Last week, Donald Trump hosted more than 100 people in the White House Rose Garden to celebrate his third nominee to the U.S. Supreme Court, Amy Coney Barrett. People around the world watched the televised event as the vast majority of the attendees sat close together, without masks. Afterwards, they mingled, shook hands, laughed, chatted and hugged - all without social distancing. The mostly maskless crowd showed the world that the rules were not designed for them. This begs the question, at what point do Trump’s enablers “just say no?”

Days later, at least eight Rose Garden attendees had tested positive for Covid-19, including President Trump, the First Lady, Kelly Ann Conway, and now three senators.

Days after Donald Trump was diagnosed positive for Covid-19, he was hospitalized. Admitted into Walter Reed Military Medical Center - the facility that cares for so many of the service people Trump refers to as “suckers and losers”. He is there now likely receiving world-class care, even though he pays less in taxes than the vast majority of the taxpayers whose hard-earned money enables Walter Reed to offer the level of care it provides.

While at the medical center, Trump temporarily and unexpectedly - according to media sources - left the hospital. Why? To take a ride along with his motorcade in the streets adjacent to the hospital. Watching cable news in real time, the purpose of his jaunt wasn’t immediately clear. At first, reporters thought he was discharged from the hospital and heading back to the White House.

Clearly, the purpose of the short trip was to get Trump before the cameras he craves. Those moments, in the car with the Covid-19-positive President, with windows rolled up, certainly put the lives of the Secret Service at risk. Again, this bears the question, at what point do his enablers just say no?

The Trump Enabler Virus

According to the New York Times, the US Secret Service was hit with a coronavirus outbreak in August. Their Maryland training center was identified as the place where the outbreak occurred. At least 11 people tested positive for the virus at the center. The report noted that some employees at the facility were thought to have contracted the virus during training exercises and at a graduation party at a nearby hotel where they did not practice social distancing, much like the attendees of the White House Rose Garden celebration of Supreme Court justice nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.

While at that Rose Garden celebration last week, it can be reasonably assumed that several people contracted Covid-19 because since attending the event, at least eight of the attendees have now tested positive.

• Donald Trump, President of the United States

• Melania Trump, First Lady of the United States

• Thom Tillis, Senator (R-NC)

• Mike Lee, Senator (R-UT)

• Kellyanne Conway, Former Presidential Advisor

• Rev. John Jenkins, Notre Dame President

• Chris Christie, Former New Jersey Governor

• An unnamed journalist has also been confirmed as testing positive after being at the event