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The White House is seen in Washington early Tuesday, the morning after President Trump returned from the hospital where he was treated for COVID-19.
![a castle on top of a building: The White House is seen in Washington early Tuesday, the morning after President Trump returned from the hospital where he was treated for COVID-19.](https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/in-video-trump-calls-his-covid-19-a-blessing-from-god/"default":"load":"default","w":"80","h":"52","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB19LgCl.img?h=525&w=799&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f","size3column":"load":"default","w":"62","h":"41","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB19LgCl.img?h=410&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f","size2column":"load":"default","w":"62","h":"41","src":"//img-s-msn-com.akamaized.net/tenant/amp/entityid/BB19LgCl.img?h=410&w=624&m=6&q=60&o=f&l=f")
President Trump made the stunning announcement that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for COVID-19 early Friday, Oct. 2. Since that time, several others in Trump’s circle have tested positive for the virus. Here’s the latest about what we know:
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1:14 p.m.
President Trump insists he’s free of virus, ready for campaign trail
President Donald Trump on Sunday declared he was healthy enough to return to the campaign trail, a day after the White House doctor said he was no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus but did not say explicitly whether Trump had tested negative for it.
Trump, who was poised Monday to host his first rally after his COVID-19 diagnosis, declared he was now “immune” from the virus, a claim that was impossible to prove and comes amid a series of outstanding questions about the president’s health.
9:30 p.m.
Trump’s taxes trace payments to properties by those who got ahead
By The Associated Press
Campaigning for president as a Washington outsider, Trump electrified rallies with his vows to “drain the swamp.” But he did not merely fail to end Washington’s insider culture of lobbying and favor-seeking. He reinvented it, turning his own hotels and resorts into the Beltway’s new backrooms, where public and private business mix and special interests reign.
As president-elect, he had pledged to step back from the Trump Organization and recuse himself from his private company’s operation. As president, he built a system of direct presidential influence-peddling unrivaled in modern US politics.
9:23 p.m.
Doctor says Trump could safely discontinue isolation based on CDC standards
By The Associated Press
The White House doctor said Saturday night that President Donald Trump is no longer at risk of transmitting the coronavirus, a diagnosis that comes as the president prepares to resume campaign rallies and other activities.
In a memo released by the White House, Navy Cmdr. Dr. Sean Conley said Trump meets the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention criteria for safely discontinuing isolation and that by “currently recognized standards” he is no longer considered a transmission risk.
The memo did not declare Trump as testing negative for the virus. But sensitive lab tests — like the PCR test — detect virus in swab samples taken from the nose and throat. Dr. William Morice, who oversees laboratories at the Mayo Clinic, said earlier his week that using the PCR tests, the president’s medical team could hypothetically measure and track the amount of virus in samples over time and watch the viral load go down.
The memo followed Trump’s first public appearance since returning to the White House after being treated for the coronavirus. Hundreds of people gathered Saturday afternoon on the South Lawn for a Trump address on his support for law enforcement from a White House balcony.
7:48 p.m.
Biden hits Trump on economy in critical Pennsylvania county
By The Associated Press
With the backdrop of a union facility in a key battleground county of Pennsylvania, Joe Biden on Saturday blistered President Donald Trump as only pretending to care about the working-class voters who helped flip the Rust Belt to the Republican column four years ago.
“Anyone who actually does an honest day’s work sees him and his promises for what they are,” Biden told a masked, socially distanced crowd at a training facility for plumbers and other tradespeople.
2:35 p.m.
For Boris Johnson, and maybe Trump, COVID as metaphor is hard to shake
By The New York Times
President Donald Trump got a well-wishing phone call this past week from one of the few foreign leaders who knows what he’s been going through: Prime Minister Boris Johnson of Britain, a survivor of a serious brush with the coronavirus this spring.
Trump seized on the call as another opportunity to boast of a swift recovery from COVID-19. But he should take little comfort from Johnson’s experience — and not just because the prime minister ended up in an intensive-care unit after he, like the president, tried to work through the illness.
2:19 p.m.
