The coronavirus is making its way through staffers in the Trump administration

President Trump Briefs on the Coronavirus Pandemic

Donald “Hector Projector” Trump spent the weekend rage-tweeting about “Obamagate,” a scandal for which no data exists. No, scratch that. Trump is convinced that Obama did something terrible because Obama is black. So that’s the scandal, in Trump’s feeble mind: “Remember when we had a black president? Obamagate!” All of it was so clearly in response to a rare moment of Barack Obama criticizing Trump and his administration. But even without that, Trump still would have been doing his Hector Projector thing. Again, in Trump’s feeble mind, everything that’s happened with the pandemic is somehow Obama’s fault. Again, no data exists for those claims. Trump was so EXTRA this weekend, there just had to be something else going on, right? Right. Late last week, we learned that Trump’s personal valet had tested positive for the coronavirus. Turns out, the virus is currently raging through White House staff:

Even with the number of deaths in the United States set to pass 80,000 — accounting for one in three fatalities around the world — the Trump administration has sought to convince the public that it is time to move on and get back to work.

“We have to get our country open again,” Mr. Trump said last week, even as he acknowledged that meant more people could die. “People want to go back, and you’re going to have a problem if you don’t do it.” A few short days after he made those remarks, the White House itself became a possible hot zone, with officials racing to control an outbreak inside the cramped working quarters at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

“It is scary to go to work,” Kevin Hassett, a top economic adviser to the president, said on the CBS program “Face the Nation” on Sunday. Three top officials leading the White House response to the pandemic began to quarantine themselves over the weekend after two Trump administration staff members — a valet to President Trump; and Katie Miller, the press secretary for Vice President Mike Pence — tested positive for the virus.

Late Sunday, responding to scattered news reports that the vice president was isolating himself, the White House issued a statement saying that Mr. Pence would not alter his routine or self-quarantine. The vice president “has tested negative every single day and plans to be at the White House tomorrow,” said Devin O’Malley, a spokesman for Mr. Pence.

Among those who will be sequestered for two weeks is Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases and the nation’s leading infectious disease expert. So will Dr. Robert Redfield, the director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Dr. Stephen Hahn, the commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration All three doctors are scheduled to testify before the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee on Tuesday about the government’s response to the crisis and arrangements have been made for them to do so remotely.

[From The NY Times]

The Times says that Senator Lamar Alexander of Tennessee is in a 14-day quarantine after one of his staff members tested positive. Who else? The Navy’s top admiral, Michael M. Gilday, is in quarantine after coming in contact with someone with the virus. And another member of the Joint Chiefs, Joseph L. Lengyel, the chief of the National Guard Bureau, tested positive. It’s so weird (to me) that the virus is currently ripping through the White House two months after widespread lockdown, just as Trump is trying to force everyone to reopen businesses.

I also tweeted about this story (below) this weekend – there’s a “glum” vibe around senior Republicans because they think that Trump’s mishandling of the pandemic will mean that his reelection chances are shot. Even Trump is apparently depressed about it now too. Which makes me wonder if people actually remember all of the other deplorable sh-t Trump has done over the past four years.

United States President Donald J. Trump makes a statement on coronavirus during a news briefing at the White House

President Trump Meets with Recovered COVID-19 Patients

Photos courtesy of Backgrid, Avalon Red.

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91 Responses to “The coronavirus is making its way through staffers in the Trump administration”

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  1. Soni says:

    I just got off of a work call with a colleague who has friends in the Secret Service. Apparently, the White House is a huge hot spot. No one is wearing masks and their meetings are in small, confined spaces. It’s going to be a mess.

    • Jerusha says:

      If it will just take out trump and pence and miller and most of the cabinet, I don’t consider that a mess.

      • petee says:

        It’s Pence.I saw on the news yesterday and he was going into Quarantine and then he changed his mind.What a whole mess this has been.I have never wished ill will on anyone but I would like to see this Office tumble like a deck of cards.No fan of Trump here.

      • BCity says:

        I feel like catching corona is actually getting off easy for The Babies In Cages Crew, no?

      • Duchess of Corolla says:

        Agreed! That would be a huge win.

    • BlueSky says:

      That lines up with what April Ryan tweeted, that it’s worse than they are reporting.

