The Interlude

Stephen Miller tests positive for Covid-19

October 6, 2020 7:30 p.m. EST

Stephen Miller, senior advisor to the president, has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the New York Times.

Miller is now among a growing list of top White House officials who have contracted the coronavirus. At least 18 people close to President Donald Trump have tested positive for the virus.

Yesterday, the president returned to the White House from Walter Reed Medical Center, where he was being treated for Covid-19 symptoms. Today, President Trump falsely claimed that the common flu kills 100,000 people each year, and that Americans should not fear the coronavirus or the flu. The coronavirus has killed at least 200,000 Americans to date, and the flu kills between 25,000 to 69,000 people each year, according to the Scientific American.

President Trump to leave Walter Reed tonight

October 5, 2020 2:55 p.m. EST

President Donald Trump announced via Twitter that he will be leaving the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center at 6:30 p.m. today, saying that he is “feeling really good.”

“Don’t be afraid of Covid,” Trump wrote. “Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”

The announcement comes less than 24 hours after medical professionals criticized the president for driving past supporters outside Walter Reed while still receiving treatment for his coronavirus diagnosis. The White House and Trump’s medical team have evaded questions over the exact status of the president’s health and whether he has required more serious treatment, such as whether Trump needed supplemental oxygen or has tested negative for the coronavirus, Business Insider reported.

By Natasha Roy

Here’s what we know about Trump’s condition after the weekend

Weekend recap (Oct. 4)

Confusion over President Trump’s condition stewed over the weekend, as the White House and Trump’s medical team provided half truths, gave mixed signals, and walked back outright lies regarding the president’s status since the decision was made to move him to Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday.

Saturday’s press conference, which projected a rosy picture of the president’s condition, was followed by statements from a White House official, later identified Chief of Staff Mark Meadows, that brought the veracity of the narrative presented by Dr. Sean Conley into question.

Sunday proved to be even more bewildering. Conley more-or-less admitted to the press that he misled the American public, stating that he “didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction.”

Conley insisted that the president’s condition was improving, despite announcing that the doctors put him on an additional medication, dexamethasone, which is recommended only for patients with more severe cases of COVID-19. Trump was also given a monoclonal antibody infusion and remdesivir, a medical decision which one doctor described as “throwing the kitchen sink.”

It is unclear whether those decisions were influenced by Trump’s condition, or by nature of the fact that he is the president.

Conley also said that decisions would be made as to whether the president would be discharged to the White House, a move that other physicians have said is a mistake. Later in the afternoon on Sunday, Trump did a drive by in the presidential motorcade to thank the supporters who were camped outside Walter Reed offering their support. The stunt received widespread condemnation; one doctor called it “amazingly irresponsible,” and said the Walter Reed medical staff should have refused to allow the president to leave to do it.

Additional questions have been posed about how the White House has handled contact tracing, as concern grows over the health and safety of staffers and support staff that may have been exposed between Judge Amy Coney Barrett’s appointment celebration and the announcement that Trump tested positive. The president’s press secretary, Kayleigh McEnany, has now tested positive for COVID-19. She declined to provide reporters with a count of infected White House staff on Sunday afternoon. According to Bloomberg News reporter Jennifer Jacobs, Chad Gilmartin and Karoline Leavitt, who are both White House communications aides, also have coronavirus.

By Cameron Oakes

Source: Next 48 hours will be ‘critical’ for Trump

October 3, 2020 1:30 p.m. EST

A source with knowledge of President Donald Trump’s condition told press pool reporters Saturday that the president’s vitals were “very concerning,” and that the next 48 hours will be “critical” for determining his care, CNN and The New York Times reported.

The news broke shortly after the president’s doctor, Sean Conley, told reporters Trump has been fever-free for 24 hours and is not on supplemental oxygen. However, sources with knowledge of Trump’s condition told ABC News that he received supplemental oxygen on Friday at the White House, as he was having trouble breathing and his oxygen levels dropped.

