survey this week showed that fewer than one-third of Americans place a great deal or a fair amount of trust in federal government, the White House, or Donald Trump to give them accurate information about the coronavirus. They might have a point.
Cornell University researchers have analyzed 38m English-language articles about the pandemic, and found that Donald Trump was the largest driver of Covid misinformation in the media in the first half of the year.
The study found that of articles published from 1 January to 26 May, more than 1.1m — slightly less than about 3% — contained some form of misinformation. They categorised this and found some common repeated conspiracy theory tropes, such as the source of the coronavirus being people who ate bat soup, or that the pandemic had been engineered to coincide with Donald Trump’s impeachment trial.
What they found above all, though, was that when it came to the promise of “miracle cures”, it was Trump’s words that echoed loudest.
His promotion of hydroxychloroquine, and suggestions that UV light or bleach could help with dealing with Covid, generated masses of articles, providing a vector for the misinformation to spread. Worryingly, the researchers found that “the majority of Covid misinformation is conveyed by the media without question or correction”.