      • Christina says:

        Yeah, April Ryan is saying that “…a high-ranking individual may have also been impacted” and that they are “…asking for prayers.”

      • Christina says:

        Yeah, April Ryan is saying that “…a high-ranking individual may have also been impacted” and that they are “…asking for prayers.”

        Sounds like Pence or Miller. The prayers remark points to Pence.

      • Tiffany says:

        Quite a few member of the Secret Service detail either have it or in quarantine because of exposure. I think that said the total number is 30 but it would not surprise me if it is more.

        And it is Katie Miller, wife of Hannibal Lecter Miller (Casino’s long lasting racist) and on staff of Mother’s Husband that has been confirmed as having COVID 19.

      • Darla says:

        I think it’s Pence too. I don’t know if he’s got underlying conditions though. Trump must. And so I sit and I wait, like a spider. But I don’t feel guilty about it.

      • Christina says:

        Katie Miller’s diagnosis had been out a few days before April Ryan’s post, so it’s not about her. April is pointing to someone higher in the administration whose name probably won’t be revealed unless they become symptomatic in a way that can’t be hidden.

        April Ryan is part of the White House press corps who had already reported about the valet and Katie Miller.

      • Tiffany says:

        @Christina, I did not realize there was another story. My fault. Okay, this is interesting.

      • Christina says:

        @Tiffany, Ryan posted it to her Twitter and Instagram. She got it from a source she can’t name. It hasn’t been reported in any formal articles that I know of. I’ve been waiting for it to be confirmed, and it will be because April Ryan wouldn’t have posted it unless she knew for sure. She’s not gossip, she’s been a member of the White House press corps since the Bush Administration and works for African American publications. I’m worried for her because she is in the room with Cheeto and Pence and all of the doctors that are now self quarantining.

        From Wikipedia: “ Since 1997, she has served as a White House correspondent and is the Washington, D.C., bureau chief for American Urban Radio Networks.” She is Big Time and doesn’t mess around.

      • Lightpurple says:

        Ryan’s tweet said “an official.” Technically, Miller isn’t an official but Pence is. Pence is also over 60 so he’s at risk.

      • Christina says:

        @Lightpurple, copied directly from April Ryan’s Twitter acct:

        “I’m hearing on good authority that #coronavirus is more rampant in the #WhiteHouse than the public is being told. A very high-ranking individual may have also been impacted! The administration is currently mum on the matter, seeking prayers instead. #COVID19“

        I guess she could name her source, but she probably can’t without jeopardizing them.

    • Esmom says:

      The press needs to take extra precautions then, yikes. They’re the only ones I’m worried about.

      • Lightpurple says:

        I worry about the press, the Secret Service, the White House ushers, the grounds crew, and cleaning crew. These are people just doing their jobs without political agenda and those imbeciles are exposing them and their families without any consideration.

      • Esmom says:

        Indeed, LP. Sigh.

    • Ash says:

      “Oh no.”

    • Swack says:

      Read it’s also going through the Secret Service. Notice who is self guaranteeing- all Drs.

    • Lua says:

      I worked closely with Dr. Hahn before he took this job. He’s definitely missing us right now 🤦‍♀️

    • Lara says:

      I’m actually surprised to hear this. I had assumed that basically all of the federal government, including the White House, was working from home. I know various regulatory agencies started implementing work from home measures at the beginning of March. The fact that there are still staffers on site at the White House conducting meetings, of all things, is really weird. I mean, the even the Supreme Court, which has been notoriously anti-technology encroaching the Sacred Forum of Justice *rolls eyes* has been holding oral argument remotely for fuck’s sake.

      Then again, pretending that everything is business as usual fits right in with the administration’s theme that nothing is wrong and they’re going to reopen the country tomorrow or whatever.

  2. TIFFANY says:

    Thoughts and prayers.

    *stares and then blink*

  3. Lightpurple says:

    Eleven Secret Service agents currently have the virus. 23 others have recovered from it. 60 are now in quarantine for exposure. Yet the White House continues to hold daily events for photo ops like the one last week with healthcare workers and the week before when Ivanka brought In people from a coffee shop that hires people with disabilities to promote small business loans and another group of victims of trafficking. Nobody wears masks; nobody self-distances.

