Hope Hicks shares stage with Donald Trump in Florida after testing COVID positive

Hope Hicks, an advisor to U.S. President, tested positive for the virus following which Trump said that he is going into self-isolation along with his wife, the First Lady. Hicks travels regularly with Trump, and had accompanied him to Cleveland for the first presidential debate earlier in the week. (Image: Reuters)

US President Donald Trump on Friday invited his close aide Hope Hicks on stage at an election rally in Florida, over a fortnight after she tested positive for COVID-19, resulting in a series of top White House officials, including the president and the first lady, getting infected.

Trump, 74, has recovered from a brief spell of COVID-19 after he and First Lady Melania Trump, 50, tested positive for the deadly viral infection on October 1. Trump''s doctors have now cleared him for his election campaigns.

Appearing before thousands of cheering supporters at Ocala in Florida, Hicks made very brief remarks at the request of the president.

"The great Hope Hicks. You know, she was tested positive, but she''s okay. Where''s Hope? We want Hope, right? We want Hope. I used to say, "We want Hope," and all these crazy people said, "Yeah, we want her." Where''s Hope? Where''s Hope? Come here!" Trump said.

His supporters started cheering: “We want Hope! We want Hope! We want Hope!”. Trump then called Hicks on the stage.

"She''s shy, but not that shy. C''mon, Hope. Hey! Hope--we want Hope, say it,” Trump said as Hicks walked up the stage.

Hicks said, "We can share a microphone now. Thank you all so much, and thank you, President Trump. I have stage fright, so."

"She''s great. So, she tested positive and she got better so fast, it was like--that''s called being young, strong. Young and strong, but she''s been fantastic. Thank you, Hope. We''re proud of you, Hope," Trump said.