President Trump makes 1st public appearance since hospital release
By The Associated Press
President Donald Trump made his first public appearance on Saturday since returning to the White House after his hospitalization for the coronavirus, welcoming hundreds of supporters to the South Lawn for an event that marks the return of political activities in the final stretch of the 2020 campaign.
Trump addressed the large crowd even as the White House refused to declare that he is no longer contagious and against the guidance of public health officials. He’s also priming for a Florida rally on Monday.
10:29 a.m.
Ex-NJ governor Chris Christie says he’s out of the hospital
By The Associated Press
Former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Saturday he has been discharged from a New Jersey hospital where he spent a week, following his announcement that he had contracted the coronavirus.
Christie was part of a string of virus cases connected to President Donald Trump’s inner circle. In addition to Trump and first lady Melania Trump, multiple people who had traveled with the president or attended events with him recently contracted the virus.
11:06 p.m.
Trump claims in interview that he is ‘medication free’
By The New York Times
President Donald Trump said Friday night in his first televised interview since he learned he had COVID-19 that he was “medication free” and he claimed to be back to normal, a week after being hospitalized after having trouble breathing.
In the interview, on Fox News, Trump claimed that he went to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center last Friday because he “didn’t feel strong.” But the president denied that he had experienced any trouble breathing, despite multiple people close to the White House saying in interviews that he had, in fact, had trouble breathing and that his blood oxygen level had dropped below 94%, which is a cutoff for severe disease. Doctors had given him supplemental oxygen at the White House before his transfer to the hospital.
9:18 p.m.
Minnesota officials: Nine people tested positive for COVID-19 after attending Trump rally
By The Associated Press
Minnesota health officials say nine people who attended a Sept. 18 rally with President Donald Trump in the northern city of Bemidji later tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Department of Health said Friday that two more cases were associated with a counterprotest nearby.
Trump has visited Minnesota frequently this cycle in hopes of becoming the first Republican to win there since Richard Nixon in 1972. At his airport stop in Bemidji, about 200 miles (320 kilometers) north of Minneapolis, there was little sign of social distancing among the thousands of attendees and many went without face masks.
Health officials aren’t saying definitively that people contracted the virus at Trump’s rally. But health spokesperson Doug Schultz said the rally and a wedding the following day were “likely drivers” of increases in COVID-19 in Beltrami County in September.
Trump himself tested positive for the coronavirus on Oct. 1.
6:50 p.m.
Second Trump-Biden debate officially canceled
By The Associated Press
WASHINGTON —The second presidential debate between President Trump and Democrat Joe Biden is officially off.
The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates confirmed Friday that the Oct. 15 faceoff would be scrapped. The decision was made a day after the commission announced the debate would take place “virtually” because Trump had contracted the coronavirus.
Trump balked at holding the debate in that format, and Biden scheduled a town hall with ABC News for that night once Trump said he would not participate.
Trump’s team later countered with a call to hold the debates as scheduled once the president’s doctor said he would be cleared to hold public events beginning on Saturday.
But the commission said it would not reverse its decision not to have the candidates on stage together, citing an abundance of caution with health concerns — particularly for the town-hall-style debate that was set to feature questions from average voters.
The third debate, scheduled for Oct. 22 in Nashville, is still on.
5:39 p.m.
Biden to visit Pennsylvania on Saturday
By The Associated Press
Joe Biden is heading back to Pennsylvania on Saturday, continuing his focus on his native state that President Donald Trump won narrowly in 2016.
Biden’s campaign announced Friday that he will travel to Erie, which is in one of the most populous counties nationally that flipped to Republican Donald Trump in 2016.
Trump won the county by about 1.5 percentage points. Democratic President Barack Obama won Erie County by 20 points and 16 points in his two national victories.
Erie will be especially critical for Biden as he focuses on winning more white voters beyond the state’s Democratic core in Philadelphia and its suburbs.
It’s Biden’s seventh trip to the state since the start of September.
4:48 p.m.
Trump announces Florida rally on Monday
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
After publicly toying with the idea of staging a campaign rally in Florida this weekend, President Trump is set to travel to the state on Monday instead.
The Trump campaign announced that the president would hold his first rally since announcing he had tested positive for coronavirus in Sanford, Fla., on Monday.
