Tim Murtaugh, communication director for the Donald Trump Campaign, issued a statement hours before the Mr Trump was due to appear before supporters this ebvvening. The statement said: “Per safety protocols, campaign staff are tested for COVID-19 before events. Six members of the advance team tested positive out of hundreds of tests performed, and quarantine procedures were immediately implemented.
“No COVID-positive staffers or anyone in immediate contact will be at today’s rally or near attendees and elected officials.
“As previously announced, all rally attendees are given temperature checks before going through security, at which point they are given wristbands, facemasks and hand sanitiser.”
Ahead of tonight’s rally, President Trump tweeted: “Big crowds and lines already forming in Tulsa.
“My campaign hasn’t started yet.
“It starts on Saturday night in Oklahoma!”
Mr Trump is holding the rally in Oklahom as new coronavirus infections in the US rise again amid fears of a second wave of the deadly disease.
The President has come under fire for the way he has responded to the coronavirus crisis sweeping through the country and the death of George Floyd.
The President has been criticised over his decision to hold his first rally since schools and businesses were shut in March to stop the spread of coronavirus in Tulsa.
This is the site of the country’s bloodiest outbreaks of racial violence against black Americans around 100 years ago.
Oklahoma has also seen a huge spike in coronavirus infections over the last few days.
More than 10,000 people test positive for coronavirus in the state, while 368 people have died.
In the lead-up to this evening’s rally, the state’s Department of Health warned attendees at the 19,000-seat BOK Center venue face an increased risk of being infected with COVID-19.
On Friday, the President’s campaign manager Brad Parscale told Fox News on Friday that he would probably wear a mask to the rally.
Howerver, White House spokeswoman Kayleigh McEnany told reporters she would not.
Mr Trump is currently trailing Democratic presidential rival and former Vice President Joe Biden in various polls ahead pf the election in November.
On Friday, President Trump postponed this evening’s rally by 24 hours so that it did not coincide with the anniversary of the June 19 commemoration of the end of Black slavery in the US.
But he threatened unspecified action against any “protesters, anarchists, agitators, looters or lowlifes” who traveled to Oklahoma.
His campaign team insisted the warning was not aimed at peaceful demonstrators.
This is a breaking story. More to follow…