White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany

Kayleigh McEnany is the latest member of President Trump’s inner circle to have tested positive for COVID-19. She is one of at least 12 — including Trump and First Lady Melanie Trump — to have tested positive since last Thursday, Oct. 1.

In a statement released this morning, McEnany said, “After testing negative consistently, including every day since Thursday, I tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday morning [Oct. 5] while experiencing no symptoms. No reporters, producers, or members of the press are listed as close contacts by the White House Medical Unit. Moreover, I definitively had no knowledge of Hope Hicks’ diagnosis prior to holding a White House press briefing on Thursday [Oct. 1]. As an essential worker, I have worked diligently to provide needed information to the American People at this time. With my recent positive test, I will begin the quarantine process and will continue working on behalf of the American People remotely.”

The White House “outbreak” began making headlines last week on Oct. 1 when White House aide Hope Hicks — a close advisor to Trump — announced she had tested positive, within hours of having traveled with Trump, although Republican National Committee Chair Ronna McDaniel had tested positive the previous day, Sept. 30.

Also on Thursday, Utah Republican Sen. Mike Lee as well as Donald and Melania Trump all tested positive. On Friday, Oct. 2, North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis, former Trump advisor Kellyanne Conway, Wisconsin Republican Sen. Ron Johnson and Trump campaign manager Bill Stepian all announced they had tested positive. On Saturday, former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie, who had spent time with Trump preparing for the Sept. 29 debate, announced Saturday, Oct. 3, that he had tested positive. Nick Luna, director of Oval Office Operations also tested positive on Saturday.

The Rev. John Jenkins, the president of Notre Dame University who had attended an event the previous week at the White House where Trump announced he was nominating Amy Coney Barrett for the Supreme Court, has also tested positive. That event is likely where the Trumps and others contracted the virus. Three White House reporters who attended the Rose Garden event, who have not been publicly identified, have also tested positive for COVID-19.

— Tammye Nash