White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield Tests Positive For Covid

Ted Johnson
·1 min read
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White House Communications Director Kate Bedingfield said on Friday that she had tested positive for Covid.

Bedingfield is the latest administration official to test positive, just as many officials are planning to attend this weekend’s White House Corrrespondents’ Association dinner. Bedingfield was planning to attend the dinner as a guest of ABC News.

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“This morning, I tested positive for COVID-19. I last saw the President Wednesday in a socially-distanced meeting while wearing an N-95 mask, and he is not considered a close contact as defined by the CDC,” Bedingfield wrote on Twitter.

Bedingfield served on Biden’s presidential campaign and in his office when he was vice president. She also was at one time the spokesperson for the MPAA. Bedingfield subbed in for White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki in the daily briefing after Psaki tested positive for Covid last month.

Vice President Kamala Harris tested positive earlier this week, raising questions from the White House press corps of the protocols surrounding Biden, given his schedule of public events and his own plans to attend the dinner.

Psaki told reporters that it was possible that Biden could test positive, given the contagious nature of the latest variant. She said that “just like many Americans, he makes risk assessments.”

The WHCA dinner is requiring attendees to provide proof of vaccination and a same-day negative test, as are many of the events before and after the Washington Hilton gala. Biden is expected to be present for his remarks but not the full event.

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