Media Outlet Posts False Story About Pence Testing Positive for COVID-19

Vice President Mike Pence speaks at a "Make America Great Again" rally on October 8, 2020, in Boulder City, Nev. Ronda Churchill/AFP via Getty Images

A California-based media outlet late Thursday posted a story falsely reporting that Vice President Mike Pence tested positive for COVID-19, sparking conspiracy theories among the left.

Deadline Hollywood claimed that Pence tested positive for the new disease. The headline stated, “PREP. DO NOT PUBLISH UNTIL THE NEWS CROSSES.”

“The two most powerful men in America now have coronavirus,” the story began. It then said Pence announced on Wednesday that he had tested positive.

Katie Miller, Pence’s director of communications, criticized the story, calling it “IRRESPONSIBLE & UTTERLY FALSE.”

Deadline later removed the story.

“A draft post of a story about Vice President Mike Pence testing positive for coronavirus that was never meant to publish was accidently posted on Deadline. It was pulled down immediately. It never should have been posted and Deadline will take steps to see this kind of thing never happens again. Apologies to the Vice President and our readers. We regret the error,” the outlet said in a correction notice.

The story sparked conspiracy theories among the anti-President Donald Trump crowd, who said the story, though removed, must mean something was going on.

“Never meant to be published but the actual article has quite a lot of detail. it’s not just some blank webpage. What are you guys hiding,” one wrote on Twitter.

“The fact that specific details were included and that chances were pretty slim that Mike got covid makes me wonder,” another said.

President Donald Trump looks over at reporters and photographers as he departs Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., on Oct. 5, 2020. Jonathan Ernst/Reuters

Deadline was started in March 2006. It is described on its website as “the authoritative source for breaking news in the entertainment industry.”

The outlet is still running a story about “Daily Show” host Trevor Noah claiming there was a real chance Pence contracted COVID-19.

Trump tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the CCP (Chinese Communist Party) virus, last week. He received treatment at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center but returned to the White House on Monday. His doctor said earlier Thursday that Trump is able to resume public engagements this weekend.

Speculation about Pence’s condition stemmed from the cancellation of a planned appearance in Indianapolis.

Marty Obst, senior political adviser for Pence, told WISH-TV that the schedule change “was merely a scheduling issue and definitely not health-related.”

Pence tested negative for COVID-19 on Thursday morning, Devin O'Malley, his spokesman, said. Pence has tested negative each day for months.

Both Pence and Trump are tested every day, according to White House officials.