“PBS NewsHour” correspondent Yamiche Alcindor and CNN’s Sarah Mucha both tweeted Friday that there was no communication from the Trump campaign to alert the Biden campaign of potential exposure.
“There was no contact from the Trump campaign or the White House to alert the Biden campaign of possible exposure. The campaign learned of the situation from the news reports, a Biden campaign aide tells me,” Alcindor noted.
The Trump campaign allegedly waived such communications despite the fact that the president and Biden were merely feet apart during Tuesday night’s presidential debate, during which Trump mocked Biden for wearing masks.
“When needed, I wear masks. I don’t wear masks like him,” Trump said of Biden. “Every time you see him, he’s got a mask. He could be speaking 200 feet away from them, and he shows up with the biggest mask I’ve ever seen.”
In addition, Trump’s family members all removed their masks during the presidential debate held in Cleveland, Ohio.
— Gaby Dow (@GabrielaDow) October 2, 2020
Although Trump’s children, Ivanka, Donald Jr. and Eric, all wore masks while entering the debate auditorium, they removed them when they sat down. Similarly, the first lady removed her mask after getting seated as well.
During the debate, Biden criticized Trump’s response to the pandemic and his aversion to mask-wearing.
"He's been totally irresponsible the way he's handled social distancing and discouraging people to wear masks," Biden noted.
In addition to the first lady, Trump aide Hope Hicks has also tested positive for the virus.
Following Trump’s positive COVID-19 test, Biden, Ivanka, Jared Kushner, Vice President Mike Pence, second lady Karen Pence, US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows all tested negative for SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19.
