AG Garland tests positive for COVID Attorney General Merrick Garland speaks at the Department of Justice press conference, June 25, 2021. (Department of Justice/Released)
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United States Attorney General Merrick Garland tested positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday afternoon.
In a statement shared with American Military News, the U.S. Department of Justice said “Attorney General Garland this afternoon tested positive for COVID-19 through antigen tests. He asked to be tested after learning that he may have been exposed to the virus. At the time, he is not experiencing symptoms. The Attorney General is fully vaccinated and boosted.”
“In accordance with CDC guidelines, the Attorney General will isolate at home for at least five days,” the DOJ added. “He will work virtually during this period and will return to the office following a negative test for the virus. The department will conduct contact tracing in accordance with CDC protocols.”
The DOJ statement did not specify how Garland may have been exposed to the virus. Garland has appeared at multiple press conferences throughout the week, including one on Monday to announce the U.S. seizure of a $90 million yacht reportedly owned by Viktor Vekselberg, a Russian billionaire with close ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Prior to testing positive for COVID-19, Garland spoke at a press conference on Wednesday, during which he announced efforts by the DOJ’s recently KleptoCapture Task Force to seize property and prosecutor Russian officials linked to the ongoing invasion in Ukraine and who have allegedly tried to evade U.S. sanctions.
Garland is one of several vaccinated Biden administration officials who have tested positive for COVID-19 in recent months. Two weeks ago, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki also tested positive for COVID-19. Psaki had previously tested positive for COVID-19 in December, as had another White House aide.
A vaccinated aide to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi also tested positive last July. During that same time period, another White House aide also reportedly tested positive.
