‘Much better’: Donald Trump speaks amid mixed signals from White House
In a video from hospital, Donald Trump says the next few days will be a ‘real test’ as the White House gives conflicting accounts of his health.
The next few days will be “critical” to Donald Trump’s ability to survive COVID-19 his chief of staff said as the White House gave sharply conflicting accounts of the president’s health.
The mixed signals came as the virus continued to sweep through Mr Trump’s inner circle, with five key campaign advisers now testing positive, throwing his election campaign into disarray just four weeks from the poll.
It also came as three Republican Senators tested positive, forcing the Senate to go into recess and casting doubt on the confirmation process of Mr Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Barrett.
Amid unprecedented turmoil in the nation’s capital, the president’s chief of staff Mark Meadows gave a sharply different account of Mr Trump’s health compared to that offered by his medical team.
“The president’s vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care. We’re still not on a clear path to a full recovery,” Mr Meadows said.
Mr Trump, in a video from hospital, said he was feeling “much better now” and that the next few days would be “the real test”.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2020
“I came here, wasn’t feeling so well, I feel much better now, we’re working hard to get me all the way back, I have to be back because we still have to make America great again,” a pale looking president said.
“I’m starting to feel good – you don’t know over the period of the next few days so that’s the real test, so we’ll be seeing what happens over those next couple of days.”
Mr Trump defended his style of leadership that preceded his infection – with frequent travel and mask-less events – saying “I had no choice because I just didn’t want to stay in the White House”.
“I was given the alternative, stay in the White House, don’t ever leave, don’t even go to the Oval Office just stay upstairs … I can’t do that, I had to be out front,” he said.
An administration official said Mr Trump was given supplemental oxygen at the White House on Saturday (AEDT) amid concerns that the virus was taking a concerning trajectory. But Mr Trump’s medical team on Sunday (AEDT) refused to confirm whether the president had been given oxygen and instead said the president ‘is doing very well … (we are) extremely happy with his progress”.
White House physician Dr Sean Conley said the president was taken to hospital on Saturday (AEDT) as a precaution and that Mr Trump no longer had a fever and was feeling upbeat.
Mr Trump’s other symptoms, including a cough and nasal congestion, “are now resolving and improving.”
Another doctor, Sean Dooley said the president was having no trouble breathing or walking and he quoted Mr Trump as saying “I feel like I could walk out of here today”.
Doctors, Nurses and ALL at the GREAT Walter Reed Medical Center, and others from likewise incredible institutions who have joined them, are AMAZING!!!Tremendous progress has been made over the last 6 months in fighting this PLAGUE. With their help, I am feeling well!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2020
OUR GREAT USA WANTS & NEEDS STIMULUS. WORK TOGETHER AND GET IT DONE. Thank you!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2020
His medical team declined to say how long the president would stay in hospital
Dr Conley said Mr Trump had received an antibody cocktail, as well as zinc, vitamin D, famotidine, melatonin and a daily aspirin. He also said he was taking a five day course of Remdesivir.
He said the First Lady Melania Trump, who also has COVID-19, was still in the White House and doing well.
The news came as more members of Mr Trump’s inner circle tested positive for COVID-19 with close Trump confidant Chris Christie testing positive Sunday and is now in hospital.
He joins Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien, the Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel and close advisers Hope Hicks and Kellyanne Conway who have all tested positive for the virus in recent days.
Three Republican Senators – Mike Lee, Ron Johnson and Thom Tillis – have also tested positive, forcing Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to recess the Senate until October 19.
Their infections have raised doubts about the timeline for the confirmation hearings for Mr Trump’s Supreme Court nominee Judge Amy Barrett. The hearings are due to begin on October 12 but two of the Senators who have tested positive – Senators Lee and Tillis – serve on the Judiciary Committee which will hold the hearings.
Although they could join the hearings remotely, it is unclear how their health status might impact on the process which Republicans are desperate to push through ahead of the November 3 election.
News of Mr Trump’s infection caused election hostilities to briefly pause with just four weeks left until the poll.
Former Democrat president candidate Hillary Clinton and former president Barack Obama both tweeted their wishes for Mr Trump and Mrs Trump to make a speedy recovery.
“Obviously, we’re in the midst of a big political battle right now, and while there’s a lot at stake, let’s remember that we’re all Americans. We’re all human beings. And we want everyone to be healthy, no matter our party,” Mr Obama tweeted.
Obviously, we’re in the midst of a big political battle right now, and while there’s a lot at stake, let’s remember that we’re all Americans. We’re all human beings. And we want everyone to be healthy, no matter our party.
— Barack Obama (@BarackObama) October 2, 2020
The Biden campaign said Mr Biden will continue to travel and campaign across the US during Mr Trump’s illness. But the Biden campaign has placed on hold commercials attacking the president for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic which has killed 210,000 Americans.
POSITIVE TO CORONAVIRUS:
■ President Donald Trump
■ First lady Melania Trump
■ White House adviser Hope Hicks
■ RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel
■ Trump campaign manager Bill Stepien
■ Former White House adviser Kellyanne Conway
■ Former New Jersey governor Chris Christie
NEGATIVE TO CORONAVIRUS:
■ Vice-President Mike Pence
■ Chief of staff Mark Meadows
■ Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin
■ Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar
■ Attorney-General William Barr
■ White House adviser Dan Scavino
■ White House adviser Jared Kushner
■ White House adviser Ivanka Trump
■ Press secretary Kayleigh McEnany
Sources: White House, Justice Department, HHS, Treasury
Cameron Stewart is also US Contributor for Sky News Australia
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