Brazilian who met Trump has virus; no plans to test

A senior Brazilian official who attended weekend events with President Donald Trump in Florida has tested positive for the coronavirus, marking the first time that someone known to have the virus was in close proximity to the president. Trump does not plan to be tested or go into selfquarantine, the White House said.

Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro’s communications director, Fbio Wajngarten, tested positive just days after traveling with Bolsonaro to a meeting with Trump and senior aides in Florida. White House press secretary Stephanie Grisham said in a statement Thursday that “exposures from the case are being assessed, which will dictate next steps.”

“Both the President and Vice President had almost no interactions with the individual who tested positive and do not require being tested at this time,” Grisham said.

Wajngarten joined Bolsonaro on a threeday trip to the U.S. and on Saturday was at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, where he posted a photo of himself posing beside Trump. A video from the event also showed him standing directly behind both presidents as they addressed a crowd. Bolsonaro and Wajngarten later attended a birthday party for Kimberly Guilfoyle, who is dating the president’s son Donald Trump Jr.

While Trump was not taking any apparent action in response, two Republican lawmakers announced they will self-quarantine for two weeks after coming in contact with Bolsonaro’s delegation. Republican Sen. Rick Scott of Florida, who met Bolsonaro in Miami, and South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham, who was at Mar-aLago on Saturday, announced Thursday that they will isolate themselves.