Coronavirus concerns may have kept Trump from meeting newly-elected GOP lawmakers in person at White House
House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) set up a visit to the White House for newly-elected Republican lawmakers Friday evening, but they didn't get a chance to meet President Trump in person, Politico reports.
The president did reportedly send his regards to the newcomers, but the fact that he stayed out of the spotlight raised some eyebrows.
Weird @playbookplus note: “LAST NIGHT, MCCARTHY took the newly elected Republicans to the White House...INTERESTING TO NOTE: President DONALD TRUMP did not come down to meet the group. He did send his well wishes.”
— Meridith McGraw (@meridithmcgraw) November 14, 2020
As it turns out, further reporting revealed Trump probably wasn't standing anyone up, but, in a bit of twist, likely stayed away because the group hadn't been tested for COVID-19 prior to their arrival.
UPDATE to Playbook: MCCARTHY himself didn't go to the W.H. w the new freshmen Republicans -- but his team organized, attended. POTUS didn't go down to say hi, and that could be because the group of newly elected GOP lawmakers was not tested for Covid @ WH, per several sources.
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) November 14, 2020
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