The head of the White House security office is gravely ill with COVID-19, according to multiple reports.
Bloomberg reports Crede Bailey contracted the virus before the Sept. 26 event announcing Amy Coney Barrett as President Donald Trump's Supreme Court nominee. USA TODAY said it confirmed with a White House official that Bailey has been hospitalized since September.
Bailey leads the White House security office. He reportedly is in charge of credentialing visitors and works closely with the Secret Service.
Several people at the Supreme Court event have been infected with the coronavirus, although it has not been officially confirmed that they all got it from that event. President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, who have been battling COVID-19 since last week, were both at the White House event.
The president returned to the White House Monday evening after spending three days in a military hospital to receive treatment.
During his first interview since testing positive, Trump told Fox Business that he's ready to hold campaign rallies again and credited an experimental drug treatment with helping his recovery from COVID-19.
Trump did not indicate where or when he might have contracted the virus, saying only, "If you’re anywhere around this thing you can catch it.” But he mentioned the Rose Garden event announcing his new Supreme Court nominee and a meeting with military families. He said family members often want to get up close to him and “kiss” and “hug” him.
“I can’t say 'Back up. Stand 10 feet" away, Trump said.
In a White House video posted Wednesday evening, Trump suggested his diagnosis could be a “blessing in disguise" in the nation's battle against the pandemic.