Conley also told reporters the president is “72 hours into the diagnosis,” though Trump only announced his infection 36 hours ago, suggesting he attended a fundraiser in New Jersey on Thursday knowing he had contracted the coronavirus, according to NBC News.

Hours after the press conference, Trump tweeted his praise of Walter Reed medical staff and said that “tremendous progress has been made over the last 6 months in fighting this PLAGUE,” adding that he is “feeling well.”

Multiple lawmakers have now tested positive for COVID-19 after coming into contact with the president or attending one of his events, including Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC), Trump Campaign Manager Bill Stepien, and Sen. Ron Johnson (R-WI).

By Cameron Oakes and Natasha Roy

Kellyanne Conway tests positive for the coronavirus

October 2, 2020 11 p.m. EST

Kellyanne Conway, former counselor to President Donald Trump, wrote on Twitter Friday night that she tested positive for the coronavirus. Conway said that she had a light cough and has begun quarantining.

“As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic,” Conway said.

Conway’s 15-year-old daughter, Claudia Conway, first broke the news that her mother had contracted the coronavirus on TikTok, posting a video of herself wearing a mask with the text, “update my mom has covid.”

Conway adds to the growing list of government officials who were at the Rose Garden last Saturday when the president nominated Amy Coney Barrett to fill the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s seat on the Supreme Court. Senators Thom Thillis, of North Carolina, and Mike Lee, of Utah, were also in attendance and announced that they contracted the coronavirus, according to NBC News.

By Natasha Roy

President Trump thanks public for well wishes as new COVID-19 cases pop up from Tuesday’s debate

October 2, 2020 8:10 p.m. EST

Cleveland officials announced Friday that 11 positive coronavirus cases can be traced to Tuesday’s presidential debate, according to NBC News.

City officials said in a statement that the 11 cases stemmed from pre-debate planning and setup. Officials also said the Cleveland Department of Public Health will continue contact, which includes reaching out to those who have tested positive to confirm they are Cleveland residents, asking who they live and work with, and asking whether they participated in any mass gatherings.

At this time, no Cleveland residents appear to have contracted COVID-19 from Tuesday’s event, according to the statement. The city reiterated that everyone who had credentials to be on the premises of the debate was tested upon arrival, and only those who tested negative for the virus were allowed inside. Though the CDPH was in contact with anyone in charge of enforcing safety measures at the debate, CDPH was not present on-site.

Early Friday morning, President Donald Trump tweeted that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19. This followed Bloomberg’s report that top aide Hope Hicks, who traveled with President Trump earlier this week, tested positive for the coronavirus. After Trump left for Walter Reed, he tweeted a video thanking those who sent messages of support.

“I think I’m doing very well, but we’re going to make sure that things work out,” Trump said in the video. “The First Lady is doing very well, so thank you very much. I appreciate it.”

By Natasha Roy

President Trump transported to Walter Reed Medical Center

October 2, 2020 5:28 p.m. EST

President Donald J. Trump was transported to Walter Reed Medical Center in Washington, D.C., according to NBC News. He was transported via Marine One and is expected to stay at Walter Reed for several days. The move was precautionary according to White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany, and comes a few hours after NBC News reported that the president had a low-grade fever.

Trump announced via Twitter in the early hours of Friday morning that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19. Just hours before, Bloomberg broke the news that Hope Hicks — a senior advisor and confidant of the president — contracted COVID-19 and was symptomatic. Other world leaders, including U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro, have contracted COVID-19 and recovered. Johnson spent three nights in the intensive care unit at a London hospital.

Should Trump be deemed incapacitated, Vice President Mike Pence will temporarily assume the duties of the presidency. Pence tested negative Friday for COVID-19. However, the CDC has said that it typically takes five days for the average person to show symptoms.

By Cameron Oakes

This post will be updated with new developments.