    • Rapunzel says:

      Wasn’t there also an event with elderly, medically vulnerable veterans as well?
      This is ridiculous.

      • Tiffany says:

        Yep, when Tangerine Tantrum and Melanie met with the last survivors of WW II, they refused to wear no mask. They thought that distance was enough to interrupt and do a photo op.

      • Lightpurple says:

        Yes, the commemoration of VE Day with WWII veterans. At least that was outdoors but again, no distancing and no masks. The veterans were all made to stand shoulder to shoulder for the pictures.

        And then there was Trump’s trip to the mask factory and Pence’s trip to the Mayo Clinic.

      • Original Jenns says:

        Exactly. The message from the White House was that these veterans wanted to be there and they were fine risking their lives to meet with this Traitor In Chief. Same message for everything else. And unfortunately, these people, the Secret Service, the admin personnel are the ones who will go down with terrible symptoms and be among the losses we have. These thieves and cheats will keep sailing through.

    • Lightpurple says:

      And there were groups brought in for their Day of Prayer services last week too. They are deliberately exposing people to a deadly virus while pretending nothing in wrong.

  4. Sean says:

    So Covid-19 is ripping its way through the White House and Trump hasn’t contracted it or Trump did have it and recovered. So disappointing.

    • PrissaO says:

      I feel exactly the same. HOW is he still walking around spewing his nonsense? If anyone should contract COVID it’s Trump. Sheesh, ‘Rona get it together, will ya????

    • AnnaKist says:

      I think Sean wins this one. 🏆

    • Lightpurple says:

      I think Trump is a carrier.

    • schmootc says:

      It really, really is terribly disappointing. Of all the people for the virus to skip, it had to be Trump? C’mon, universe!

    • Lara says:

      Or he’s currently asymptomatic and will suddenly have difficulty breathing. Probably mid-tweet. He’ll be posting rants about how he clearly got the virus from Obama while being medevaced by Prince William and in the process, fire Pence because only The Donald can be president (it says so. In the Constitution. In Article II, Section 5.)

  5. Rapunzel says:

    I’ve been saying this all along: the idiots trying to fight the “tyranny” of lockdowns and forced preventative measures like masks/social distancing… are just even more tyrannically forcing people to place their lives in jeopardy for “freedom” and money. It’s disgusting.

    The fact people are going to become sick and possibly die working at the White House is all the Dotard’s and mother’s husband’s fault. If someone dies, I hope there is a lawsuit.

    • Lara says:

      I would be intensely surprised if all the blue states didn’t file a lawsuit against him and his administration regarding the seizure and mismanagement of PPE. Hell, I’m sure plaintiffs’ attorneys are already drafting complaints to file a class action. All law firms are anticipating a huge surge of work once this pandemic dies down.

  6. Jerusha says:

    Come on, C19, Make America Great Again.

  7. Kazzzz says:

    Team Coronavirus

  8. Scal says:

    As for the rage tweeting-trump also has a case in front of the Supreme Court on Tuesday. It’s the one about if congress can release his tax returns, so he’s nervous that all his financial dealing are about to be found out.

    Typical pattern, distract distract before something bad comes down for him.

    • Swack says:

      The Supreme Court will not hand over his tax returns, unfortunately.

      • Juls says:

        Honestly, I’m shocked it hasn’t “leaked” yet, considering the white house has been a colander for the past 3 years. If I had access to it, I would totally take one for the team and send it to every news agency in the world.

    • Lightpurple says:

      Also, while they are all making a big deal about liberating Flynn, it isn’t up to Barr. The judge has yet to weigh in.

  9. Chica1971 says:

    covid-19 is an equalizer and nobody is immune. At some point, it is respect the science. I’m irritated by the use of all these tests because WH folks won’t distance. There is still a shortage of tests in most of the country. Wasteful

  10. Veronica S. says:

    If he died gasping on a ventilator, it would be the barest modicum of justice served to the 80K plus dead due to his incompetence and cruelty, but I’m sure these scumbags will live forever, cockroaches on the face of society. They make me sick, as do all of the people willfully bantering around misinformation to justify their vote for him so they can pretend their hands are clean. I don’t trust any of them not to vote for him in September, and I definitely expect them to try suppressing the vote of people who disagree.

