Trump says he'll 'likely' get tested for coronavirus after meeting official who tested positive


President Trump on Friday said he will "most likely" get tested for the novel coronavirus after he was around a Brazilian official who later tested positive for it, though he doesn't sound to be in a huge rush.
Trump in a news conference on Friday faced multiple questions about whether he was taking any precautions after an aide to Brazil's president tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus days after he was at Mar-a-lago with Trump and took a photo with him.
Initially, Trump said he was not planning to take any precautions because he has "no symptoms whatsoever." But after multiple follow-up questions, Trump eventually said he "most likely" would receive a coronavirus test.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"Not for that reason, but because I think I will do it anyway," Trump said.
Asked when this would happen, Trump said "fairly soon," adding, "we're working out a schedule." He had previously sounded dismissive over concerns that he took a photo with someone who now has the virus.
"There was somebody that they say has it," Trump said. "I have no idea who he is. But I take pictures and it lasts for literally seconds. I don't know the gentleman that we're talking about."
The White House after the aide tested positive this week said that Trump had "almost no interactions with the individual" and does "not require being tested at this time." Brendan Morrow
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Brendan worked as a culture writer at The Week from 2018 to 2023, covering the entertainment industry, including film reviews, television recaps, awards season, the box office, major movie franchises and Hollywood gossip. He has written about film and television for outlets including Bloody Disgusting, Showbiz Cheat Sheet, Heavy and The Celebrity Cafe.
-
Musk's latest Grok AI controversy and what it reveals about chatbots
In the Spotlight The spread of misinformation serves as a reminder of how imperfect chatbots really are
-
Get a taste of a place at these regional US restaurant chains
The Week Recommends Eat where the locals do
-
Bombing of fertility clinic blamed on 'antinatalist'
speed read A car bombing injured four people and damaged a fertility clinic and nearby buildings in Palm Springs, California
-
Biden diagnosed with aggressive prostate cancer
speed read The diagnosis hits close to home, as the former president 'dedicated much of his later career to cancer research'
-
Supreme Court weighs court limits amid birthright ban
speed read President Trump's bid to abolish birthright citizenship has sparked questions among federal judges about blocking administration policies
-
Gabbard fires intelligence chiefs after Venezuela report
speed read Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard has fired the top two officials leading the National Intelligence Council
-
Trump vows to lift Syria sanctions
speed read The move would help the new government stabilize the country following years of civil war
-
Senate rejects Trump's Library of Congress takeover
speed read Congress resisted the president's attempts to control 'the legislative branch's premier research body'
-
Hamas frees US hostage in deal sidelining Israel
speed read Edan Alexander, a 21-year-old soldier, was the final living US citizen held by the militant group
-
White Afrikaners land in US as Trump-declared refugees
speed read An exception was made to Trump's near-total ban on admitting refugees for the white South Africans
-
Qatar luxury jet gift clouds Trump trip to Mideast
speed read Qatar is said to be presenting Trump with a $400 million plane, which would be among the biggest foreign gifts ever received by the US government