The roughly 100 campaign supporters who paid up to $250,000 to attend had no idea that the president had recently been exposed to the novel coronavirus and would soon test positive. One day later, New Jersey health officials are trying to locate those who attended in case anyone shook hands or snapped photos with Trump.
He made some jokes, he looked fine, he was happy, he was laughing, he was funny,” said Katherine Hermes, a member of the club who paid $2,600 for a ticket and went with her husband. “I was flabbergasted when I woke up this morning. He looked perfectly healthy.”
There are differing accounts of how much effort the president made to keep his distance from guests. ABC News spoke with more than half a dozen people who attended the event. Most said the president kept people at bay. White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters the president “socially distanced, it was an outdoor event and it was deemed safe by a White House operations for him to attend that event.
Prior to the main event, Trump participated in an event with a much smaller group and a looser environment. Dr. Rich Roberts said in a video posted on the website The Lakewood Scoop that he attended the event and was part of the “small group” of roughly 20 donors that participated in a roundtable discussion on Iran, China, debate strategy and other topics. It was held at a rectangular table.
“Here was President Trump, and I was directly across from him, over one seat, and then it went out from there,” Roberts said, adding that the president appeared in “top spirits” and “full of fight and energy.”
“The pandemic is disappearing,” Trump told the members. “It’s going to disappear.”
Campaign officials would not say if the 6-foot distance was maintained for those 40 to 50 guests who later met the president inside the clubhouse for a photo — an honor reserved for couples willing to pay $50,000.
“The Trump campaign, RNC, and Trump Victory are committed to doing all we can to protect the health, safety, and security of the President’s great supporters and all Americans,” it said.
Navy Vet