Years of the White House obscuring health information add instability at a tricky moment

Related Link How Many Presidents Have Lied About Their Medical History? By Rick Shenkman

The White House didn’t confirm that President Trump’s personal valet tested positive for the novel coronavirus until the media broke the story in May. It didn’t confirm that Vice President Pence’s press secretary contracted the virus until the media reported it a few days later. It didn’t confirm that Trump’s national security adviser had it until the press reported it, and it was only after Bloomberg News — which first reported several of these cases — revealed that counselor Hope Hicks had tested positive that the White House acknowledged it.

It appears that the first time the White House was the first to confirm a positive coronavirus test in the administration was Trump’s tweet about his own positive test early Friday morning.

The diagnosis immediately destabilized a broad range of institutions and efforts. Stock futures dropped by hundreds of points. Questions immediately arose about possible succession plans or preparations. Trump's ongoing reelection campaign lost its candidate for some to-be-determined period — and lost any hope of redirecting the race away from the ongoing pandemic.