Shortly after Hope Hicks was diagnosed with COVID-19, Donald Trump suggested to Fox News’ Sean Hannity that members of the military or law enforcement could be responsible for giving Hope Hicks the coronavirus.
“It’s very hard when you’re with soldiers when you’re with airmen when you’re with the Marines, and the police officers,” Trump said. “When they come over to you, it’s very hard to say, ‘Stay back. Stay back.’ You know, it’s a tough kind of a situation.”
Just hours before Trump and Melania tested positive for the coronavirus, he again suggested that interactions with the military and police were to blame for a member of his staff falling ill.
“She wears masks a lot, but she tested positive,” Trump said of Hicks.
“It’s very hard when you’re with soldiers when you’re with airmen when you’re with the Marines and the police officers. I’m with them so much,” Trump said.
“When they come over to you, it’s very hard to say, ‘Stay back. Stay back.’ You know, it’s a tough kind of situation. It’s a terrible thing.”
Trump continued, “You know Hope very well. She’s fantastic, and she’s done a great job. But, it is very, very hard when you are with people from the military or from law enforcement and they come over to you,” Trump said.
“They want to hug you, and they want to kiss you because we really have done a good job for them.”
Trump said, “You get close, and things happen. I was surprised to hear with Hope, but she’s a very warm person with them,” he said. “She knows there’s a risk, but she is young.”
Hicks does come in contact with military members who fly Air Force One and Trump has contact with ceremonial guards, and top officials when he visits their bases, however, it is extremely unlikely that a service member in uniform would breach protocol and try and hug or kiss Trump.
Mitch McConnell has another opinion as to how the virus spread occurred in the White House, as he took a subtle shot at his Donald Trump late Tuesday on Fox News. 
McConnell speaking with network host Martha MacCallum. Who needled him on White House protocol during the present pandemic.
The GOP head from Kentucky, ever the politician and not giving a direct answer, was careful in his reply. But still he couldn’t bluff his way through this one.
McConnell: I do think there have been risky behaviors in other areas but not in the senate
— Acyn Torabi (@Acyn) October 6, 2020
Martha: So you’re saying you think the White House has taken too many risks?
McConnell: Well there’s no question that some of the infections happened elsewhere and not here pic.twitter.com/DkR2aMKnJL
He argued, “I do think there have been risky behaviors, but not in the Senate. And this nomination is now in the Senate. We know how to handle this. We’ve been dealing with this since May, and we’ll handle it successfully.”
When asked, “So you’re saying you think the White House has taken too many risks?” McConnell added, “Well, there’s no question that some of the infections occurred elsewhere and not here,” he replied—and apparent reference to the likely Rose Garden superspreader event—insisting the Senate would “follow the CDC guidelines and get the job done.” 
McConnell was conspicuously absent from the president’s formal Supreme Court nomination ceremony held in the Rose Garden on Saturday, September 26th.
Several White House staffers have since tested positive for covid-19. Along with a number of members in the president’s inner circle.
Among them First Lady Melania plus Trump assistant Hope Hicks and 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien.
As well as former top aide Kellyanne Conway. And Press Sec. Kayleigh McEnany. also today White House communications strategist Jason Miller. 
In addition, a pair of Republicans on the Senate Judiciary Committee were subsequently diagnosed with covid-19. They included Utah Sen. Mike Lee and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis.
GOP Senators now plan to move forward under any circumstances, with McConnell once again leading the charge. He dismissed any efforts to suspend hearings until after the November election.
