Donald Trump was potentially exposed to coronavirus on Air Force One today, by Matt Gaetz of all people
Last week Republican Congressman Matt Gaetz wore a giant gas mask on the House floor. Today Gaetz learned that he was exposed to coronavirus a week and half ago at the CPAC conference. Notably, Gaetz was informed of this while he was on Air Force One with Donald Trump. You can see the problem here.
Gaetz is now quarantining himself as precaution, while displaying no symptoms, according to the New York Times. But before getting the news and presumably distancing himself from everyone on Air Force One, he spent the first hour of the plane ride not knowing he’d been exposed. Moreover, Gaetz just spent the weekend hanging out with Donald Trump, meaning Trump has faced some serious potential exposure to coronavirus. Trump also spent time this past week with Republican Congressman Doug Collins, who is also now quarantining himself.
This means Donald Trump has come into direct contact with at least three people – Gaetz, Collins, and Matt Schlapp – who think they were exposed to coronavirus. For his own safety and for the safety of others, Trump should be quarantining himself right now. Given his age and visibly poor health, he’s far more at risk of serious side effects than these younger guys would be.
As we said last night when Ted Cruz quarantined himself, we’re not rooting for anyone to come down with coronavirus. The proper punishment for being a horrible politician is to lose an election, not to catch a deadly virus. Some of these Republicans have kids, and we certainly hope this doesn’t spread to them. But now that some of Donald Trump’s closest allies have been exposed to coronavirus, and that Trump himself has potentially been exposed, maybe Trump will finally make a serious effort to get infected Americans the help they need.
