MEAWW.COM / NEWS / HUMAN INTEREST

Barron, Ivanka and Jared Kushner test negative for Covid-19, Internet says 'another lie and distraction'

There were fears that Ivanka may have been exposed to the virus along with several other members in the Trump camp

Two of President Donald Trump's children, Ivanka and Barron Trump, have tested negative for Covid-19, the White House has confirmed. Meanwhile, Ivanka's husband Jared Kushner, who serves as a senior adviser to the president with his wife, has also tested negative for the deadly virus, Newsweek reported. "Barron has tested negative and all precautions are being taken to ensure he's kept safe and healthy," First Lady Melania Trump's spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham told Fox News about the president's teenage son.

Following the president and the first lady's diagnosis this morning, there were fears that Ivanka may have been exposed to the virus along with several other members in the Trump camp, especially since they traveled with top aide Hope Hicks before she tested positive for coronavirus on Thursday, October 1. Ivanka, the president's eldest daughter, was one of several people criticized for not wearing a mask while attending the presidential debate of September 29 between Trump and his Democratic challenger Joe Biden in Cleveland, Ohio.

Trump announced that he and his wife Melania were Covid-19 positive and would "begin quarantine and recovery process immediately." "Praying for the swift recovery of my father and Melania and for all those impacted by Covid-19," Ivanka later said in a tweet. "As they fight this together, the President will continue to fight for the people of this great country."

Earlier in the day, Pence's press secretary Devin O'Malley confirmed that the vice president had also tested negative for the virus. "As has been routine for months, Vice President Pence is tested for Covid-19 every day. This morning, Vice President Pence and the Second Lady tested negative for Covid-19. Vice President Pence remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery," he wrote.

Should Trump become too ill, Pence would be the next in line to take over presidential duties. Nonetheless, White House physician Sean Conley said that he would "expect the president to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering." Meanwhile, former Vice President Biden and his wife Jill wished the president and first lady a "swift recovery" from Covid-19. "We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family," Biden tweeted.

Biden supporters online, however, questioned the test results coming out of the White House. "Amy Barrett has tested negative. So have Kushner and Ivanka Trump... Can’t win ‘em all," one tweeted. "So Jared and Ivanka negative. My immediate grandfather's reaction was to thank God, no exposure to their children. Then my wife reminded me they’re never with their children. See why I never get away with anything?" a second added.

"There is literally nobody who works at that WH today who could address the nation and would be believable," author Eric Boehlert wrote. "So we're supposed to believe that Jared and Ivanka tested negative?" a third chimed in. "Considering everyone from Pence to Ivanka and Jared are testing negative, hard to believe this is anything but another lie and distraction," a fourth added.