JSFiddle - React, Tailwind, and code Playground
HTML
<input type="date" id="theDate">
JavaScript
var today = new Date();
var dd = today.getDate();
var mm = today.getMonth()+1; //January is 0!
var yyyy = today.getFullYear();
if(dd<10){dd='0'+dd} if(mm<10){mm='0'+mm} today = mm+'/'+dd+'/'+yyyy;
$(function() {
$('#theDate').attr('value', today);
alert($('#theDate').attr('value'));
});