John Hagee of Christians United for Israel tests positive for COVID-19

(RNS) — John Hagee, the head of Christians United for Israel and one of President Donald Trump’s unofficial evangelical advisers, has tested positive for COVID-19, the disease caused by the novel coronavirus.

Hagee’s diagnosis was announced Sunday (Oct. 4) by his son Matt Hagee at the church they pastor, Cornerstone Church in San Antonio.

“It was, one, discovered very early. Two, his medical team has him under watchful care, and, three, he’s feeling well enough to be frustrated with everybody in a white coat and a stethoscope,” Matt Hagee said.

A spokesperson for CUFI explained that Hagee received his diagnosis the previous Friday (Sept. 25) and did not attend services that weekend because he immediately began to quarantine. At the time, Matt Hagee told the congregation at Cornerstone that his father was “well” and did not disclose the diagnosis but asked them to pray for his father because he had several “very important meetings” upcoming.

The CUFI representative explained that the meetings in question were dialogues with doctors and that the elder Hagee is feeling “well.”

Hagee did not attend the event Sept. 26 in the White House Rose Garden, at which Trump announced Judge Amy Coney Barrett as his pick to fill Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court. At least nine people — including two faith leaders — who were present since have tested positive for COVID-19.

However, Hagee did attend an event at the White House on Sept. 15 — roughly 10 days before his COVID-19 diagnosis — to celebrate the signing of the “Abraham Accords,” a U.S.-brokered agreement establishing diplomatic relations between Israel, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates.

Hagee was seen posing for photos with others at the event.

It is unclear if attendees at the Abraham Accords event have been instructed to quarantine.

National reporter Emily McFarlan Miller contributed to this report.