Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff General Mark Milley testifies before the House Armed Services Committee during a hearing on the Fiscal Year 2021 National Defense Authorization Budget Request from the Department of Defense on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., the United States, on Feb. 26, 2020. (Photo by Ting Shen/Xinhua)
"There is no change to the operational readiness or mission capability of the US Armed Forces," says Jonathan Hoffman.
WASHINGTON, Oct. 7 (Xinhua) -- Members of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, including Chairman Mark Milley, are reportedly in quarantine after exposure to COVID-19, as infections linked to the White House continue to grow.
The news emerged Tuesday afternoon after the Coast Guard announced its vice commandant, Admiral Charles Ray, had tested positive for the virus and would be quarantining from home.
Ray attended meetings with other senior military leaders at the Pentagon last week, according to a spokesperson.
"Out of an abundance of caution, all potential close contacts from these meetings are self-quarantining and have been tested this morning," Pentagon spokesman Jonathan Hoffman said in a statement. "No Pentagon contacts have exhibited symptoms and we have no additional positive tests to report at this time."
In addition to Milley, Vice Chairman John Hyten and several other members of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a panel of high-ranking U.S. military officers who advise the president and other civilian leaders on military issues, have also reportedly entered quarantine.
"There is no change to the operational readiness or mission capability of the US Armed Forces," Hoffman said. "Senior military leaders are able to remain fully mission capable and perform their duties from an alternative work location."
Meanwhile, Stephen Miller, senior advisor to U.S. President Donald Trump, and several others have joined a growing list of individuals in the president's orbit known to have contracted COVID-19, which included his confidants, campaign and White House aides, allies on Capitol Hill, and journalists covering the White House.
"Over the last 5 days I have been working remotely and self-isolating, testing negative every day through yesterday," Miller said in a statement. "Today, I tested positive for COVID-19 and am in quarantine."
