Trump security adviser Robert O'Brien tests positive for coronavirus

By Steve Holland

 

National Security Advisor Robert O'Brien walks after being interviewed at the White House in Washington, U.S., May 24, 2020. REUTERS/Joshua Roberts

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. national security adviser Robert O'Brien has become the highest ranking official in President Donald Trump's inner circle to test positive for the coronavirus.

 

Announcing the infection on Monday, the White House said in a statement there was no risk of exposure to Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.

 

The White House statement said that O'Brien's symptoms were mild, that he was self-isolating and that he was working from a secure location off site. It said the work of the National Security Council would continue uninterrupted.

 

The announcement caught some White House staff off guard, as there had not been an internal memo about it, one source said. Because of the regular testing regimen, White House officials do not reliably wear masks while working in the West Wing.

 

U.S. President Donald Trump's national security adviser Robert O'Brien has tested positive for the novel coronavirus, but there is no risk of exposure to Trump or Vice President Mike Pence, the White House said in a statement. Freddie Joyner has more.

 

Asked about O'Brien, Trump told reporters he had not seen the adviser lately and did not know when he had tested positive.

 

An administration official said O'Brien, 54, had not had contact with the president in several days. Another said he had last been at the White House last week.

 

Trump economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters it was apparently a light case, adding "I believe his daughter had caught it before him."

 

O'Brien, who took over as national security adviser from John Bolton last September, had traveled to Paris in mid-July to represent the United States at Bastille Day ceremonies. He met French President Emmanuel Macron while there.

 

O'Brien was joined on the trip by deputy national security adviser Matt Pottinger, among other aides and a small group of reporters, an administration official said.

 

A U.S. military member who works as a presidential valet at the White House tested positive for coronavirus in May as did Pence's press secretary.

 

(Reporting by Steve Holland and Alexandra Alper; Writing by Susan Heavey and Lisa Lambert; Editing by Jonathan Oatis and Howard Goller)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-07-28

 

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Fear.

Let’s just hope he dident give it to......you know who!

Bad luck the virus is so small ... they can't shoot it ...

"Asked about O'Brien, Trump told reporters he had not seen the adviser lately and did not know when he had tested positive.

 

"An administration official said O'Brien, 54, had not had contact with the president in several days. Another said he had last been at the White House last week."

 

There are two very concerning revelations. First, that the NSA is infected with COVID-19, and second, that trump said he hadn't seen the NSA, lately, while admin official said NSA had not had contact with trump, in several days. 

 

The NSA is the country's top advisor on global security issues. In previous admins, NSA met, regularly, and talked, daily, with POTUS, for intelligence briefings, to stay on top of world affairs. With China, Russia, Iran, N. Korea, all involved in one global crisis/emergency or another, it is mind boggling how trump could not be in contact with his NSA, for several days.

7 minutes ago, skytrooper70 said:

"Asked about O'Brien, Trump told reporters he had not seen the adviser lately and did not know when he had tested positive.

 

"An administration official said O'Brien, 54, had not had contact with the president in several days. Another said he had last been at the White House last week."

 

There are two very concerning revelations. First, that the NSA is infected with COVID-19, and second, that trump said he hadn't seen the NSA, lately, while admin official said NSA had not had contact with trump, in several days. 

 

The NSA is the country's top advisor on global security issues. In previous admins, NSA met, regularly, and talked, daily, with POTUS, for intelligence briefings, to stay on top of world affairs. With China, Russia, Iran, N. Korea, all involved in one global crisis/emergency or another, it is mind boggling how trump could not be in contact with his NSA, for several days.

My thoughts exactly. But even if Trump had met with O’Brien just one minute before he was asked that question, he probably still would have denied it. The man just can’t help himself, being the compulsive liar that he is. 

5 minutes ago, skytrooper70 said:

"Asked about O'Brien, Trump told reporters he had not seen the adviser lately and did not know when he had tested positive.

 

"An administration official said O'Brien, 54, had not had contact with the president in several days. Another said he had last been at the White House last week."

 

There are two very concerning revelations. First, that the NSA is infected with COVID-19, and second, that trump said he hadn't seen the NSA, lately, while admin official said NSA had not had contact with trump, in several days. 

 

The NSA is the country's top advisor on global security issues. In previous admins, NSA met, regularly, and talked, daily, with POTUS, for intelligence briefings, to stay on top of world affairs. With China, Russia, Iran, N. Korea, all involved in one global crisis/emergency or another, it is mind boggling how trump could not be in contact with his NSA, for several days.

Missing is unsurprisingly contact tracing.

