When did Trump first test positive for COVID-19?

 From the comment thread over at MoJo:

When did Trump first test positive?  In all likelihood, sometime between Saturday and Monday last week.   

How can we tell?  Look no further than the contrast between two events in the same venue, the Rose Garden.  

 

Saturday, Sept. 26
Scotus nomination announcement  

https://youtu.be/fBcsZMzmc_U  

-Trump walks in with A.C. Barrett & her family inc. kids  

-Barrett stands beside Trump during his remarks from the podium  

-When Barrett begins to speak, Trump steps in to adjust her microphone  

-Takeaway: no social distancing  

 

Monday, Sept. 27  

WH update on coronavirus testing  

https://youtu.be/gJcu-4X0vSM  

-Trump speaks from main podium where he stands alone  

-Other speakers speak from a second podium at least 20 feet away  

-Trump makes weak joke introducing admiral "hope you don't test positive"  

-Takeaway: visible (and for this White House) extraordinary social distancing  

 

What changed between Saturday and Monday? Almost certainly, it was awareness that Trump had tested positive for Covid-19.  

 

Where did he get the virus?  Josh Marshall makes the case it could have been Ronna McDaniel, who traveled with Trump on Thursday and Friday, Sept. 24-25.  She returned home to Michigan on Saturday and has been there since.  

https://talkingpointsmemo.com/edblog/was-the-president-the-superspreader  

 

Implications:  

1. Trump knew prior to the debate in Cleveland Tuesday he had Covid-19  

2. He intentionally showed up late to avoid getting tested onsite at the debate  

3. He intentionally risked exposing a lot people, especially Joe Biden, who stood about a dozen feet away on the same indoors stage for more than an hour and a half  

4. He is probably now at about day 7 or 8 since his diagnosis (adjust treatment expectations accordingly)  

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