United States: positive for Covid-19, did Trump hide it before a debate with Biden?

Former US President Donald Trump during his first televised 2020 campaign debate with Joe Biden on September 29, 2020 © AP - Julio Cortez

Text by: RFI Follow

2 min

The former president was positive for the coronavirus a few days before his first debate of the 2020 presidential campaign against Joe Biden.

It is his former chief of staff who asserts it in a forthcoming book.

What the real estate mogul disputes. 

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With our correspondent in Washington,

Guillaume Naudin

“ 

I don't think about the former president.

 This is what Joe Biden responds when asked if he thinks Donald Trump has put him in danger by participating in this debate despite a positive test.

It is Mark Meadows, fourth and last chief of staff to the 45th president who writes it in a book of which the British daily

The Guardian

obtained a copy before its release in a week.  

Mark Meadows explains that Donald Trump did a second test, antigenic, so my sensitive one, which turned out to be negative.

After the first test, on September 26, he still participated in an event for the appointment of Justice Amy Comey Barrett to the Supreme Court, where 12 participants were infected, and in a public meeting in Pennsylvania.

► 

To read also: Steve Bannon, close to Trump, presented himself to the police after his indictment

"Fake news"

On the plane, he chatted without a mask with journalists, one of whom had contracted the disease.

It wasn't until later, on October 2, that his positivity was revealed and he was hospitalized.

In a press release, Donald Trump speaks of " 

fake news

 " and questions the assertions of his chief of staff.

It should be added that the day before these revelations, Mark Meadows agreed to cooperate with the parliamentary commission on the assault on the Capitol on January 6.

What the other close to the former president refused to do. 

► 

To read also: Attack on the Capitol: setback for Donald Trump in the battle for the opening of the archives

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  • United States

  • Donald trump

  • Joe biden

  • Coronavirus