Attorney General Merrick Garland tested positive for Covid-19 on Wednesday, the Justice Department said.
Garland, 69, is not experiencing symptoms but asked to be tested after learning he may have been exposed to the virus, the department said. He is fully vaccinated and boosted.
Earlier Wednesday, Garland attended a news conference with other officials, including FBI Director Christopher Wray and Deputy Attorney General Lisa Monaco, to announce sanctions against Russian oligarch Konstantin Malofeyev.
“In accordance with CDC guidelines, the Attorney General will isolate at home for at least five days,” the Justice Department said in a statement. “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.”
Garland is the latest high-profile Washington figure to test positive for Covid-19 in recent days. Another member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet, Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, said Wednesday she had tested positive after having attended the Gridiron dinner in Washington over the weekend, and Democratic Reps. Joaquin Castro and Adam Schiff have also announced positive tests.
The Commerce Department said in a statement Wednesday that Raimondo is “experiencing mild symptoms” but is “confident that the vaccine has prevented her from experiencing more significant symptoms.”