    My company just announced that we’re staying grounded and WFH through September (tentatively). I work for one of the largest medical companies in the United States, and they have no delusions about what’s coming. They know. Everybody who’s worked in biological STEM fields have known this was coming for years. I remember my professor talking about a major pandemic being inevitable even 4-5 years ago simply because of the way we’re blowing through antibiotics. People just don’t want to believe our existence was really that fragile. No conspiracy needed – nature is just bigger and meaner than anything we are.

    • WaterIsLife says:

      ^^^^^^^This.

    • Original Jenns says:

      This is truth. Thank you for putting it out there in the midst of all the nonsense and lies (not here, but from 1600, Fox, and social media conspiracy theories!).

    • Also Ali says:

      Amazon extended its work from home globally until “at least October 2nd”.

      • Dara says:

        I’ve heard Microsoft has been telling their folks to plan on working from home until January.

    • sassafras says:

      Someone on Twitter (sorry I forget who) said the Pentagon had issued new orders re: unnecessary travel through the summer. Do what they do, not what they say.

  11. Christin says:

    The only surprise is that it took this long to have a WH hot spot.

    Obvious example that we have witnessed: None of the task force and officials have practiced what some of them preach during those once-daily podium rallies. They stand together for long periods of time, without masks. Most are age 65-plus. It was a disaster waiting to happen. My guess is that no one could defy the orange one or his second banana, who have repeatedly refused masks and proper physical distancing, limiting groups, etc.

  12. Elaine says:

    Praying…

  13. KellyRyan says:

    Drumpf has said he won’t wear a mask because he doesn’t look good in it. Apparently he’s man without a mirror. No one else is allowed to wear a mask in the WH. His selfish, abhorrent treatment of others is beyond belief.

    • whatWHAT? says:

      it would wipe off the orange spray he puts on every morning. I’d bet my front teeth that’s why he won’t wear one. that and it would “mess up his hair”.

    • Hoot says:

      That in itself explains why karma is visiting them. He is the epitome of selfish, bar none.

    • Duchess of Corolla says:

      Frankly, the mask would be an improvement. Better still, cover his whole ugly head.

  14. pottymouth pup says:

    if Trump, his family, his entire administration and the Republicans propping him up weren’t sociopathic traitors to this country, this pandemic was a golden opportunity for Trump to turn his presidency around, show actual leadership and have something legit to crow about if anyone in the administration had thought “hey, maybe we should handle this right, follow expert advice and minimize overall impact to the country” but nooooooooooooo they took an untenable situation and, intentionally, turned it into an even bigger shitstorm.

    • sassafras says:

      So much truth. I’m praying daily for my red state governor to make good choices. This is one area that I’d be quite happy for him to display leadership and navigate us through this difficult time. But the Trump White House… well, this is what happens when you have a narcissist in charge. He was so afraid a virus could make him look bad that he just told himself it wasn’t possible and he won’t take responsibility because hoax/China/democrats/deep state/ fake news.

      One of these days, his followers will wake up and realize that he can’t be “THE BEST” and also be bested by hoax/China/democrats/deep state/ fake news. The two realities cannot exist together.

      • Juls says:

        Sadly, the mental gymnastics I’ve seen from his supporters thus far, this will be easy for them.

  15. sassafras says:

    Anyone else calling BS on the WH’s claim that Pence and Trump are getting tested daily? No way that Drump is letting them swab his brain on a daily basis. I’m skeptical he did it once, based on the way he answered that question a month or so ago. (A reporter asked him what the test was like.) It’s really fascinating that are still enough adult-ish people at the WH to try to calm people down when their followers are opening restaurants illegally and carrying assault rifles to their favorite Subway. There’s a huge disconnect I don’t understand. Do the people protesting realize… their guy is in charge????

    • Hoot says:

      No, they don’t. Those protestors let ignorance guide them and feelings rule their minds …and everyone knows that feelings cannot think. Basing a decision on feelings will usually come back to bite you in the butt. Basing a decision on knowledge = much less risk.

      And you are correct about doubting that Trump is getting tested every day. They jam that swap way down deep in the throat, and I cannot picture him acquiescing to that every day.

    • H says:

      @sassafras, they don’t have swab his brain (I wish). The finger prick blood test is accurate. It takes 7 minutes. I bet they are using that.

