© 2026 WGCU News
PBS and NPR for Southwest Florida
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Barron Trump Tested Positive For Coronavirus, But Now Negative

First lady Melania Trump, pictured wearing a face mask at the presidential debate on Sept. 29, said she and the Trumps' son Barron, no longer test positive for the coronavirus.
Julio Cortez
/
AP
First lady Melania Trump, pictured wearing a face mask at the presidential debate on Sept. 29, said she and the Trumps' son Barron, no longer test positive for the coronavirus.

Barron Trump, the 14-year-old son of President Trump and Melania Trump, tested positive for COVID-19, after initially testing negative.

The First Lady made the announcement on Wednesday in a post called, "My personal experience with COVID-19," on the White House website, adding it was one of her greatest fears as a parent.

A wave of relief washed over her when the boy first appeared to be untouched by the virus after she and the president were diagnosed with the highly contagious coronavirus.

But that relief was short lived.

"I couldn't help but think 'what about tomorrow or the next day?' " she wrote.

"My fear came true when he was tested again and it came up positive. Luckily he is a strong teenager and exhibited no symptoms. In one way I was glad the three of us went through this at the same time so we could take care of one another and spend time together. He has since tested negative."

She experienced "a roller coaster of symptoms" like aches, a cough and fatigue while recuperating at the White House. According to her own account, the first lady did not receive the same level of experimental drug therapies as the president, saying she took "a more natural route in terms of medicine, opting more for vitamins and healthy food" to help her recover.

Meanwhile, the president, who is 24 years her senior, suffered symptoms so severe that he was treated with oxygen and flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center where he received care for three days.

The president's doctor, Sean Conley, on Monday announced that Trump had "tested negative, on consecutive days, using the Abbott BinaxNOW antigen card."

Over the course of her illness, Melania Trump said, she spent a lot of time in reflection about her family, the country and "staying true to who you are."

"I want people to know that I understand just how fortunate my family is to have received the kind of care that we did. If you are sick, or if you have a loved one who is sick—I am thinking of you and will be thinking of you every day," she said.

The first lady encouraged the public to "live the healthiest life they can." And while she promoted the benefits of a balanced diet and fresh air, she did not mention the benefits of social distancing or wearing a mask.

"We are in unprecedented times—and with the election fast approaching, it has been easy to get caught up in so much negative energy," she said.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Vanessa Romo is a reporter for NPR's News Desk. She covers breaking news on a wide range of topics, weighing in daily on everything from immigration and the treatment of migrant children, to a war-crimes trial where a witness claimed he was the actual killer, to an alleged sex cult. She has also covered the occasional cat-clinging-to-the-hood-of-a-car story.
Trusted by over 30,000 local subscribers

Local News, Right Sized for Your Morning

Quick briefs when you are busy, deeper explainers when it matters, delivered early morning and curated by WGCU editors.

  • Environment
  • Local politics
  • Health
  • And more

Free and local. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.

More from WGCU
  • Animals in south Florida don’t have to worry much about winter cold – and indeed many migrants from areas farther north find suitable living conditions here. But, a trip to the beach or on a rare blustery day sometimes makes one wonder. How do ducks, herons, egrets, and other birds tolerate wading or swimming in cold weather? Aquatic birds, for example, have bare skinny legs with leg muscles placed among insulating feathers.Blood vessels going to and from the very few muscles in the legs and feet lie right next to one another, and cold blood going back into the body is warmed by warmer blood coming from the body – and is nearly the same temperature as the blood circulating in the well-insulated body.
  • Jim Atterholt is retiring after swerving six years on the Fort Myers Beach Town Council, effective at the end of the year. First elected in March 2019, Atterholt's tenure included navigating the Town through the COVID-19 pandemic and multiple major storm events, including Hurricane Ian.
  • It hides in plain sight in Sarasota, but within the confines of the Marietta Museum of Art and Whimsy, lies a treasure trove of unique and quirky art.