Trump reportedly got 'lava level mad' over potential exposure to coronavirus

President Trump.
(Image credit: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images)

President Trump was reportedly very, very mad about someone else's coronavirus diagnosis.

On Thursday, the White House confirmed a member of the military who worked closely with Trump was diagnosed with coronavirus. Trump and Vice President Mike Pence had since tested negative for COVID-19, but Trump was still "lava level mad" he came even close to contracting it, NBC News reports.

The unidentified man was a member of Trump's valet, and started showing coronavirus symptoms Wednesday morning, CNN first reported. He remained "close to the president throughout the day on a consistent basis," NBC News writes. And when Trump found out Thursday that person had been in his vicinity, he "became 'lava level mad' at his staff and said he doesn't feel they are doing all they can to protect him from the virus," a person close to the White House told NBC News.

Subscribe to The Week

Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

SUBSCRIBE & SAVE
https://cdn.mos.cms.futurecdn.net/flexiimages/jacafc5zvs1692883516.jpg

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.

Sign up

Trump's concern of personal infection contrasts with his lax attitude toward reopening businesses around the U.S. He explicitly acknowledged Tuesday that reopening the economy would coincide with "more death," but said the risks would be worth it.

Trump denied he had been close with the person who tested positive, saying Thursday "I've had very little personal contact with this gentleman." Instead of his usual weekly tests for COVID-19, Trump said he'll now be tested daily, as did Pence.

Continue reading for free

We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.

Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.

Kathryn Krawczyk

Kathryn is a graduate of Syracuse University, with degrees in magazine journalism and information technology, along with hours to earn another degree after working at SU's independent paper The Daily Orange. She's currently recovering from a horse addiction while living in New York City, and likes to share her extremely dry sense of humor on Twitter.