Segun Akanni, Toronto, Canada 
President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19, according to a tweet from the president.
“Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19,” Trump tweeted. “We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!”
Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020
White House Dr. Sean Conley confirmed the news in a memorandum early Friday.
“This evening I received confirmation that both President Trump and first lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus. The President and First Lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain home at the White House during their convalescence,” Conley wrote.
The first lady also tweeted early Friday morning, confirming the news.
“As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together,” Melania Trump tweeted.
The news comes just four hours after it was revealed that one of the president’s closest advisers, Hope Hicks, had tested positive.
Hicks had traveled with him to Ohio for the debate on Tuesday and to Minnesota for a rally on Wednesday.
Hicks was also on Marine One, the president’s helicopter, when it left the White House to fly to Joint Base Andrews on Wednesday. She was seen walking to the helicopter with fellow top presidential advisers, such as Stephen Miller, Dan Scavino and Jared Kushner. None of them were wearing masks.
ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl reports that Hicks is experiencing symptoms.
“Not only did she test positive but we’ve also been told that she is symptomatic,” Karl said Friday. “She is sick.”
Trump was on the debate state Tuesday night in Cleveland with Democratic presidential nominee former Vice President Joe Biden.
It was at the first presidential debate where Trump mocked Biden for wearing masks. “I don’t wear masks like him. Every time you see him, he’s got a mask,” he said Tuesday. “He could be speaking 200 feet away and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
The Biden campaign has yet to put out a public statement about the president’s positive test result and it’s unknown how Trump’s diagnosis will impact the second debate and next week’s vice president debate between Mike Pence and Sen. Kamala Harris.
Pence sent his thoughts to the Trump family Friday, saying he’s praying for their recovery.
“Karen and I send our love and prayers to our dear friends President @realDonaldTrump and @FLOTUS Melania Trump. We join millions across America praying for their full and swift recovery. God bless you President Trump & our wonderful First Lady Melania,” Pence tweeted.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, who landed Friday in Dubrovnik, Croatia, said he and his wife tested negative Friday morning for COVID-19. He said he hasn’t seen the president since Sept. 15.
“We are praying for the President and First Lady that they’ll have a speedy recovery,” Pompeo said Friday, according to the press pool. “I spoke with the vice president’s office this morning as well. We’re taking this obviously very seriously. And we’ll do everything we can to keep everyone safe including you all.”
In light of Trump’s positive coronavirus test, the president has canceled Friday’s rally. His only scheduled event is a closed press call on COVID-19 support to “vulnerable seniors.”
Stock futures immediately sold off on the news that Trump has tested positive for COVID-19.
At this time, the S&P 500 is pointing to a 1.5% lower open.
More than 7.27 million people in the U.S. have been diagnosed with COVID-19 and at least 207,789 people have died, according to Johns Hopkins University.
