According to Bloomberg, White House officials held a discussion before the diagnosis was confirmed, devising plans on how to handle governing and campaigning if the President tested positive. The few people who knew Hicks had tested positive tried to keep the information private, Bloomberg reported.

Sam Vinograd, CNN national security analyst, said the situation is “a Code Red moment for the U.S. government.”

“Knowing that the President is sick and that the pandemic is affecting personnel in the White House, this may be the most dangerous moment the U.S. government has ever faced,” she said. “The president is suffering from a deadly virus. This feels like something we should be watching on an episode of ‘Homeland.’ ”

I discussed this Code Red moment with @donlemon as the news broke about the President's positive #covid19 diagnosis. pic.twitter.com/qIByprDxgS

— Sam Vinograd (@sam_vinograd) October 2, 2020

Kaitlan Collins

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