While it was allegedly several days ago (I question that) that he had contact with Trump in several days, he could have spread infection to other White House people who would have had more recent contact with Trump. Trump ought to be tested every hour and start drinking hydroxychloroquine milk shakes.

So he's not much of a security guy then if he can't even keep himself safe...

3 hours ago, skytrooper70 said:

"Asked about O'Brien, Trump told reporters he had not seen the adviser lately and did not know when he had tested positive.

 

"An administration official said O'Brien, 54, had not had contact with the president in several days. Another said he had last been at the White House last week."

 

There are two very concerning revelations. First, that the NSA is infected with COVID-19, and second, that trump said he hadn't seen the NSA, lately, while admin official said NSA had not had contact with trump, in several days. 

 

The NSA is the country's top advisor on global security issues. In previous admins, NSA met, regularly, and talked, daily, with POTUS, for intelligence briefings, to stay on top of world affairs. With China, Russia, Iran, N. Korea, all involved in one global crisis/emergency or another, it is mind boggling how trump could not be in contact with his NSA, for several days.

Nothing newsworthy, I'm afraid.

He doesn't care about stuff like national security, he's a very busy man, and he always lies. 

He probably saw the guy this morning, and now he's s___ting a brick in fear of testing positive.  And if so, he'll lie about it.

 

 

Edited July 28, 20205 yr by bendejo

32 minutes ago, tomazbodner said:

So he's not much of a security guy then if he can't even keep himself safe...

He is a US citizen exercising his freedoms.  In this case his right to expose himself to an incurable disease.  If it kills him, he'll die a martyr for the MAGA agenda.

 

 

Edited July 28, 20205 yr by bendejo

Here's another one who has tested positive. I could say it's a case of poetic justice but the Thai expression has more bluntness to it:

Som nam naa!

 

'Anti-mask US senator who called coronavirus a hoax tests positive for Covid-19'

9 hours ago, webfact said:

White House officials do not reliably wear masks while working in the West Wing.

So they unreliably wear them?

8 hours ago, Tug said:

Let’s just hope he dident give it to......you know who!

Shouldn't be a problem. Trump never listens or talks to his Security Advisor anyway 

26 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

So they unreliably wear them?

The hallmark of the entire administration.

3 hours ago, ballpoint said:

So they unreliably wear them?

 

Yup.

 

10 hours ago, skytrooper70 said:

"Asked about O'Brien, Trump told reporters he had not seen the adviser lately and did not know when he had tested positive.

 

"An administration official said O'Brien, 54, had not had contact with the president in several days. Another said he had last been at the White House last week."

 

There are two very concerning revelations. First, that the NSA is infected with COVID-19, and second, that trump said he hadn't seen the NSA, lately, while admin official said NSA had not had contact with trump, in several days. 

 

The NSA is the country's top advisor on global security issues. In previous admins, NSA met, regularly, and talked, daily, with POTUS, for intelligence briefings, to stay on top of world affairs. With China, Russia, Iran, N. Korea, all involved in one global crisis/emergency or another, it is mind boggling how trump could not be in contact with his NSA, for several days.

 

Quote

O'Brien, one of Trump's top aides, recently returned from Europe, where he and his top deputy met with officials from the UK, France, Germany and Italy. O'Brien took a family vacation, during which he was likely exposed to the virus, immediately following his trip to Europe, a senior administration official tells CNN.

https://edition.cnn.com/2020/07/27/politics/robert-obrien-tests-positive-covid/index.html

 

13 hours ago, Tug said:

Let’s just hope he dident give it to......you know who!

How could he?  He is wearing the mask, all is well.

33 minutes ago, IAMHERE said:

How could he?  He is wearing the mask, all is well.

There was little chance of him running into trump anyway. With an epidemic raging and riots and demonstrations in several cities trump is hard at work......golfing.

16 hours ago, webfact said:

the White House said in a statement there was no risk of exposure to Trump or Vice President Mike Pence.

would trump admit in case he was diagnozed with corona? i doubt

'are there any Republican politicians who are not hypocrites?  to quote the Arkansas senator who shared an article that described the coronavirus pandemic as a “hoax” and then got it: 'We have all been doing our best to wear a mask, social distance and be careful like everyone else. This virus is serious and can attack anyone regardless of age or general health.”

Edited July 29, 20205 yr by paddypower
spelling

Trump downplays national security adviser's coronavirus diagnosis. "I haven't seen him lately," the president said

 

But he's spoken with putin and erdogan more recently? 

 

Time for a mike flynn re-do?