{"id":46638,"date":"2020-10-02T13:01:16","date_gmt":"2020-10-02T13:01:16","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/uncategorized\/2020\/10\/02\/military-leaders-downplay-concerns-after-trump-contracts-coronavirus\/"},"modified":"2026-08-08T11:05:47","modified_gmt":"2026-08-08T11:05:47","slug":"military-leaders-downplay-concerns-after-trump-contracts-coronavirus","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/defensenews\/coronavirus\/2020\/10\/02\/military-leaders-downplay-concerns-after-trump-contracts-coronavirus\/","title":{"rendered":"Military leaders: We\u2019re not freaking out over Trump coronavirus news"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Military officials downplayed worries Friday after <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/10\/02\/president-and-first-lady-begin-quarantine-process-after-top-aide-tests-positive-for-covid-19\/\" target=_blank>President Donald Trump<\/a> announced overnight that he had tested positive for <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/news\/coronavirus\/\" target=_blank>coronavirus <\/a>and will be forced into medical quarantine for an undetermined period of time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a statement, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said they have not made any adjustments to force posture or operations as a result of the president\u2019s diagnosis. Trump tweeted just after midnight on Friday that both he and first lady Melania Trump had tested positive and would begin their \u201crecovery process\u201d immediately.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s been no change to our alert levels,\u201d the statement said. \u201cThe U.S. military stands ready to defend our country and its citizens. There\u2019s no change to the readiness or capability of our armed forces.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere\u2019s been no change to [Defense Department] alert levels,\u201d Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement. \u201cThe U.S. military stands ready to defend our country and interests. There\u2019s no change to the readiness or capability of our armed forces. Our national command and control structure is in no way affected by this announcement.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/marinecorpstimes\/news\/your-marine-corps\/2020\/10\/02\/marine-commandant-attended-gold-star-family-ceremony-at-white-house-just-before-presidents-positive-covid-19-test\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"162\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/5978910.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Marine commandant attended Gold Star Family ceremony at White House just before president\u2019s positive COVID-19 test<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Commandant of the Marine Corps Gen. David Berger last interacted with President Donald Trump on Sunday during the Gold Star Family event on the White House on Sunday.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Defense Secretary Mark Esper, who is currently on an official visit to Morrocco, last saw Trump on Sunday, at a Gold Star families event also attended by Army Gen. Mark Milley, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hoffman said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIn preparation for and as part of his international travel, Secretary Esper tested negative for COVID on Monday and Wednesday of this week,\u201d Hoffman said. \u201cToday he will be tested again as planned for continuation of his travel. He will not be returning to the U.S. early. The chairman was tested this morning and was negative.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Air Force Secretary Barbara Barrett and Chief of Staff Gen. Charles \u201cCQ\u201d Brown, as well as Chief of Space Operations Gen. Jay Raymond also attended the event for Gold Star families, said Air Force spokeswoman Lt. Col. Malinda Singleton on Friday. All have tested negative for coronavirus twice over the past week, including before the event and as recently as Friday, and have exhibited no COVID symptoms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Gold Star Families event also is where Commandant Gen. David Berger last interacted with the president. Berger has tested negative \u201cseveral times\u201d during the past week, Maj. Eric Flanagan, a spokesman for the commandant, told Marine Corps Times in a Friday email.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Retired Army Gen. Joseph Votel, who commanded both U.S. Central Command and U.S. Special Operations Command, told Military Times that no changes in how the military operates in this situation are likely.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cThere is a well established chain of command that goes through the SECDEF,\u201d he wrote in an email. \u201cThe Constitution provides for continuity in the case that the President is incapacitated \u2014 which it appears is not the situation at this point. I can\u2019t imagine anything in particular is going on in this regard (contingency planning) \u2014 our military leadership is very resilient as is our national security decision making process.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Retired Army Maj. Gen. Mike Jones, who served as <a href=\"https:\/\/www.militarytimes.com\/flashpoints\/2020\/03\/13\/us-keeping-two-carriers-in-mideast-moving-patriot-missile-batteries-into-iraq-as-iran-tensions-mount\/\">U.S. Central Command <\/a>chief of staff in 2011 under then-commander James Mattis, told Military Times it is unlikely anything will change at the combatant command level.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cBeyond being ever vigilant that a potential enemy could miscalculate and do something stupid, which is part of every day life, I doubt the COCOMs do anything special,\u201d Jones said. \u201cThe vice president stays well informed on national security issues and is prepared to take over for an incapacitated president. So I doubt much special is going on at CENTCOM. The only issue is when incapacitation is official and when the \u201cfootball\u201d (nuclear codes) go to the VP, but there are procedures for that and CENTCOM isn\u2019t involved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Earlier on Thursday, Trump announced that one of his senior advisers, Hope Hicks, had tested positive for the illness, which has killed more than 200,000 Americans over the last seven months and more than 1 million individuals worldwide.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">In a Fox News appearance Thursday night, Trump suggested that Hicks may have contracted the illness from a member of the military during a recent campaign stop.