# Trump and Melania test positive for COVID-19 **URL:** \ **Category:** Politics & Elections\ **Created:** [October 2, 2020, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010 "2020-10-02T05:07:56Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 13
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/243 "2020-10-02T16:07:41Z")
If he dies, they should write: **"Accidental Suicide: Covid-19 related"** On his death certificate. All that power and…he couldn’t save himself. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/244 "2020-10-02T16:09:14Z")
The lengths to which some people will go to distract people from looking at their taxes… ---
**Author:** ![Lobohan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobohan/32/79_2.png) [@Lobohan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobohan)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/245 "2020-10-02T16:11:34Z")
Trump is personally responsible for perhaps a hundred thousand deaths because of his downplaying of Covid, ignoring PPE, ignoring contact tracing, and fighting and denigrating mask wearing at every opportunity. If he dies on a gurgling on a ventilator it will be far less than he deserves. But thoughts and prayers. ---
**Author:** ![Fiveyearlurker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/da6949/32.png) [@Fiveyearlurker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fiveyearlurker)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/246 "2020-10-02T16:12:03Z")
Hopefully Trump gets the best medical care that his $750 can buy. ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/247 "2020-10-02T16:12:18Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > How many people did he infect or get near to the last week or so? And didn’t bother to tell; they had to find out via the media like everyone else? ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/248 "2020-10-02T16:12:53Z")
Well, dammit, @Fiveyearlurker, I have to take back what I thought Menoly said. He’s talking again now and said they’re still awaiting results. Profound apologies for spreading misinformation. ETA again: Menoly just announced Biden tested negative. ---
**Author:** ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/249 "2020-10-02T16:14:51Z")
If this is a conspiracy, nothing you list above would be out of bounds. 1. fake Hick’s illness (or frankly infect her during one of the daily tests) as she is young, photogenic and not hated like most of the white house 2. Trump’s track record shows he cares not a whit about anyone else, their livelihood or health. Plus the donors have already donated so he’s already tapped those wells. 3. Does the trump campaign care about being tone deaf? Countless examples abound 4. Medical condition to save face for losing, and hoping that his “condition” lets him watch TV at home for the rest of his pitiful life 5. He helped define reality TV. If this is true, I bet he wrote the script for this himself. He’s the president and has cohorts that could pull this off at least for a few weeks. Easy enough to keep trump in “isolation for treatment” with some medical staff and a lab in on it. Now I’m not trying to get into conspiracy territory, but I don’t believe a single unverifiable thing out of this administration. So unless we see a serious decline in health or he dies, I’m calling it a hail mary play. ---
**Author:** ![Lightnin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lightnin/32/180_2.png) [@Lightnin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lightnin)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/250 "2020-10-02T16:17:22Z")
So Trump has COVID-19? Huh. I never knew I could feel so sorry for a virus. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/251 "2020-10-02T16:17:45Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > Medical condition to save face for losing, and hoping that his “condition” lets him watch TV at home for the rest of his pitiful life Would not in any way ameliorate the seriousness and/or consequences of his legal exposure – which I happen to believe is the entire basis for his desperation to “win” this contest at all costs. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/252 "2020-10-02T16:18:22Z")
Joe and Jill have tested negative: > ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/253 "2020-10-02T16:21:32Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Apparently, the 100+ donors who visited with Dotard yesterday found out by news reports as well: > **[GOP donors 'freaking out' after coming close to Trump at fundraiser hours...](https://www.cnbc.com/2020/10/02/gop-donors-panic-after-coming-close-to-trump-at-fundraiser-hours-before-positive-covid-19-test.html)** > > GOP donors are panicking about what to do next after coming close to President Trump at a fundraiser in Bedminster, New Jersey. > Trump’s campaign, as of Friday morning, has not sent out any official guidance to many of the donors involved with the event. After publication of this article, donors who attended the gathering were sent an email with an 11:18 a.m. ET time stamp. The email reminds them that no one was permitted within six feet of the president and advises them to contact their doctor if they start feeling coronavirus symptoms. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/254 "2020-10-02T16:21:40Z")
> [@China\_Guy](#): > > If this is a conspiracy, nothing you list above would be out of bounds. The conspiracy theory is 100% absurd. Trump doesn’t play the long game, and by “the long game,” I mean “strategizing the end of the sentence he’s speaking before he’s halfway through the sentence.” He also doesn’t ever admit to weakness in any way, shape, or form. And the White House leaks like a fucking sieve. To suggest that Trump is pretending weakness in order to play a long game, and that the White House is working like an Apple engineering team in terms of keeping its secrets, is to blatantly ignore everything we know about Trump and about his administration. So, sure: we can posit that he’s had a total change of character, and that somehow the White House has become competent at keeping secrets. Or we can posit that, y’know, _assholes who don’t wear masks get each other sick_. Occam’s Razor is a mighty fine razor. ---
