Donald Trump’s decision to attend a fundraiser in Bedminster, New Jersey, after he knew that one of his top aides tested positive for COVID-19 was “reckless” and threatens to halt fundraisers and his vaunted rallies during the final month of the election, a prominent financial backer of the president said.
Dan Eberhart, chief executive officer of Canary Drilling Services LLC, said that Trump’s campaign should have sent a surrogate once the president was aware that his aide Hope Hicks had tested positive for the coronavirus.
Eberhart, who donated $100,000 to Trump’s reelection effort in June, didn’t attend the event Thursday at Trump’s Bedminster golf club.
Trump’s campaign wrote to attendees Friday to notify them “that, as you have probably seen, President Trump confirmed late last night that he and the First Lady were tested for Covid-19 and produced positive test results.”
The email, obtained by Bloomberg News, says no attendees were allowed within six feet of Trump and urged those who were present to seek medical attention if they or their families exhibit symptoms of the disease.
Brandon Dawson, founder and CEO of hearing care company Audigy Group, who attended the event with with his wife, Natalie Workman, posted a photo on Instagram showing them sitting directly across from Trump’s seat. Neither is wearing a mask.
“It was deemed safe for the president to go, he socially distanced, it was an outdoor event, it was deemed safe by White House operations for him to attend,” Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters Friday.
The Trump campaign is switching all in-person events to virtual events “temporarily,” said Bill Stepien, Trump’s campaign manager.
The campaign didn’t respond to a request for comment about Republican criticisms about the fundraiser.
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