Trump’s national security adviser returns to White House after COVID-19 recovery

National security adviser Robert O’Brien returned to work at the White House on Tuesday after recovering from a mild case of COVID-19, an administration official confirmed.

“The National Security Advisor has already met with the President, who warmly welcomed him back to the West Wing,” National Security Council spokesman John Ullyot said in a statement.

“He has been cleared by doctors after two negative tests for the virus, and has been asymptomatic for over a week,” Ullyot added. “His return to duties at the White House is consistent with CDC guidelines and White House Medical Unit advice.”

The White House last week confirmed that O’Brien had tested positive for COVID-19 and had been working remotely. O’Brien is the highest-ranking White House official to date to test positive for the virus, which has infected roughly 4.7 million Americans and killed more than 150,000 people in the U.S.

An official said at the time that there was no risk of exposure to either President Trump or Vice President Pence. Trump told reporters he had not spoken to O’Brien in the days before his diagnosis was revealed. 

It was not clear where O’Brien had contracted the virus, but officials said he was experiencing mild symptoms.

White House economic adviser Larry Kudlow told reporters last week that he believed O’Brien’s daughter was sick prior to him contracting the disease.