**Author:** ![Mike\_Mabes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mike_mabes/32/1782_2.png) [@Mike\_Mabes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mike_Mabes)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/255 "2020-10-02T16:22:42Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > Joe and Jill have tested negative: OMG! For a second I misread that > **[Lupus? Is it lupus?!? #costanzagrams | By Costanzagrams | Facebook](https://www.facebook.com/costanzagrams/videos/527524857872349)** > > Lupus? Is it lupus?!? #costanzagrams ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/256 "2020-10-02T16:24:00Z")
From Joe: > ---
**Author:** ![jsc1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/5daacb/32.png) [@jsc1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jsc1953)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/257 "2020-10-02T16:25:50Z")
I just read an answer to that in my local newspaper: in the event that a candidate becomes incapacitated between the convention and Election Day, Republican party rules allow the RNC to pick a new slate. ---
**Author:** ![SuntanLotion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/suntanlotion/32/16165_2.png) [@SuntanLotion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuntanLotion)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/258 "2020-10-02T16:30:04Z")
If Trump died, would Pence win, or would it be less likely? ---
**Author:** ![Temporary\_Name](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8c91f0/32.png) [@Temporary\_Name](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Temporary_Name)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/259 "2020-10-02T16:30:33Z")
> [@wolfpup](#): > > > [@ThelmaLou](#): > > > > Biden has to take the high road, but NOT suspend campaigning. > > Absolutely. Biden needs to respectfully send “thoughts and prayers”, and carry on. > > This is not about “what if the tables were turned?”. Sure, we know the answer. If it was Biden who had COVID, the orange peril would be hopping around gleefully, and while forced by protocol to express some superficial sympathy, would use all possible dog-whistle techniques to imply that “Sleepy Joe” was so weak and sickly that he might not even survive into November. Because that’s just the kind of guy that Trump is, and always has been. > > But that’s not what this is about. Biden has to carry on for the same reason that he went into this campaign in the first place: because the country desperately needs him. Because the country needs to be saved from the lawless criminal gang that is corrupting its very core. This election is not about differences in ideology, it’s about an existential threat to America. I agree to a very large degree, but Joe should not look like he is taking unfair advantage of an opponent’s misfortune. Suspending his campaign is not the answer, but some gesture to support the people (nothing to support Trump’s campaign!) I believe in Joe Biden enough to believe he genuinely wishes the Trump family a full recovery, he has suffered enough loss and heartbreak himself to be sincerely compassionate. Perhaps Biden should contribute money to Corona Virus charity? Do you think about $750 would be about the correct amount? (Good thing I am not a campaign aide for Biden, huh?) ---
**Author:** ![asahi](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asahi/32/8693_2.png) [@asahi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asahi)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/260 "2020-10-02T16:31:23Z")
^ This a million. Trump probably hates presidentin’ but he hates his legal exposure even more. He has one of two options: remain president for life or figure out a way to shuttle his ass out of the country and live in a place where he can’t be extradited - while figuring out a way to keep himself financially solvent of course. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/261 "2020-10-02T16:32:35Z")
All this talk of Trump faking the diagnosis makes me wish for an emoji showing my eyes rolling so hard they leave my face, bounce on the pool table, twist around the eight-ball, and enter the side-pockets simultaneously. No matter how hard you spin, you cannot make this good news for Trump. It is literally the last thing he wanted to hear. \*Every sane person in America has just been given information to shut down the anti-mask, go to bars, vacations are on, shove kids into schools crowd. \*Cable news will talk of nothing else until he is cleared to leave the White House, obliterating all of Trump’s fear and danger messaging. \*At least some of the people he deliberately put into danger by not warning them will rise up against him. \*His travel to his beloved shoutfests will be cancelled for at least two weeks, half the time to the election and well into early voting. Early voting for a sick president! That will sway the undecided, I’m sure. For that matter, I doubt he’ll be allowed to do his surprise mid-day pressers to spew whatever lies are in his head at that moment. Catching COVID is a positive, pardon the pun, disaster for Trump. He has no up side in this, unless you consider the possibility of some crazed supporters going on the attack physically a good for the right. Like that’s going to win over the suburban women he claims are on his side. Forget the spin, the theories, the hypotheticals. What we know must happen alone is sufficient. Books will be written about this October Surprise. All of them will have a chapter on whether Trump would have won if not for COVID. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr.winston_oboogie/32/2945_2.png) [@Dr.Winston\_OBoogie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Winston_OBoogie)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2020, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010/262 "2020-10-02T16:33:24Z")
> [@JohnT](#): > > From Joe: > > I’m happy to report that Jill and I have tested negative for COVID. Thank you to everyone for your messages of concern. I hope this serves as a reminder: wear a mask, keep social distance, and wash your hands. What a refreshing comment from a candidate. Almost sounds… presidential! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010.md?page=12) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/trump-and-melania-test-positive-for-covid-19/922010.md?page=14)