White House chief of staff Mark Meadows walks along the South Lawn before President Trump departs from the White House on Oct. 30. Photo: Sarah Silbiger / Getty Images
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows has tested positive for the coronavirus, Bloomberg's Jennifer Jacobs first reported Friday night.
The state of play: Meadows traveled with the president in the run-up to Election Day and was most recently seen in public Wednesday morning, per AP. The diagnosis comes roughly a month after President Trump, members of the Trump family and others close to the president tested positive for COVID-19.
- Meadows recently defended Vice President Mike Pence's decision to continue traveling and campaigning despite exposure to staff who had tested positive for COVID-19. Meadows said at the time that Pence was exempt from CDC guidelines because he is "essential personnel."
- It is unclear when Meadows tested positive, or if he had any symptoms, per Bloomberg.
- Meadows told a circle of advisers after Tuesday’s election, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the matter.
The big picture: The U.S. recorded at least 125,552 new COVID-19 cases on Friday — setting a single-day record, according to data from the COVID Tracking Project.
- The coronavirus has killed at least 236,099 people in the U.S. as of Saturday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University data.
- Of the 376 counties with the highest number of new coronavirus cases per capita, 93% voted for Trump, AP notes.
The White House has not responded to Axios' requests for comment.