The US vice president ’s spokeswoman became the second White House staffer this week to test positive for the coronavirus , officials said Friday , even as President Donald Trump continued to go mask -free at a World War II commemoration with veterans in their 90 s.
News that staffer Katie Miller had fallen ill boosted fears that the White House is at risk of becoming a viral hot spot just when Trump is leading efforts to wind down nationwide quarantine measures that have devastated the world ’s biggest economy .
Miller is spokeswoman for Vice President Mike Pence , giving her frequent access to high -level meetings . She is also married to top Trump aide Stephen Miller , the speechwriter behind the administration ’ s hardline immigration measures.
A senior administration official initially said only that a member of Pence ’s staff had been tested and found to have the coronavirus .
Trump , speaking later at an event with Republican lawmakers , identified the person as “Katie, ” saying she works with Pence as a “press person.” This confirmed multiple US media reports that Katie Miller was the person in question.
On Friday , Miller thanked people for their good wishes , and in a tweet said : “I ’m doing well and look forward to getting back to work for the American people .”
As recently as Thursday , Miller was seen mingling with officials at an outdoor prayer ceremony hosted by Trump and attended by dozens of people , including the wives of Trump and Pence and many senior staff .
Miller’s positive test disrupted a trip by Pence to Des Moines , Iowa , with six people who may have had contact with her made to get off the airplane .
“Out of an abundance of caution we went back and looked into all the person’s contacts most recently ,” said the senior administration official , who asked not to be named.
On Thursday , a Trump spokesman said the president’ s valet , a member of the military who is in close contact with the president, had tested positive .
Trump and Pence were tested and confirmed to be negative . Both are tested daily .
The latest scare came as Trump is pressing for a quicker reopening of the US economy , which has been hammered by the fallout from mass lockdowns and social distancing .
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said there was no risk of a White House outbreak or threat to Trump .
“I can just tell you that we ’ve taken every single precaution to protect the president ,” she told a press briefing. “We clean the facility, we social distance , we keep people six feet away from each other.”
– Trump : wind blows virus –
Trump has drawn criticism for refusing to follow his own health experts ’ advice on wearing a mask in public . Although wearing a face covering is voluntary , it is recommended by many state authorities and federal doctors .
Few of Trump ’s staff are ever seen wearing masks .
Trump ’s latest public outing was to a ceremony early Friday marking the 75 th anniversary of the Allied victory over Nazi Germany in World War II .
The president , who at 73 is well within the higher – risk group for COVID – 19 , met eight American veterans ranging in age from 96 to 100 . Neither he nor the veterans wore masks , although he kept a few steps from them .
“I was very far away from ( the veterans ) ,” Trump told journalists. “Plus the wind was blowing so hard in such a direction that if the plague ever reached them , I ’d be very surprised. ”
According to McEnany, the veterans “made the choice to come here because they ’ve chosen to put their nation first . They wanted to be with their commander in chief on this momentous day . It was their choice to come here .”
McEnany said mask- wearing is a purely personal issue .
“This president is regularly tested . This president will make the decision as to wear a mask or not,” she said .
Earlier this week , Trump made his first long- distance trip since the nation ’ s coronavirus lockdown began , visiting a Honeywell mask- making factory in Arizona.
Again , he did not wear a mask in public , even while addressing a room full of factory employees , all wearing masks in accordance with company policy.
