President Donald Trump's expected visit to the Los Angeles area next week in support of his re-election campaign may not happen because of Thursday night's announcement that he and his wife Melania have tested positive for the coronavirus.
At 9:54 p.m. (PDT) Trump tweeted, "Tonight, @FLOTUS and I tested positive for COVID-19. We will begin our quarantine and recovery process immediately. We will get through this TOGETHER!"
Alex Isenstadt, a reporter for the online political news website Politico, had reported that Trump would be in the Los Angeles area for a fundraiser on Tuesday.
There was no immediate response to an email sent to the Trump campaign seeking confirmation.
The Trump Make America Great Again Committee -- a joint fundraising effort between the Trump campaign and Republican National Committee -- circulated a sweepstakes offer this week, urging supporters to make a contribution for a chance to win a trip to a Los Angeles event with Trump.
"I'm hosting a very important event soon, and rather than spend my time with the Hollywood ELITES who HATE US, I want to spend my time with REAL Patriots, like YOU," the campaign email reads.
The sweepstakes -- entries for which were due by 9 p.m., 54 minutes before Trump's tweet about his positive test -- offers a flight to Los Angeles, a hotel room and meal, along with a photo opp with Trump. The email did not give any details about the event, failing to specify an exact date or location.
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Trump rarely makes appearances in the heavily Democratic Los Angeles area, and the visits are primarily to attend private fundraisers. He was most recently in the area in February, when he attended fundraising events in Beverly Hills and met with organizers of the 2028 Olympic Games.
A Tuesday visit by Trump would likely be relatively brief. Trump is scheduled to hold campaign rallies in Tucson, Arizona, Monday night and in Flagstaff, Arizona, Tuesday night, according to his campaign website.
