Donald Trump hid a positive COVID-19 test result on Thursday (US time) while waiting on a more comprehensive test, sources have claimed to the Wall Street Journal.
And his spokesperson is refusing to say if he was tested for coronavirus before his presidential debate with Democrat rival Joe Biden, as was required.
Speaking on Monday (NZ time), White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany refused to confirm if Trump was tested before the presidential debate last Tuesday, or on Wednesday (US time).
McEnany told media she wouldn't give a "time-stamped" readout of when the President was tested, only saying he first tested positive on Thursday (US time).
But the Wall Street Journal reports that Trump attempted to hide the results of his first positive tests.
According to its article, shortly before appearing on Fox News that Thursday, the US President received a positive result on a rapid test.
A rapid test can tell in minutes if someone is infected with the coronavirus but is less accurate.
While waiting for the results from a more complete test, Trump went on the network and failed to reveal the rapid test result, the Wall Street Journal reports.
Instead, he said an aide had tested positive and mentioned he was waiting for the results from the second test.
"I'll get my test back either tonight or tomorrow morning," the President told Fox.
After these came back positive a few hours later, Trump tweeted that he and First Lady Melania had received confirmed tests for the virus.
And according to the Wall Street Journal, Trump also attempted to keep his advisors' COVID-19 statuses secret too.
"Don't tell anyone," Trump reportedly told an infected adviser.
As the infection spread throughout the White House inner circle, the secrecy was such that even campaign manager Bill Stepien didn't know Trump's close aide Hope Hicks had tested positive for the virus until he saw it on the news, a source told the Wall Street Journal.
"I'm glued to Twitter and TV because I have no official communication from anyone in the West Wing," an administration official said.
