Mark Meadows is the fourth different White House chief of staff during the Trump administration. The position is typically a very prestigious one. White House chiefs of staff tend to wield influence and power.
But the job is also known to be exceptionally stressful. It's perhaps even more so when you're working for Donald Trump. Who's notoriously hard to please and prone to cause various controversies for you to address. Among other issues, which might include unsafe working conditions regarding COVID-19.
Meadows reported tests positive for COVID-19
Mark Meadows has apparently contracted the novel Coronavirus. It's unclear when he tested positive for it. According to CNN, he began telling people about his diagnosis after the November 3 Presidential election.
Meadows visited at least two election night parties. He was in close contact with Trump's family members. And on at least the two days leading up to, he'd apparently been in close quarters with the president.
Other White House staffers are reportedly worried about possible exposure after receiving word of Meadows' diagnosis. The White House has become something a COVID-19 epicenter in recent weeks. Including an apparently significant outbreak after a White House event.
The fallout included President Trump and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie being hospitalized. HuffPost reports that a Trump campaign staffer named Nick Trainer also has the virus.
Last month, Meadows drew attention when he said the U.S. wasn't going to 'control' the novel coronavirus. His contracting it shortly after could seem exceptionally ironic.
Mark Meadows is a former member of the United States House of Representatives
Meadows was born in France. His father, serving in the U.S. Army at the time, was stationed there. Meadows was later raised in Brandon, near Tampa, Florida. He attended Florida State University before graduating from the University of South Florida.
In the 1980s, Meadows opened a restaurant in Highlands in western North Carolina. Eventually, he sold the restaurant and opened a company specializing in real estate development.
Meadows' early political career included chairing the Macon County, North Carolina chapter of the Republican Party. In 2012, he was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives from North Carolina's 11th District. He'd be elected three times.
In the House, Meadows garnered a reputation for being one of its most right-wing members. Meadows clashed with a number of members of his own party, including former House Speaker John Boehner. He was a founding member and eventual chair of the controversial House Freedom Caucus.
Along the way, he also became the ranking member of the House Oversight Committee.
In 2019, Meadows announced that he wouldn't run for re-election. He ultimately didn't finish the term he was serving; rather, he resigned to become chief of staff.
