US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told the press pool traveling with him in Dubrovnik that he and his wife tested negative for coronavirus on Friday morning.
He said he has not been with President Trump since the signing of the Abraham Accords at the White House on Sept. 15, adding he’s been traveling for the majority of the past 17 days.
“We are praying for the President and first lady that they’ll have a speedy recovery,” Pompeo, who was wearing an American flag mask, told reporters.
Asked if he was still planning on traveling this weekend, Pompeo said “we’re going to evaluate” whether it is appropriate to travel to Florida on Saturday and then to Asia on Sunday. He said “we’ll spend the next few hours” consulting with medical experts on the issue, adding that his doctor in Washington and the State Department medical team had already told him it would be “perfectly fine” for him to make the trips.
“You know, we take a lot of precautions,” Pompeo said when asked if he would be taking extra protective measures in light of the news. He said there would be extra contact tracing in place for people who had been to the White House.
Asked if he would get any additional briefings since he is fourth in the presidential line of succession, he replied, “I don’t think so,” adding that he already has had access to “just about everything” in his role.
Pompeo said no one he is traveling with is currently experiencing coronavirus symptoms and that the medical team has cleared the group to make their planned stop in Croatia.
He said he would provide a further update to pool reporters on board the plane once he completes his planned stop in Croatia.
