Day 1,351: Trump blames military, law enforcement after top aide Hope Hicks tests positive for COVID-19

Hope Hicks is one of Donald Trump’s closest and most valued team members in the White House. With the Trump Organization from 2014, Hicks was moved into the political orbit when Trump announced his candidacy in 2015. After leaving for nearly two years, Hicks returned to Trump’s side as a top aide in February.

Thursday evening it was announced Hicks tested positive for COVID-19, which as infected more than 7.3 million Americans and killed nearly 210,000. What made it especially newsworthy was her frequent proximity to Trump, including traveling with him multiple times in the past week and the administration’s decision to largely eschew masks and other recommended protocols.

Trump was on Fox News and discussed the matter. He strangely blamed the military and law enforcement officials because “they want to hug you and they want to kiss you.”

Also interesting is Trump’s later tweet announcing his decision to self-quarantine considering his access to multiple rapid-response tests. It could mean Trump is being especially cautious, despite his months-long cavalier attitude toward the virus, or he’s lying, or he could have taken a test that did not clear him of having the virus.

In any event, Trump is terrified of getting the virus. He is an exercise-averse, clinically obese septuagenarian with heart disease for a disease he has privately admitted to understanding as extremely dangerous, especially for people with many of his traits.

1,351 days in, 111 to go

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