Trump had earlier told Fox News that he wanted to hold in-person rallies on Saturday and Sunday, and released a letter from his doctor stating it was safe for him to resume public events. But Bloomberg News reported earlier Friday that Trump would remain at the White House over the weekend, and address supporters from there.
2:31 p.m.
Trump won’t travel over weekend, ending Florida rally plan
By Bloomberg News
President Trump will remain at the White House this weekend, people familiar with the matter said, after he said he wanted to hold rallies in Florida and Pennsylvania despite questions over the stage of his recovery from COVID-19.
Trump, who told Fox’s Sean Hannity late Thursday that he wanted to hold rallies Saturday and Sunday, won’t travel until Monday at the earliest, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
Trump has been eager to return to the campaign trail, as Democratic nominee Joe Biden widens his lead just weeks before the Nov. 3 election. Trump has released recorded video messages saying he’s well, and his physician said in a statement Wednesday that the president had been free of symptoms for the previous 24 hours.
2:29 p.m.
Hope Hicks returned to the White House to help Trump – then the virus hit
By The Washington Post
When she returned to the White House on March 9 after two years away and a lucrative stint in corporate PR, Hope Hicks was supposed to be a talisman to re-create the magic of President Trump’s against-the-odds 2016 campaign.
The Russia investigation that she had been caught up in was over, the impeachment had just ended and the headlines about her personal life were largely forgotten. With a new title and a bigger office, she was set to be the main liaison between the White House and the Trump re-election campaign, charged with interpreting a volatile boss and keeping him focused on a message about the thriving economy.
Two days later, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus a national pandemic.
Since then, the virus has claimed more than 212,000 American lives, tanked the economy and forced millions out of their jobs or school, imperiling the president’s re-election prospects. But it may never have been more palpable for Trump than the moment last week when Hicks took ill – closely foreshadowing his own sickness.
1:40 p.m.
Trump prepares roughly $1.8 trillion economic relief offer to Pelosi, administration officials say
By The Washington Post
The Trump administration is prepared to make a roughly $1.8 trillion offer to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif., as it has begun to urgently seek a new economic relief package just three days after he declared negotiations over.
“COVID Relief Negotiations are moving along. Go Big!” President Trump wrote on Twitter.
Trump’s economic adviser, Larry Kudlow, said on Fox Business that Trump had just approved a new package, and that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin would be speaking with Pelosi “hopefully to put the final touches on this.”
A person familiar with the situation, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private negotiations, said Trump had signed off on a counter-offer to Pelosi with a pricetag around $1.8 trillion. Aside from the dollar figure, it could not be learned what had changed from the White House’s most recent offer of around $1.6 trillion. Democrats have demanded billions of dollars in new aid for states and cities, something Trump has long opposed.
The stock market moved slightly higher on reports of the new Trump offer, as some investors were hopeful that a new spending deal could be reached.
1:02 p.m.
Trump sets out to get campaign back on track
By Associated Press
President Trump set out to get his campaign back on track Friday, a week after he was sidelined with the coronavirus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans.
As questions linger about his health, Trump began speaking directly to voters, on the radio, less than four weeks from Election Day, and he eyed a return to travel as soon as Monday. The president has not been seen in public — other than in White House-produced videos — since his return days ago from the military hospital where he received experimental treatments for the virus.
Trump on Friday held what his campaign billed as a “radio rally” as he dialed in to the show of conservative radio host Rush Limbaugh. Despite public and private surveys showing him trailing Democrat Joe Biden, Trump predicted a greater victory in 2020 than four years ago.
While Trump said he believes he’s no longer contagious, concerns about infection appeared to scuttle plans for next week’s presidential debate.
“My voice is now perfect,” he told Limbaugh.
12:59 p.m.
Harrison demands Graham get COVID-19 test before debate
By Associated Press
Senator Lindsey Graham and Democratic challenger Jaime Harrison are set to meet for their second debate Friday, although campaign clashes over COVID-19 are stirring doubts of whether the matchup will go on at all.