  16. Gucci Choi says:

    That C19 is ravaging the ‘inner circle’ was inevitable. I maintain that Trump will NOT ever get this virus, no matter how much I wish it would happen. (I have no compunction about admitting that I wish he’d suffer something, anything terrible! I was also egregiously disappointed Boris ‘Spunkman’ Johnson emerged intact after C19.). I know it sounds loopy, but the fact that he’s a malignant narcissist of colossal proportions means he doesn’t stress out over 99.9% of the things others do. In other words, his immune system is quite robust because stress hasn’t worn him down over time. He doesn’t drink, was always a germaphobe, and as much as he eats shite food, he’s probably had enough reasonable quality stuff (even accidentally) to keep him going. Stress will completely cave in your system, even if you’re healthy to begin with, so I say this f**ker will still be standing and raging and frothing at the mouth by the time – all the gods available willing – it’s time for him to be forcibly escorted from the WH by the military. The best thing would for him to be crushed at the polls in Nov, although I’m still not convinced that’s gonna happen. And I’m Canadian! Good luck to y’all down south, and please stay healthy (except Trump and the sh**sacks who support him)!!

    • Christin says:

      People who create stress and chaos for others are usually the last ones standing, aren’t they. They may act upset and stressed, but are so self-absorbed that it’s not the same.

      If he had it several weeks ago (blueish lips, very short of breath were alleged symptoms showing up), then it was a mild case. The stress/immunity aspect could have “trumped” the age/weight risk factors.

    • Lara says:

      But there are definitely factors working against him. Just statistically speaking, there’s a real risk of the virus wreaking havoc. Trump is 73 years old (we already know the virus is basically fatal for the elderly), a male (men are twice as likely to die from covid than women), probably has hypertension and high cholesterol (common comorbidities), is certainly overweight (though not morbidly obese). We know that covid-19 is transmitted primarily by aerosolized droplets carrying the virus, so he may be a germaphobe, but he still needs to breathe.

      Also, a robust immune system is not necessarily a good thing when it comes to this virus. We know that covid, by some mechanism, causes a massive immune overreaction in the lungs, part of the reason why people die drowning in their own bodies. I personally think that having a robust immune system is good in the early stages fighting off the virus, but there seems to be a tipping point where everything goes to shit.

  17. Moo says:

    Not only do people “remember all of the other deplorable sh-t Trump has done over the past four years,” many of them embrace and celebrate it. We are a society of at least two hearts/minds. All of us feel that around half of our neighbors, from a national point of view, totally fucking suck. I wish we could just split off into two groups, but we’re somewhat mixed together geographically.

  18. DahliaDee says:

    All his staffers are shocked by his declining popularity. Ohrilly? As for the pandemic raging through the WH, I’ll be the callous one and say “GOOD!”

  19. SJR says:

    VP Pence was at the Mayo Clinic here in MN, and did not wear a mask.
    Lots of us Minnesotans yelled at Mayo CEO..WTF? WHY is he NOT masked? Why allow him to enter w/o ppe?
    A huge slap in the face to all health care workers!

    If Trump or Pence did get C19, that would be because they both refuse to follow the advice of Dr. Fauci.
    I have zero sympathy for either Trump or Pence if they fall ill.

    Prayers to every staff member/family member who was required to go to work and was then exposed to the virus. Secret Service agents protect POTUS/VP and their families with their lives each day they report to work..and yet that Orange Turd is risking their health.

    Weeks ago, I yelled at my tv while watching WH press coverage … “Don’t stand so damn close to Dr. Fauci. We need him!” If I was Mrs. Dr. Fauci, I would find a way to get in a few choice words to Trump, followed by in my opinion. Trump is a complete and total failure in every aspect of his life.

    This entire C19 is a very bad, real life horror story. How can anyone continue to be in denial?

  20. Bread and Circuses says:

    An author I follow on Twitter (Harry Connolly, writes fantasy) said recently, “I can’t help thinking how much good Trump could do by going on TV in a mask and talking about how ‘tremendous’ he thinks it is to protect your friends and family.”

    And even for a Trump-loather like me, that just makes my guts twist with longing. Yes, JUST IMAGINE how many lives he could save by doing the bare minimum. And he isn’t.

    You can’t bullshit a virus, which means he’s finally met his match.