President Trump Tests Positive for COVID-19

President Trump's announcement that he had tested positive for COVID-19 was a shock but not a surprise, given how he had been ignoring recommendations from public health experts about wearing a mask and avoiding large gatherings.  The announcement created a lot of uncertainty as Trump at 74 and overweight was in a high-risk category.  Further, it put his handling of the pandemic front and center, likely further damaging his re-election prospects.

President Trump announced he had tested positive for COVID-19 via a couple of tweets.  On Thursday  Oct. 1 at 10:44 p.m. Trump tweeted that aide Hope Hicks had tested positive and at 12:54 a.m.
on Friday Oct. 2 he tweeted that he and Melania had tested positive. 

Trump cancelled his schedule for Oct. 2 and his condition worsened so that by the evening he decided to go to Walter Reed Medical Center under his own power rather than in a wheelchair as a precautionary measure.  It proved to be a three-day stay.  While his team of doctors provided a briefing on Oct. 3 there was a lot of obfuscation about Trump's actual condition throughout.  Meanwhile supporters gathered outside Walter Reed and at one point on Sunday afternoon the Secret Service drove Trump by them so he could way.  Meanwhile, however, the situation at the White House was more chaotic than normal as there was no solid information and numbers of staff and associates also tested positive. 

In the Oct. 3 briefing, doctors repeatedly evaded the question of whether Trump had been on supplemental oxygen (>).  On Oct. 4 the Wall Street Journal reported Trump had received a positive result "on Thursday evening before making an appearance on Fox News in which he didn’t reveal those results (>)."



To Walter Reed

Oct. 2, 2020 - 6:31 p.m. (0:18)
Oct. 3, 2020 - 6:51 p.m. (4:02)
Oct. 4, 2020 - 5:16 p.m.  (1:13)
Oct. 5, 2020 - 7:59 p.m (1:26)

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Oct. 2, 2020 - 6:31 p.m. (0:18)
I want to thank everyone for the tremendous support.  We're going to Walter Reed Hospital.  I think I'm doing very well, but we're going to make sure that things work out.  The First Lady is doing very well.  So thank you very much.  I appreciate it.  I will never forget.  Thank you.

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Oct. 3, 2020 - 6:51 p.m. (4:02)
I want to begin by thanking all of the  incredible medical professionals, the doctors, the nurses, everybody, at Walter Reed Medical Center—I think it's the finest  in the world—for the incredible job they've been doing.

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.  We've done an awfully good job of that but we still have steps to go and we have to finish that job.

And I'll be back.  I think I'll be back soon.  And I look forward to finishing up the campaign in the way it was started and the way we've been doing and the kind of numbers that we've been doing. We've been so proud of it.

But this was something that happened and it's happened to millions of people all over the world and I'm fighting for them, not just in the U.S.; I'm fighting for them all over the world.  We're going to beat this coronavirus or whatever you want to call it, and we're going to beat it soundly.

So many things have happened.  If you look at the therapeutics, which I'm taking right now, some of them, and others are coming out soon that are looking like, frankly they're miracles if you want to know the truth.  They're miracles.  People criticize me when I say that.  We have things happening that look like they're miracles coming down from God.  So I just want to tell you that I'm starting to feel good. [continues]

We don't know over the period of a few days I guess that's the real test so we'll what happens over those next couple of days.  I just want to be so thankful for all of the support I've seen, whether it's on television or reading about it, I appreciate what's been said by the American people, by almost a bipartisan consensus of American people.  Beautiful thing to see and I very much appreciate it and I won't forget it, I promise you that.

I also want to thank the leaders of the world for their condolences and their, they know what we're going through, they know what as your leader as I have to go through.

But I had no choice because I just didn't want to stay in the White House.  I was given that alternative: stay in the White House, lock yourself in, don't ever leave, don't even go to the Oval Office.  Just stay upstairs and enjoy it.  Don't see people, don't talk to people and just be done with it.  And I can't do that.  I had to be out front.

And  this is America, this is United States, this is the greatest country in the world, this is the most powerful country in the world.  I can't be locked up in a room upstairs and totally safe and just say hey whatever happens happens.  I can't do that.  We have to confront problems.  As a leader you have to confront problems.  There's never been a great leader that would have done that.  So that's where it is.  I'm doing well; I want to thank everybody.

Our first lady is doing very well, Melania, asked me to say something as to the respect that she has for our country, the love that she has for our country.   And we're both doing well. Melania is really handling it very nicely. As you've probably read she's slightly younger than me, just a little tiny bit. And therefore, just we know the disease, we know the situation, age versus younger people.  And Melania's handling it statistically like it's supposed to be handled.  And that makes me very happy and makes the country very happy. 

But I'm also doing well and I think we're gonna have a very good result. Again over the next few days we're gonna probably know for sure.

So I just want to thank everybody out there, everybody,  all over the world, specifically, the United States, the outpouring of love has been incredible.  I will never forget. Thank you very much.

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Oct. 4, 2020 - 5:16 p.m.  (1:13)
We're getting great reports from the doctors.  This is an incredible hospital, Walter Reed.  The work they do is just absolutely amazing and I want to thank them all—the nurses, the doctors, everybody here.  I've also gotten to meet some of the soldiers and the first responders and what a group. 

