CONTAGION

Trump’s National Security Adviser Was Treated Like a ‘Human Petri Dish’ During Vietnam Trip: Report

Several Trump aides have tested positive for the virus in the past week, including his son, Donald Trump Jr.

President Trump’s National Security Adviser Robert O’Brien was not given the warmest welcome during his trip to Vietnam last week, Bloomberg News reports. After a spate of COVID-19 infections were reported within the White House in recent weeks, O’Brien was reportedly confined to only one floor of his Hanoi hotel, and administered coronavirus tests by medics in full-body protective gear. While O’Brien did not have the virus—having recovered from a July bout with the disease—he and his delegation were nevertheless treated like a “human petri dish,” according to Bloomberg. The flight crew on O’Brien’s plane was also said to have been prohibited from staying in the country, with the plane and crew sent to Thailand during the national security adviser’s stay. Several Trump aides have tested positive for the virus in the past week, including his son, Donald Trump Jr.

Vietnam has been among the world’s best at handling the pandemic, only recording 1,300 cases overall. By comparison, the U.S. reported 1,198,100 cases in just the past week, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.