Donald Trump Catches People Off-Guard by Revealing Name of Mike Pence Aide Who Tested Positive for Coronavirus

During a meeting with Congressional Republicans on Friday, President Donald Trump revealed that Vice President Mike Pence‘s press secretary Katie Miller was the member of Pence’s staff to test positive for the coroanvirus. Earlier Friday, Bloomberg News reported a member of Pence’s staff tested positive, but did not reveal her identity. Miller, the wife of Trump adviser Stephen Miller, is the second Trump administration aide to test positive. Trump’s revelation surprised most on social media.

The White House did not announce Miller’s positive test until Trump made his comments during his meeting in front of cameras. He identified her as “Katie,” and Miller is the only member of Pence’s staff named Katie. Sources told Bloomberg the positive test delayed Pence’s plan to leave Washington Friday morning to visit Iowa. Six staffers who had contact with Miller left the vice president’s plane and were tested. They all tested negative, a senior administration official said. Miller was not on the plane.

Miller has not had direct contact with Trump recently, the official told Bloomberg. The official did not describe her recent contact with Pence. Miller’s husband is often seen with Trump and writes most of his speeches. Trump attended the couple’s wedding in February 2020 at the Trump International Hotel.

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“She’s a wonderful young woman, Katie, she tested very good for a long period of time,” Trump said Friday, reports Politico. “And then all of the sudden today she tested positive. She hasn’t come into contact with me. She’s spent some time with the vice president.”

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“This is why the whole concept of tests aren’t necessarily great,” Trump went on to explain. “The tests are perfect, but something can happen between a test where it’s good and then something happens and all of the sudden. She was tested very recently and tested negative, and then today I guess for some reason she tested positive. So Mike knows about it and Mike has done what he has to do. I think he is on an airplane, going to some far away place, but you’ll be able to ask him later on. But they’ve taken all of the necessary precautions. I understand Mike has been tested, vice president, and he tested negative.”

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Trump and Pence are tested for the coronavirus every day, spokesman Judd Deere said. “In addition to social distancing, daily temperature checks and symptom histories, hand sanitizer, and regular deep cleaning of all work spaces, every staff member in close proximity to the president and vice president is being tested daily for COVID-19 as well as any guests,” he told Bloomberg.

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Earlier this week, a military member who works on the White House grounds became the first administration aide to test positive. The person is one of the valets who work closely with Trump and members of his family. Trump was reportedly upset when he learned about the positive test on Wednesday, a source told CNN.

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As of Friday afternoon, there are more than 1.2 million coronavirus cases in the U.S., according to Johns Hopkins University. More than 76,900 deaths have been reported, and over 198,000 patients have recovered. Just over 8.4 million tests have been administered nationwide.

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