Trump campaign reportedly didn't tell the Biden campaign about the president's diagnosis


President Trump's campaign reportedly did not contact the campaign of former Vice President Joe Biden regarding the president testing positive for COVID-19 following Tuesday's debate.
Trump confirmed in a tweet early on Friday that both he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19, which came after Trump and Biden faced off in the first 2020 presidential debate on Tuesday evening. Citing a senior Biden campaign official, CNN reports that "there was no contact from the Trump campaign or the White House to alert the Biden campaign of possible exposure" to COVID-19.
PBS News' Yamiche Alcindor also confirmed as much, reporting that no contact took place between the campaigns and that Biden's team found out Trump had tested positive through news reports.
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.
The aide to Biden told CNN that the campaign believes the risk of exposure is low because "we were never near them" at the event, where Trump's camp ignored a mandatory mask rule. Indeed, epidemiologist Dr. Eric Feigl-Ding previously explained that if Trump was infectious at Tuesday's debate, it still "would have been very low risk for Biden given the distance between them." Biden was reportedly expected to be tested for COVID-19 on Friday morning.
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.
-
Marie Antoinette Style at the V&A: a ‘magnificent’ exhibition
The Week Recommends The UK’s first show dedicated solely to the French queen explores the complex woman behind the ‘bling’
-
8 riveting museum exhibitions on view in the fall
The Week Recommends See Winslow Homer rarities and Black art reimagined
-
Crossword: September 18, 2025
The Week's daily crossword
-
Russia slams Kyiv, hits government building
Speed Read This was Moscow's largest aerial assault since launching its full-scale invasion in 2022
-
China's Xi hosts Modi, Putin, Kim in challenge to US
Speed Read Chinese President Xi Jinping hosted Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Russian President Vladimir Putin and other Asian leaders at an SCO summit
-
Russian strike on Kyiv kills 23, hits EU offices
Speed Read The strike was the second-largest since Russia invaded in 2022
-
UN votes to end Lebanon peacekeeping mission
Speed Read The Trump administration considers the UN's Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) to be a 'waste of money'
-
Israeli double strike on Gaza hospital kills 20
Speed Read The dead include five journalists who worked for The Associated Press, Reuters and Al Jazeera
-
China is silently expanding its influence in American cities
Under the Radar New York City and San Francisco, among others, have reportedly been targeted
-
Kyiv marks independence as Russia downplays peace
Speed Read President Vladimir Putin has no plans to meet with Zelenskyy for peace talks pushed by President Donald Trump
-
Trump halts Gaza visas as Israelis protest war
Speed Read Laura Loomer voiced her concerns over injured Palestinian kids being brought to the US for treatment and a potential 'Islamic invasion'