President Trump has COVID-19. What happens now?

How his diagnosis might shape the weeks to come

Trump in Ohio
(Image credit: Olivier Douliery-Pool/Getty Images)

Early on Friday morning, President Trump announced via Twitter that he and the first lady had tested positive for COVID-19. His tweet came only hours after it was reported that one of his advisers, Hope Hicks, had become infected with the virus.

Trump's illness is an astonishing development at the end of the most bizarre presidential campaign in modern history. It will almost certainly prevent him from traveling the country in the waning days of a contest that will be decided a month from now. It will also likely mean the cancelation of two remaining scheduled presidential debates, likely to the disappointment of no one in particular. It is unclear whether Trump is experiencing any symptoms, though Sean Conley, his doctor, described him on Friday morning as feeling "well."

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Matthew Walther

Matthew Walther is a national correspondent at The Week. His work has also appeared in First Things, The Spectator of London, The Catholic Herald, National Review, and other publications. He is currently writing a biography of the Rev. Montague Summers. He is also a Robert Novak Journalism Fellow.