Trump was COVID-positive before debate, ex-aide says in book

Donald Trump tested positive for COVID-19 three days before his first presidential debate in September 2020 with Joe Biden and days earlier than that diagnosis was previously disclosed, according to a new book by Trump's former chief of staff.

In “The Chief's Chief,” obtained by The Guardian before its Dec. 7 release, Mark Meadows writes that the then-president received a negative test shortly after the positive test and resumed his usual activities, including attending the debate against his Democratic challenger. Trump on Wednesday denied Meadows' claim.

The revelation, if confirmed, would further show that the Trump White House did not take the virus seriously even as it spread among White House and campaign staff and eventually sent Trump to the hospital, where he required supplemental oxygen and experimental treatments.

The former president said that Meadows' story “of me having COVID prior to, or during, the first debate is Fake News. In fact, a test revealed that I did not have COVID prior to the debate.” Meadows later retweeted the statement.

The book's publisher, All Seasons Press, did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The White House began a testing regimen for Trump's senior aides and those who would be in contact with him after earlier positive cases. But aides repeatedly refused to disclose when Trump was tested the week of the debate, leading to speculation that he may have had COVID-19 while on stage with Biden.

Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox News had said previously that he believed Trump may have had COVID-19 at the time of the debate because of the virus' incubation period. It typically takes several days between the time a person is exposed to the virus to when there is enough viral load to be detected.

Trump was 74 and Biden was 78...