I also think we're going to pay a little surprise to some of the great patriots that we have out on the street, and they've been out there for a long time and they've got Trump flags and they love our country so I'm not telling anybody but you, but I'm about to make a little surprise visit.  So perhaps I'll get there before you get to see me, but I just, when I look at the enthusiasm—and we have enthusiasm like probably nobody's ever had.  Our people that love the job we're doing, we have more enthusiasm than maybe anybody.

So it's been a very interesting journey.  I learned a lot about COVID; I learned it by really going to school.  This is the real school; this isn't the let's read the book school.  And I get it.  And I understand it, and it's a very interesting thing and I'm going to be letting you know about it.  In the meantime we love the U.S.A. and we love what's happening.  Thank you.

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__________________________


Oct. 5, 2020 - 7:59 p.m. (1:26)
I just left Walter Reed Medical Center and it's really something very special—the doctors, the nurses, the first responders.  And I learned so much about the coronavirus.

And one thing that's for certain.  Don't let it
dominate you.  Don't be afraid of it.  You're going to beat it.  We have the best medical equipment, we have the best medicine medicines, all developed recently.  And you're going to beat it.

I went, I didn't feel so good, and two days ago I could have left, two days ago I felt great, like better than I have in a long time.  I said just recently, better than 20 years.  Don't let it dominate.  Don't let it take over your lives.  Don't let that happen.

We're the greatest country in the world.  We're going back, we're going back to work.  We're going to be out front.  As your leader, I had to do that.  I knew there's danger to it, but I had to do it.  I stood out front.  I led.  Nobody that's a leader would not do what I did.  And I know there's a risk, there's a danger but that's okay.

And now I'm better and maybe I'm immune, I don't know.  But don't let it dominate your lives. Get out there.  Be careful.  We have the best medicines in the world and it all happened very shortly and they're all getting approved, and the vaccines are coming momentarily.  Thank you very much, and Walter Reed—what a group of people.  Thank you very much.

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The Campaign Proceeds "at Full Speed"


Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.

October 2, 2020

Statement from the Trump campaign

“All previously announced campaign events involving the President’s participation are in the process of being moved to virtual events or are being temporarily postponed.  In addition, previously announced events involving members of the First Family are also being temporarily postponed. All other campaign events will be considered on a case-by-case basis and we will make any relevant announcements in the days ahead. Vice President Mike Pence, who has tested negative for COVID-19, plans on resuming his scheduled campaign events. Any further information about the President will come from the White House.”

Donald J. Trump for President, Inc.
October 3, 2020

Trump campaign launches “Operation MAGA” to keep campaign at full speed 

President Trump’s re-election campaign today announced the launch of “Operation MAGA,” a full marshaling of top-level surrogates, campaign coalitions, and Trump supporters to rally behind the President and carry the campaign forward until the President returns to the trail. Vice President Mike Pence will make in-person campaign appearances in key states, as will First Family members Donald J. Trump, Jr., Eric Trump, and Lara Trump. The campaign will host virtual events until the vice presidential debate on October 7, when the in-person events will commence.

“Operation MAGA will fire up the entire MAGA universe to keep President Trump’s campaign at full speed until our Commander-in-Chief returns to the campaign trail,” said Bill Stepien, Trump 2020 campaign manager. “Vice President Mike Pence, the First Family, our coalitions, and our grassroots supporters will be out in full force to show the real enthusiasm behind the President’s re-election and to show we’re working as hard as he always does. We also encourage all of the President’s supporters to pick up the banner themselves by volunteering in our grassroots Army for Trump, flying their Trump flags, putting out more yard signs, and wearing their MAGA gear proudly.”

Vice President Pence will begin a swing through key states following Wednesday’s debate in Salt Lake City, Utah. He will travel to Arizona, before voting early in Indiana and heading to other events yet to be announced.  Members of the First Family will host live events in battleground states beginning after Wednesday as well.  The campaign will also deploy its coalitions, including Women for Trump, Black Voices for Trump, Latinos for Trump, and others, for events in key states.


Donald J. Trump for President
October 5, 2020

Team Trump Announces Virtual Event to Launch “Operation MAGA” as Campaign Continues Full Speed Ahead

As President Donald J. Trump battles the coronavirus, all the while continuing to fight for the American people, the President’s re-election campaign has launched "Operation MAGA" to energize and mobilize the MAGA universe to maintain full speed until the President returns to the campaign trail. Vice President Mike Pence will kick off Operation MAGA with a virtual event tonight, along with Donald Trump Jr., Trump 2020 Senior Advisor Lara Trump, and Kimberly Guilfoyle, National Chair of Trump Victory Finance Committee, at 8:00 pm EDT. The kick-off event will be livestreamed here.

Operation MAGA is a full marshaling of top-level surrogates, campaign coalitions, and Trump supporters to rally behind the President and carry the campaign forward until the President returns to the trail. The campaign will pivot to in-person events following the vice presidential debate on October 7.

Vice President Pence will begin a swing through key states following Wednesday’s debate in Salt Lake City, Utah. He will travel to Arizona, before voting early in Indiana and heading to other events yet to be announced.  Members of the First Family will host live events in battleground states beginning after Wednesday as well.  The campaign will also deploy its coalitions, including Women for Trump, Black Voices for Trump, Latinos for Trump, and others, for events in key states.