Stephen Miller, senior adviser to President Donald Trump, has tested positive for the coronavirus, he confirmed Tuesday.
He is the latest of several people in Trump’s inner circle who have been confirmed to have COVID-19 in the past week. News of Miller’s positive test result comes a day after Trump, who also has the contagious disease, returned to the White House from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Miller, one of the longest-serving members of the Trump administration, is among those who helped the president prepare for last week’s debate with Democratic rival Joe Biden. No one wore masks at any of those debate prep meetings, according to former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who has also tested positive.
Miller’s wife, Kate Miller, the communications director for Vice President Mike Pence, had COVID-19 in May and reportedly tested negative for the virus Tuesday morning.
The outbreak appears to have spread beyond the White House. The District of Columbia reported 105 new coronavirus cases on Tuesday, marking the highest case count since June 3.
Despite the growing outbreak, a source familiar with the matter told The New York Times that the White House does not plan to do extensive contact tracing for people who attended a large celebration Sept. 26 at the White House Rose Garden for the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett. That event is believed to be the source of multiple infections.
Much about Trump’s condition remains shrouded in mystery. Earlier Tuesday, White House physician Sean Conley said the president was doing “extremely well” but provided almost no other details.
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