Harrison threatened to tank the debate, scheduled for 7 p.m. in Spartanburg, over concerns related to Graham’s exposure to other GOP senators who have recently tested positive for COVID-19. In a statement, Harrison, an associate Democratic National Committee chairman, demanded that Graham be tested before the meeting, saying that he and moderators had already agreed to do so and that he wouldn’t “allow politics to put my family, my campaign staff, Sen. Graham’s staff, and members of the media at unnecessary risk.”
11:37 a.m.
Pelosi unveils 25th Amendment bid, questions Trump’s fitness
By Associated Press
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi unveiled legislation Friday that would allow Congress to intervene under the 25th Amendment to the Constitution to remove the president, insisting it’s not about President Trump but inspired by the need for greater congressional oversight of his White House.
Pelosi has been raising questions about Trump’s mental fitness since his COVID-19 diagnosis and demanding more transparency about his health. The bill would set up a commission to assess the president’s ability to lead the country and ensure a continuity of government. It comes one year after Pelosi’s House launched impeachment proceedings against Trump.
“This is not about President Donald Trump — he will face the judgment of the voters,” Pelosi said at a press conference at the Capitol.
11:26 a.m.
McConnell says any deal on stimulus unlikely before election
By Bloomberg News
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell said the differences are likely too big and the time is too short for Congress to agree on a new comprehensive stimulus package before the election, despite President Trump’s renewed interest in striking a deal.
“I believe that we do need another rescue package, but the proximity to the elections and the differences of opinion about what is needed are pretty vast,” McConnell said at an event in his home state of Kentucky.
He also said that while both sides agree on the need for aid to US airlines, that too is unlikely to happen in the next three weeks.
After announcing Tuesday he was ending negotiations with House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Trump shifted direction on Thursday and signaled that the administration is again leaning toward a large-scale stimulus bill. But McConnell’s remarks suggest Senate Republicans may be as big an obstacle to a deal as Pelosi.
10:12 a.m.
McEnany says Trump seen ‘clear to go’ on Saturday
By Bloomberg News
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said President Trump “will be clear to go” on Saturday, when “he wants to talk to the American people.” There are medical tests underway to ensure he doesn’t transmit the virus when he returns to the campaign trail, she said on Fox News, noting she’d conferred with White House doctor Sean Conley.
It will be “tough” to make a rally happen Saturday, she also said. “He won’t be out there if he can transmit the virus,” she said. “There will be a test in place and rest assured that test will show that it’s not transmissible.”
7:17 a.m.
Trump lashes out at his aides with calls to indict political rivals
By The New York Times
President Trump berated his own Cabinet on Thursday for not prosecuting or implicating his political enemies, lashing out amid a cascade of daunting poll numbers and a bout with the coronavirus that has locked him in the White House just weeks before the election.
In his first extended public comments since learning he had the virus last week, Trump balked at participating in holding the next debate with his Democratic challenger, former Vice President Joe Biden, remotely for health reasons and called Sen. Kamala Harris, Biden’s running mate, a “monster” and a “communist.”
The president castigated his own team, as well, declaring that Attorney General William Barr would go down in history “as a very sad, sad situation” if he does not indict Democrats like Biden and former President Barack Obama. He complained that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo had not released Hillary Clinton’s emails, saying, “I’m not happy about him for that reason.” And he targeted Christopher A. Wray, the FBI director. “He’s been disappointing,” Trump said.
10:15 p.m.
Trump says he wants to hold rally in Florida on Saturday
By Associated Press
President Donald Trump says he wants to try and hold a campaign rally in Florida on Saturday “if we have enough time to put it together.”
He also says he might also hold a campaign rally the following night in Pennsylvania.
Speaking Thursday night on Fox News Channel, Trump mentioned his desire to start holding campaign rallies again just hours after his doctor said that he fully anticipates Trump can make a “safe return to public engagements” on Saturday following his coronavirus diagnosis.
Trump is eager to return to the campaign trail and boost a campaign that is trailing in the national polls, and in most battlegrounds.
Trump says he is expecting to take another COVID-19 test on Friday. That would be one week after he flew to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for a three-day hospitalization for the coronavirus.
9:46 p.m.
Trump criticizes Michigan governor, suggests she should thank him after authorities foiled alleged plot to kidnap her
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
Hours after authorities disrupted an alleged plot to kidnap Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, President Trump criticized her and suggested she should have thanked him for the FBI foiling the plan.
