WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. national security adviser Robert O’Brien has the highest-ranking official in President Donald Trump’s narrow circle to test positive for coronavirus.
Announcing the infection Monday, the White House said in a statement that there was no threat of exposure to Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.
The White House said O’Brien’s symptoms were mild, he himself walked away and painted from a safe place off site. He said the paintings of the National Security Council would continue uninterrupted.
The announcement surprised some members of the White House because there had not been an internal memorandum on the matter, a source said. Because of the normal testing regime, White House officials do not wear a mask reliably as they run in the West Wing.
When asked about O’Brien, Trump told reporters that he had not noticed the adviser in recent years and did not know when he tested positive.
A management official said O’Brien, 54, had been in contact with the president for several days. Aher said he last visited the White House last week.
Trump’s economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, told reporters it was a mild case, adding, “I think your daughter put it in front of him.”
O’Brien, who succeeded John Bolton as national security adviser last September, travelled to Paris in mid-July to form the United States at the July 14 ceremonies. There he met with French President Emmanuel Macron.
O’Brien joined the holidays through deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, among other aides and a small organization of journalists, a management official said.
A U.S. Army officer. He works as a presidential valet at the White House did a coronavirus test in May, as did Pence’s press secretary.
Reporting through Steve Holland and Alexandra Alper; Written through Susan Heavey and Lisa Lambert; Edited through Jonathan Oatis and Howard Goller
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