President Trump, first lady Melania test positive for coronavirus

President Donald Trump said he and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for coronavirus, plunging the United States into further upheaval and uncertainty just over a month away from Election Day. In a tweet early Friday morning, Trump said: “We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”

Shortly after Trump’s tweet, U.S. stock futures moved sharply lower with Dow futures falling more than 500 points. Trump is now the most prominent figure to come down with Covid-19. Previously, U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro had tested positive for coronavirus and survived.

Trump has come under withering criticism for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, where more than 7.2 million have been infected and 207,000 people have died, according to a tally from Johns Hopkins University.

The president has admitted on tape to knowingly downplaying the severity of the virus. He has aggressively pushed for schools, businesses and sports leagues to reopen after the pandemic hammered the economy, which had been humming along and had given him his strongest argument for reelection. He has also routinely held campaign events where supporters were densely packed together, with many not wearing masks.

Trump currently is scheduled to appear at his second presidential debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden on Oct. 15, or 13 days after he revealed his diagnosis. The Commission on Presidential Debates didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment on how Trump’s diagnosis affects the upcoming debates. Trump and Biden are also set to square off Oct. 22.

President Trump, first lady Melania test positive for coronavirus, CNBC, Oct 2