“The Federal Government provided tremendous help to the Great People of Michigan. My Justice Department and Federal Law Enforcement announced today that they foiled a dangerous plot against the Governor of Michigan. Rather than say thank you, she calls me a White Supremacist—while Biden and Democrats refuse to condemn Antifa, Anarchists, Looters and Mobs that burn down Democrat run cities,” the president said on Twitter Thursday night.
The tweet came shortly before the president called in to Sean Hannity’s show on Fox News, where he criticized Whitmer for measures she placed on Michigan residents to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and said “it was my Justice Department that arrested them,” in reference to those who allegedly planned to kidnap her.
Six men were arrested Wednesday night after they allegedly spent months planning the kidnapping and rehearsed taking Whitmer from her vacation home, authorities said.
Whitmer said publicly Thursday that Trump’s recent refusals to condemn white supremacy were partly to blame for the plot, citing the line “stand back and stand by” Trump directed at the Proud Boys, which the Southern Poverty Law Center designates as a hate group, at last week’s presidential debate.
Governor Whitmer of Michigan has done a terrible job. She locked down her state for everyone, except her husband’s boating activities. The Federal Government provided tremendous help to the Great People of Michigan. My Justice Department and Federal Law Enforcement announced…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2020
…I do not tolerate ANY extreme violence. Defending ALL Americans, even those who oppose and attack me, is what I will always do as your President! Governor Whitmer—open up your state, open up your schools, and open up your churches!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 9, 2020
9:03 p.m.
Commission won’t rethink shift to virtual debate
By The Associated Press
The chair of the Commission on Presidential Debates says it is not reconsidering shifting the second debate from virtual back to in-person, despite a request from President Donald Trump’s team.
Frank Fahrenkopf told The Associated Press late Thursday that the nonpartisan group’s decision was not going to be reversed. That means the second debate is probably not going to happen at all.
The commission decided to make the Oct. 15 debate virtual after Trump tested positive for the coronavirus. Fahrenkopf says the group wanted to “protect the health and safety of all involved” and that the decision was guided by the advice of the Cleveland Clinic, its heath partner for the 2020 debates.
Trump’s doctor, Navy Cdr. Sean Conley, said in a letter Thursday evening that Trump would be cleared to resume public activities Saturday, 10 days after his diagnosis.
Earlier Thursday, Trump balked at the virtual event and said he wouldn’t participate. Biden’s campaign then said Biden would participate in a town hall hosted by ABC News on Oct. 15 instead.
7:40 p.m.
White House doctor says Trump could ‘return to public engagements’ on Saturday
By Lauren Booker, Globe Staff
Dr. Sean Conley, the physician treating President Trump, says in a statement sent Thursday night that he anticipates for President Trump to be able to “return to public engagement” on Saturday, and cites that date as being day 10 since the president’s diagnosis on Oct. 1.
The doctor’s report says that the president’s “physical exam has remained stable and devoid of any indications to suggest progression of illness.”
“Overall he’s responded extremely well to treatment, without evidence on examination of adverse therapeutic effects,” Conley writes in the memo.
Trump’s afternoon vitals, including heart rate, 69 beats/min, blood pressure, 127/91 mmHG, respiratory rate, 15-17 breaths/min, and pulse oximetry, 96 to 98 percent room air, were also listed in the memo.
4:51 p.m.
Biden won’t divulge court expansion stance now
By The Associated Press
Joe Biden says he won’t reveal until after the Nov. 3 election whether he’d consider adding seats to the Supreme Court.
The Democratic presidential nominee told reporters in Arizona on Thursday that voters will “know my opinion on court packing when the election’s over.” He said answering the hypothetical and politically fraught question would play into President Donald Trump’s hands.
Biden has joined his party’s senators in calling for Republican Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to delay a confirmation vote on Trump’s Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett, until after the election. Barrett would give the court a 6-3 conservative majority.
Some progressives want Biden and Democrats to commit to expanding the court with a slate of liberal justices if they take power in January. Trump and Republicans are using that scenario in the hopes of animating the GOP base and perhaps coaxing votes from some moderate Republicans who dislike Trump but care about the court makeup.
