BREAKING NEWS: Donald Trump's lawyer Jenna Ellis tests positive for COVID as Rudy Giuliani is treated in hospital - after she went maskless to a White House party for senior staff
Jenna Ellis, one of Donald Trump's campaign lawyers, is the latest on the president's team to test positive for coronavirus, a report revealed Tuesday, as his top lawyer Rudy Giuliani continues to receive treatment at the hospital after contracting the disease.
Ellis, 36, has begun informing associates she tested positive, three senior White House officials told Axios, after she attended an East Wing event Friday as a guest of Trump's trade aide Peter Navarro.
Sources who attended the indoor Christmas party at the White House said she was not wearing a mask. It is unclear whether Ellis posed a risk to other attendees.
'She had the nerve to show up at the senior staff Christmas party knowing everyone was furious with her for constantly stirring Trump up with nonsense,' a senior administration official said.
Donald Trump's lawyer Jenna Ellis tested positive for coroanvirus, a Tuesday report revealed, after she went maskless to an indoor White House Christmas Party on Friday
Ellis attended the event as a guest of White House trade and economic adviser Peter Navarro
News of the positive test comes after Trump's top lawyer Rudy Giuliani was hospitalized for treatment following his own COVID-19 diagnosis. He will appear virtually at another election hearing in Georgia on Thursday
'People brought their families,' another senior White House official who attended the event and has since been informed of Ellis' diagnosis lamented.
There are concerns this party could be another White House superspreader event like the one in September announcing Amy Coney Barrett as a Supreme Court nominee, which sparked a dozen cases of coronavirus – including to the president, first lady Melania Trump and their son Barron.
Ellis works directly with Giuliani as they push legal claims of election fraud and irregularities. The two have been in close contact the past month.
Giuliani, 76, tested positive for coronavirus, the president announced via Twitter on Sunday, and was hospitalized for treatment the same day.
The president's lawyer, as he continues to recover from COVID-19, will attend his next hearing virtually as he argues the president's case against the election results.
A source told Reuters on Tuesday that Giuliani will not be in-person at the hearing before Georgia lawmakers on Thursday to discuss election issues.
Since being admitted to the hospital, according to the sources familiar with the plans, Giuliani has participated in several conference calls discussing the president's legal strategy.
Giuliani 'is still fully engaged' in the process, the source said.
Last week, Giuliani attended a hearing in Georgia in-person to urge the state's lawmakers to intervene in the election and overturn Biden's popular vote victory there
Trump said Monday that the former New York City mayor is 'doing very well' despite the hospitalization.
'No temperature. And he actually called me early this morning. He was the first call I got. He's doing very well. He's another champion,' Trump reporters ahead of awarding the Medal of Freedom to former Olympic wrestler Dan Gable in the Oval Office on Monday.
'Greatest mayor in the history of New York and what he's doing now is more important,' the president continued.
On Tuesday, Giuliani tweeted a clip of Trump's comments about his condition, adding: 'I am doing very well. Full steam ahead!'
Ahead of his positive diagnosis, Giuliani spent last week traveling to Arizona, Michigan and Georgia where he attended hearings and events pushing his claims of voter fraud.
He and his team also heard from witnesses in the state involved in the ballot collection and tabulation process.
On Sunday night the Arizona legislature announced it is closing for two weeks following Giuliani's visit. Michigan is also bracing for possible news of infections after Giuliani's hours-long testimony at an indoor hearing.
Giuliani and Ellis, ahead of their diagnoses, visited Georgia, Arizona and Michigan to argue for overturning the election. Here they are pictured with the Arizona Legislature
The president's legal team said Sunday evening that Giuliani had tested negative just before his trip to Arizona, Michigan and Georgia.
Ellis and Giuliani are leading the president's legal charges both federally and at state levels challenging the results of the presidential election.
They are pushing Trump's claims that there is widespread voter fraud that must be investigated before it can be decided who won.
Biden holds 306 Electoral College votes to Trump's 232. Electors are expected to cast their votes along these lines when Congress moves to certify the election results on January 6.