Trump says he has no coronavirus symptoms, sees no need to be tested

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said he has not been tested for the coronavirus, saying he has no symptoms of the disease and was examined by the White House physician.

“I don’t think it’s a big deal. I would do it. I don’t feel that any reason… I feel extremely good. I feel very good,” Trump told reporters at the U.S. Capitol, following a meeting with Senate Republicans on the coronavirus response.

White House spokeswoman Stephanie Grisham said in a statement on Monday that Trump had not been tested because he had no symptoms and had not had “prolonged close contact” with any confirmed coronavirus patients.

Among people traveling with Trump on Air Force One on Monday was Republican Representative Matt Gaetz, who announced hours later that he would self-quarantine because he had come in contact at a political conference with an attendee who later tested positive for the coronavirus.

Republican Representative Mark Meadows, Trump’s incoming chief of staff who also attended the conference, will self-quarantine until Wednesday, a spokesman said on Monday.

A total of 761 confirmed cases of the coronavirus that can lead to pneumonia and other complications were confirmed nationwide as of Tuesday morning, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. There have been at least 28 U.S. coronavirus-related deaths.

(Reporting by Alexandra Alper and Richard Cowan; writing by Susan Heavey; Editing by Franklin Paul and Rosalba O’Brien)