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Robert O’Brien, key Trump adviser, tests positive for Covid-19

President Donald Trump’s national security adviser, Robert O’Brien, has tested positive for coronavirus, the White House has confirmed.

Mr O’Brien, 54, has been self-isolating and working from home.

The aide has mild symptoms and there was no risk of exposure to Mr Trump or Vice-President Mike Pence, a statement said.

Mr O’Brien is the highest-ranking official in Mr Trump’s administration known to have tested positive.

It is not clear when he and the president last met, but one administration official said it had not been for “several days”. The pair appeared together two weeks ago on a trip to Miami.

The White House statement read: “He has mild symptoms and has been self-isolating and working from a secure location off site. There is no risk of exposure to the president or the vice-president. The work of the National Security Council continues uninterrupted.”

Some staff members told CNN they had only learned of the infection on Monday from the media.

One source told Bloomberg that Mr O’Brien had been out of his office for a week and that the adviser had contracted the virus after a family event.

Anyone near the president is tested regularly for Covid-19.

A number of people in and around the administration have tested positive, including a military member who works as a White House valet, Mr Pence’s press secretary Katie Miller, and a helicopter squadron Marine.

Who is Robert O’Brien?

Trained as a lawyer, he has had a long diplomatic career working for both Republicans and Democrats. He is believed to be the highest-ranking Mormon member of the Trump administration.

He was picked to replace John Bolton as national security adviser last September, after Mr Bolton left amid a rancorous fallout with President Trump.

Mr O’Brien shares similar views to Mr Trump on a number of issues, including criticism of the UN and opposition to the Iran nuclear deal.

Mr O’Brien travelled to Paris this month to discuss foreign policy issues with European counterparts, and gave a speech in Arizona in June comparing Chinese President Xi Jinping with Soviet leader Joseph Stalin.

BBC.COM

Ogyem Solomon

Solomon Ogyem – Media Entrepreneur | Journalist | Brand Ambassador Solomon Ogyem is a dynamic Ghanaian journalist and media entrepreneur currently based in South Africa. With a solid foundation in journalism, Solomon is a graduate of the OTEC School of Journalism and Communication Studies in Ghana and Oxbridge Academy in South Africa. He began his career as a reporter at OTEC 102.9 MHz in Kumasi, where he honed his skills in news reporting, community storytelling, and radio broadcasting. His passion for storytelling and dedication to the media industry led him to establish Press MltiMedia Company in South Africa—a growing platform committed to authentic African narratives and multimedia journalism. Solomon is the founder and owner of Thepressradio.com, a news portal focused on delivering credible, timely, and engaging stories across Ghana and Africa. He also owns Press Global Tickets, a service-driven venture in the travel and logistics space, providing reliable ticketing services. He previously owned two notable websites—Ghanaweb.mobi and ShowbizAfrica.net—both of which contributed to entertainment and socio-political discussions within Ghana’s digital space. With a diverse background in media, digital journalism, and business, Solomon Ogyem is dedicated to telling impactful African stories, empowering youth through media, and building cross-continental media partnerships.

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