White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows Tests Positive for Coronavirus

About a month after President Donald Trump, and several others in his immediate circle, tested positive for the coronavirus, another member of his team has tested positive for the illness. On Friday night, Bloomberg reported that Trump's Chief of Staff Mark Meadows has tested positive for COVID-19. The news comes as the votes between Trump and his Democratic opponent, former Vice President Joe Biden, are still being tallied. Although, Biden has a lead in several battleground states — including Pennsylvania, Georgia and Arizona — at the time of the article's publication.

Meadows reportedly tested positive for the coronavirus on Wednesday, the day after the election. However, it's not clear whether he had developed symptoms of the illness. After he tested positive, he informed a close circle of advisors about his diagnosis following Tuesday's election. Four other White House officials have since also tested positive for the coronavirus. Cassidy Hutchinson, one of Meadows' closest aides, and Nick Trainer, a senior Trump campaign aide, have both tested positive for the illness.

According to Olivia Nuzzi, New York Magazine's Washington correspondent, Meadows was in the White House residence on election night huddled around Trump, Ivanka Trump, Jared Kushner, Donald Trump Jr., other family members, and several senior staffers. He was reportedly not wearing a mask as he spent election night at the White House. Nuzzi reported that the White House went to "great lengths" to try and keep Meadows' diagnosis under wraps, despite alleged contact tracing efforts. Bloomberg noted that some aides were told about his diagnosis earlier in the week, but that they were asked to keep the news quiet. Not only was Meadows at the White House on Tuesday without a mask, but he was also at Trump campaign headquarters on Wednesday, the day that he tested positive for the coronavirus, without a mask on. Amidst Trump's attempts to challenge votes in several states amidst the presidential election, Meadows has reportedly been involved in the president's efforts.

As previously mentioned, this news comes about a month after Trump and several other members of his immediate circle tested positive for COVID-19. In addition to the president testing positive for the illness, despite downplaying the seriousness of the pandemic for months, First Lady Melania Trump, son Barron Trump, press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway, campaign manager Bill Stepien, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, and several Republican senators including Sen. Thom Tillis tested positive for COVID-19.