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cIt\u2019s very, very hard when you are with people from the military or law enforcement, and they come over to you, and they want to hug and want to kiss you because we really have done a good job for them,\u201d he said. \u201cYou get close and things happen.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/10\/02\/president-and-first-lady-begin-quarantine-process-after-top-aide-tests-positive-for-covid-19\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/AP20274109587977.jpg.jpg?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">President Trump and first lady test positive for COVID-19<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">Trump\u2019s positive test comes just hours after the White House announced that senior aide Hope Hicks had come down with the virus after traveling with the president several times this week.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Trump has not held any official rallies or meetings at military bases in recent weeks, but has traveled through Joint Base Andrews, Md., nearly every day this week en route to other events around the country.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One of those was Tuesday\u2019s first presidential debate in Ohio, where the president, members of his family and a number of campaign staff members (including Hicks) were present.<\/p>\n\n\n\t<aside class=\"smg-interstitial-link wp-block-smg-interstitial-link\">\n\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/militarytimes\/news\/your-military\/2020\/09\/29\/fifth-army-reservist-dies-of-covid-19-the-eighth-service-member-overall\/\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__inner\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__media\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"161\" src=\"https:\/\/one.sightlinemg.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/Flag-folding.png.png?w=300\" class=\"smg-interstitial-link__image wp-post-image\" alt=\"\" \/>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"smg-interstitial-link__content\">\n\t\t\t\t<span class=\"smg-interstitial-link__kicker\">Related<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t<h3 class=\"smg-interstitial-link__title\">Fifth Army reservist dies of COVID-19, the eighth service member overall<\/h3>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p class=\"smg-interstitial-link__excerpt\">An Army Reserve noncommissioned officer with 27 years in service became seventh soldier to die of COVID-19 complications.<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/a>\n\t<\/aside>\n\t\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">It is not clear whether any of the group were symptomatic or exhibiting signs of illness at that time. White House pool reporters attending that event said that most members of the president\u2019s entourage refused to wear a mask at the indoor event, while most of the family and staff accompanying former Vice President Joe Biden did.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">During the debate, Trump pushed back on accusations he had not taken enough personal precautions to avoid the fast-spreading virus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cI think masks are okay,\u201d he said. \u201cI put a mask on when I think I need it. Tonight, as an example, everybody\u2019s had a test and you\u2019ve had social distancing and all of the things that you have to. But I wear masks.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Staff for Vice President Mike Pence said Friday morning that he has not tested positive for coronavirus, and \u201cremains in good health.\u201d White House officials did not immediately outline what new responsibilities he may take on while the president is in recovery.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>Reporter Meghann Myers and Military Times managing editor Howard Altman contributed to this story.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><i>This is a developing story. Please stay with Military Times for updates.<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"200\" height=\"113\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/zEuGkXbyERU?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture\" allowfullscreen title=\"A lethal new side of COVID, and a plan to close Parris Island?  - The Briefing, 10.1.20\"><\/iframe>\n\n\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-embed is-type-rich is-provider-twitter wp-block-embed-twitter\"><div class=\"wp-block-embed__wrapper\">\n<blockquote class=\"twitter-tweet\" data-width=\"500\" data-dnt=\"true\"><p lang=\"en\" dir=\"ltr\">Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family.<\/p>&mdash; Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) <a href=\"https:\/\/x.com\/JoeBiden\/status\/1312010736604979201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw\">October 2, 2020<\/a><\/blockquote><script async src=\"https:\/\/platform.x.com\/widgets.js\" charset=\"utf-8\"><\/script>\n<\/div><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pentagon leaders said there has been no change in alert levels in response to the news.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":7,"featured_media":97520,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-noindex":"","_yoast_wpseo_meta-robots-nofollow":"","_yoast_wpseo_canonical":"","_acf":"","_yoast_wpseo_primary_category":9,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","_smg_distribution_targets":[]},"categories":[9,160,11,36,19,48],"tags":[],"coauthors":[3424],"class_list":["post-46638","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-coronavirus","category-daily-news-roundup","category-global","category-newsletters","category-pentagon","category-the-americas"],"acf":{"subheadline":"","legacy_arc_id":"RLDZ33VURJCEHLATQMBPGXUAAI","arc_canonical_url":"\/news\/pentagon-congress\/2020\/10\/02\/military-leaders-downplay-concerns-after-trump-contracts-coronavirus\/","remove_feature_photo":false,"is_sponsored":false,"subtype":"","redirect_url":"","disable_inline_ads":false,"native_logo_pretext":"Presented By:"},"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v26.0 (Yoast SEO v28.1) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Military leaders: We\u2019re not freaking out over Trump coronavirus news - Defense News<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Pentagon leaders said there has been no change in alert levels in response to the news.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"noindex, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Military leaders: We\u2019re not freaking out over Trump coronavirus news\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Pentagon leaders said there has been no change in alert levels in response to the news.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" 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