Former first lady Michelle Obama lashed out at President Donald Trump for putting Secret Service agents and White House residence workers in peril.
'I understand if the last few days have felt like a whirlwind,' she tweeted Tuesday. 'My heart goes out to everyone touched by this virus - from those in the White House, especially the Secret Service and residence staff whose service to this country ought never be taken for granted, to all those across the country whose names and stories most of us will unfortunately only know as statistics.'
Obama's comments came after Trump went on a joyride with agents Sunday night, while still hospitalized for the coronavirus at Walter Reed, and then immediately took off his mask Monday evening upon returning to the White House, potentially exposing more staff to the disease.
First lady Michelle Obama released a new video giving her take on the 2020 election, but beforehand updated it via Twitter, as it was recorded before President Donald Trump and other White House offiicals came down with the coronavirus
The former first lady stuck up for the Secret Service and White House residence staff, telling Trump their 'service ought never be taken for granted'
Obama's post comes after Trump (left) decided to go on a joyride Sunday night outside the Walter Reed Medical Center with Secret Service agents (right) in tow
The president, accompanied by Secret Service agents, returned to the White House Monday evening despite still being infected with COVID-19
As soon as the president got to the top of the White House balcony he pulled off his mask, raising questions on whether he exposed more White House staff to the virus
The former first lady sent out a series of tweets as she debuted her 'closing statement,' something she had taped before Trump's coronavirus diagnosis.
'The truth is, the events of the past few days are a bracing reminder of the tragedy that has been this administration’s response to this crisis,' Obama wrote. 'And I’ll be very honest: This is a message I’d planned to release earlier, and after everything that’s happened, I weighed whether or not to go public at all.'
'But I wanted you all to hear what’s been on my mind,' she continued.
'Because the fact is that the drama of the past few days has only emphasized what’s at stake in this election - from the coronavirus to a constant drumbeat of fear, division, and chaos that’s threatening to spiral out of control,' Obama said.
In the former first lady's 26-minute video, Obama spoke a lot about race - blaming Trump for sowing division between white Americans and Americans of color.
She also, of course, touched on the president's handling of the coronavirus crisis.
She called it the 'greatest crisis of our lifetimes.'
And went after Trump for continuing to 'hold massive events without requiring masks or social distancing knowingly exposing his own supporters to a dangerous virus.'
Throughout the video, Obama urged Americans to vote for Democratic nominee Joe Biden, who served as vice president under her husband, President Barack Obama.
'Because the fact is that the drama of the past few days has only emphasized what’s at stake in this election - from the coronavirus to a constant drumbeat of fear, division, and chaos that’s threatening to spiral out of control,' Obama tweeted Tuesday.
The president first tested positive for COVID-19 Thursday with the White House confirming he and the first lady's positive test results Friday at 1 a.m.
Prior to that, Trump participated in two fundraisers at his Bedminster, New Jersey golf resort.
On Wednesday he had traveled to Minnesota to campaign, holding a large, not socially distanced rally in Duluth Wednesday night.
A day before that he was in Cleveland to debate Democratic nominee Joe Biden.
The White House has yet to provide to reporters when Trump had his last negative COVID-19 test.
Among the aides who have tested positive, which include White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany, two household staff also did, with The New York Time reporting that they were told to use 'discretion' when discussing it.
The Secret Service won't be releasing its COVID-19 numbers, the agency told DailyMail.com.
'For privacy and operational security reasons, the Secret Service is not releasing how many of its employees have tested positive for COVID-19, nor how many of its employees were, or currently are, quarantined,' an emailed statement said.