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Trump says he took the coronavirus test as a precaution — the results are pending

Key Points
  • Trump said the test was sent to a lab and he doesn't know when he will get the results.
  • The press secretary of Brazil's president, both of whom were recently in Mar-a-Lago with Trump, tested positive for the virus.
  • Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday that he has not yet been tested.
  • "I'm going to speak immediately after this press conference with White House physician's office," Pence said. "Mrs. Pence and I would be more than happy to be tested."
US Vice President Mike Pence (L) speaks as US President Donald J. Trump (R) and other members of the White House Coronavirus Task Force listen during declaration a national emergency due to the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic, in the Rose Garden of the White House, in Washington, DC, United States on March 13, 2020.
Yasin Ozturk | Anadolu Agency | Getty Images

President Donald Trump said Saturday that he has taken a test for the coronavirus and that results are pending. 

"I had my temperature taken coming into the room … I also took the test last night. And I decided I should based on the press conference last night," Trump said during a White House press conference Saturday with Vice President Mike Pence and other officials on the federal government's response to the outbreak.  

Trump said the test was sent to a lab and he doesn't know when he will get the results.

The press secretary of Brazil's president, both of whom were recently in Mar-a-Lago with Trump, tested positive for the virus. Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro said he tested negative for the virus. Trump also shook hands with multiple people at Friday's press conference, which many health experts have warned against doing due to the pandemic. 

White House physician Dr. Sean Conley said after the Mar-a-Lago trip that Trump did not need to be tested or quarantined because "these interactions would be categorized as LOW risk for transmission" and he was not displaying any symptoms.

Vice President Mike Pence said on Saturday that he has not yet been tested.

"I'm going to speak immediately after this press conference with White House physician's office," Pence said. "Mrs. Pence and I would be more than happy to be tested."

Sophie Gregoire Trudeau, wife of Canada Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, tested positive for the virus. The prime minister has shown no symptoms but both are in isolation. 

Several members of Congress, including Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, have gone into self isolation after exposure to people with confirmed cases of the virus. Actor Tom Hanks and Utah Jazz basketball player Rudy Gobert have also tested positive. 

Deputy Press Secretary Judd Deere said in a statement that temperature checks are now being performed on individuals in close contact with the Trump and Pence. This includes members of the media who attended the news conference.

There were at least 2,174 cases and 47 deaths in the United States from the coronavirus as of Saturday morning, according to Johns Hopkins University.