Donald Trump Reacts to 'Friend' Rand Paul Testing Positive for Coronavirus

Libby Birk

03/23/2020 12:13 pm EDT

President Donald Trump took to Twitter Sunday night after learning that Senator Rand Paul has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus. In his message, Trump, 73, called Paul, 57, a "friend" and offered an update on his condition.

"My friend (always there when I've needed him!), Senator [Rand Paul], was just tested 'positive' from the Chinese Virus," Trump said, using his controversial term for the coronavirus that multiple health officials have warned against using. "That is not good! He is strong and will get better. Just spoke to him and he was in good spirits." The Kentucky Republican is the first US senator to test positive for coronavirus, with the news coming the same day that Democrats blocked a massive coronavirus economic stimulus package Sunday evening.

A statement from Paul's office posted to his Twitter account Sunday that he was "asymptomatic," "feeling fine" and was "tested out of an abundance of caution." But some members of Congress have expressed disappointment that Paul didn't do more to self-quarantine earlier and for potentially exposing senators to the coronavirus after he attended a black-tie social event in Louisville, Kentucky, two weeks ago. Several attendees have subsequently tested positive, including the wife of Louisville Mayor Greg Fischer. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell told fellow senators Sunday at a lunch that Paul was tested because he had been at that event, sources told CNN.

Paul had already shut down his office, telling his staff to work from home about a week and a half ago, CNN's Jake Tapper reported.

In 2019, Paul had part of his lung removed after a 2017 attack by his neighbor at his home in Bowling Green, Kentucky. The attack also left Paul with six broken ribs and bruised lungs. He still occasionally experiences shortness of breath.

Continue on to read how social media reacted to Trump's tweet about Paul's diagnosis.

Photo credit: Pool / Pool / Getty

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Some people sent well wishes to Paul.

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Others criticized Trump for his cavalier attitude toward the coronavirus before it was widespread across the world and declared a pandemic.

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Many, including actress Mia Farrow, pleaded with the president to call it by its technical name instead of the "Chinese Virus," which health officials have called xenophobic.

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Despite widespread condemnation of the term, Trump continues to call COVID-19 the "Chinese Virus." The Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Robert Redfield said during his House testimony last week that it was "absolutely wrong and inappropriate" to call the coronavirus the "Chinese coronavirus." Mike Ryan, head of WHO's health emergency programs, had a similar sentiment, telling the South China Morning Post last week that "I think we've been very clear right since the beginning of this event that viruses know no borders and they don't care [about] your ethnicity, the color of your skin, how much money you have in the bank."

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Some called out Trump for previously publicly slamming Paul.

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The reaction to Paul's diagnosis was swift and severe, with many people criticizing him for not properly isolating himself even after he was aware he could potentially be infected.

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Others wondered how Paul was able to get tested despite showing no symptoms. It's possible that Paul, who had part of his lung removed and therefore has an underlying health issue, qualified as someone who should be tested, especially after appearing at an event in Kentucky where others were carrying the virus.

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