President Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus a second time and is “healthy and without symptoms,” the White House doctor says.
White House physician Sean Conley wrote in a memo that Trump was tested again Thursday morning for COVID-19 using a new point-of-care test that yielded results in 15 minutes.
“This morning, the President was tested again for COVID-19, utilizing a new, rapid point-of-care test capability. He is healthy and without symptoms. Sample collection took just one minute, and results were reported back in 15 minutes,” Conley wrote. “The President tested negative for COVID-19.”
Speaking in the White House briefing room Thursday evening, Trump said he took the test out of “curiosity” to see how quickly it worked.
“It took me literally a minute to take it,” Trump said.
“I think I took it really out of curiosity to see how fast it worked,” Trump continued. “The second one is much more pleasant.”
Trump previously tested negative for the coronavirus on March 14, after coming in contact with two individuals at his Mar-a-Lago resort who had since tested positive for COVID-19.
The White House physician said at the time that Trump did not need to take a test because his contact with the individuals was limited and the president was showing no symptoms. Trump insisted that he decided to get tested because of questions from the news media.
A number of White House officials have been tested for the virus, including Vice President Pence, first lady Melania Trump and the president’s daughter and senior adviser Ivanka Trump, all of whom tested negative for the virus.
There has only been one confirmed case of the virus among White House staff: An individual working in the vice president’s office tested positive for the virus March 20.
Updated: 6:05 p.m.