TRENDING

image: NBC News

In a tweet early Friday morning, President Donald Trump announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump are both in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-19.

Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 2, 2020

The president and first lady were placed in quarantine after Hope Hicks, a senior adviser to the president, tested positive on Oct. 1. Hicks traveled with President Trump on Air Force One in the past week.

First Lady Melania Trump also tweeted about the news, saying that both she and the president have canceled all of their upcoming events.

As too many Americans have done this year, @potus & I are quarantining at home after testing positive for COVID-19. We are feeling good & I have postponed all upcoming engagements. Please be sure you are staying safe & we will all get through this together.

— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) October 2, 2020

With the presidential election only a month away, President Trump will have to take a break from the campaign trail, and even if he is asymptomatic, there is not a clear date he and the first lady would be able to leave quarantine.

President Trump has been criticized for refusing to wear a mask, with a few exceptions, as well questioning whether or not masks are effective in preventing the spread of COVID-19 (they are, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention).

If President Trump were to become ill enough to worry about his ability to lead, he would be able to temporarily transfer power to Vice President Mike Pence under the 25th Amendment until he would feel healthy enough to lead again.

Slider Image: NBC News

by Erin Sargent | 10/2/2020