U.S. News

Two Trump campaign staffers test positive for COVID-19 after Tulsa rally

By Daniel Uria   |   Updated June 22, 2020 at 7:02 PM
President Donald Trump speaks at a campaign rally at the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa, Okla., on June 20, 2020. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI A crowd gathers inside the BOK Center for Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI Vice President Mike Pence speaks at a campaign rally for President Donald Trump. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI Eric Trump and Laura Trump address the crowd at Trump's Tulsa rally. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI A view from the crowd inside the BOK Center as Trump held his first campaign rally since March. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI Supporters hold "Make America Great Again" signs during Trump's Tulsa, Okla., rally. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI A vendor selling Trump apparel assists a rally attendee outside the BOK Center. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI Attendees gather outside the BOK Center in Tulsa, Okla., for Trump's first campaign rally since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI The Oklahoma Supreme Court declined Saturday to enforce mandatory 6-foot social distancing and facial coverings at the rally. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI Organizers expect the BOK Center to be filled to capacity -- 19,000. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI A couple from Washington, D.C., wait outside the BOK Center. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI The Tulsa, Okla., rally is Trump's first since March 2 in Charlotte, N.C. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI President Trump originally planned the rally for June 19, but rescheduled it so it didn't coincide with Juneteenth. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI The Tulsa County health director called for the rally to be rescheduled because of a recent increase in coronavirus cases. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI Campaign rally attendees gather in the Bank of Oklahoma Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma on Saturday, June 20, 2020. President Donald Trump's campaign rally in Tulsa comes as coronavirus cases are on the rise in many states across the country. Photo by Kyle Rivas/UPI

June 22 (UPI) -- Two staffers who attended President Donald Trump's rally in Oklahoma on Saturday tested positive for COVID-19, Trump's campaign said Monday.

Tim Murtaugh, the communications director for Trump's campaign, confirmed that two members of a campaign advance team who attended the rally at the Bank of Oklahoma Center tested positive for the coronavirus.

Advertising
Advertising

Previously, the campaign had announced that six other members tested positive for the virus ahead of the event and did not attend the rally as a result.

"After another round of testing for campaign staff in Tulsa, two additional members of the advance team tested positive for the coronavirus," said Murtaugh. "These staff members attended the rally but were wearing masks during the entire event. Upon the positive tests, the campaign immediately established quarantine and contact-tracing protocols."

Murtaugh said that campaign staffers are tested before events and the two who most recently tested positive were tested after the rally as a precaution before flying home.

The rally in Tulsa was Trump's first campaign event since March before widespread efforts to prevent the spread of COVID-19 resulted in the canceling of large gatherings and other events.

During the rally, Trump referred to the coronavirus as the "Kung Flu," blaming China for its arrival in the United States. He said he told officials in his administration to "slow the testing down" as an increase in testing would lead to an increase in coronavirus cases.

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said during a press conference Monday that Trump was joking when he made the comments about slowing the rate of testing.

On Monday, the White House also scaled back temperature checks for visitors, as Washington, D.C., entered its second phase in its plan to reopen following restrictions to prevent the spread of the virus.

The United States has reported 2,305,950 cases of COVID-19 and 120,340 deaths related to the virus, more than any other nation, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.