4:26 p.m.
Biden calls on Trump to stop insulting Harris
By The Associated Press
Democrat Joe Biden is calling on President Donald Trump to stop insulting his running mate, Sen. Kamala Harris, after the president called her a “monster” during a TV appearance.
Speaking to reporters Thursday on the tarmac in Phoenix, Biden called the Republican president’s comments “despicable” and “so beneath the office of the presidency.” He added of the president: “It’s obvious he has great difficulty dealing with strong women.”
Trump made the comments Thursday on Fox Business in reference to Harris’ performance during Wednesday night’s vice presidential debate with Mike Pence. Harris, who is campaigning in Arizona with Biden, declined to comment on the president’s remarks.
The presidential election is 26 days away.
4:10 p.m.
Biden to participate in ABC town hall on Oct. 15
By The Associated Press
Joe Biden will participate in an ABC News town hall on Oct. 15, the date originally slated for a second town hall presidential debate between the Democrat and President Donald Trump.
The move on Thursday comes after Trump pulled out of their planned duel town hall following an announcement by the Commission on Presidential Debates that it would be held virtually because of the president’s COVID-19 diagnosis.
Biden has called for pushing back the town hall format to Oct. 22, effectively replacing the third planned debate. Trump countered with pushing back both debates, holding a town hall on Oct. 22 and then a third debate Oct. 29, just days before the Nov. 3 election.
George Stephanopoulos will host the Biden town hall in Philadelphia.
3:11 p.m.
Mask-free pastor holds service after attending White House superspreader event
By Associated Press
A Texas megachurch pastor who attended a White House function that has since been labeled a superspreader event held a church service on Sunday and took to the stage without a mask.
Robert Morris, who is the senior pastor of the Dallas-area Gateway Church, attended the Rose Garden ceremony on Sept. 26 for Judge Amy Coney Barrett, President Trump’s Supreme Court nominee.
Several people who attended the Rose Garden ceremony have contracted the virus, including former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie and former White House aide Kellyanne Conway. It’s not clear that they were infected during that event.
2:52 p.m.
Pelosi ‘at the table’ even after Trump scrapped virus talks
By Associated Press
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said Thursday she’s “at the table” and ready to negotiate a coronavirus aid package even after President Trump halted talks abruptly. His decision earlier this week sent the jittery economy reeling and left his GOP allies scrambling as millions of Americans go without jobless assistance, hoped-for business support or expanded testing protocols weeks before Election Day.
Pelosi said she told Trump’s chief negotiator, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, she is willing to consider a measure to prop up the airline industry, which is facing widespread layoffs. But that aid, she said, must go alongside broader legislation that includes the kind of COVID testing, tracing and health practices that Democrats say are needed as part of a national strategy to “crush the virus.”
“Lives are at stake,” Pelosi said at the Capitol. “This is deadly serious.”
1:57 p.m.
DC faults White House over Rose Garden event, urges testing
By Associated Press
In an extraordinary step, the Washington, D.C., Department of Health has released an open letter appealing to all White House staff and anyone who attended a Sept. 26 event in the Rose Garden to seek medical advice and take a COVID-19 test.
The letter indicates a lack of confidence in the White House medical team’s own contact tracing efforts regarding an ongoing virus outbreak that has infected President Trump, multiple senior staff members and two U.S. senators, among others.
Co-signed by nine other local health departments from neighboring jurisdictions in Maryland and Virginia, the letter flatly states a belief that contact tracing on the outbreak has been insufficient.
1:43 p.m.
Joe Biden again tests negative for COVID-19
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
Former vice president Joe Biden again tested negative for COVID-19, more than a week after he shared a debate stage with President Trump, who announced Friday he had tested positive.
The Biden campaign told a pool reporter that Biden underwent a PCR test, also known as a molecular test, on Thursday and COVID-19 was not detected.
Biden has been undergoing regular coronavirus testing in the wake of his appearance alongside Trump at the first presidential debate, and has pledged to disclose the findings.
1:00 p.m.
Pelosi, McConnell discuss White House coronavirus outbreak
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell revealed Thursday that he has not been to the White House since August, because he disagreed with the way it was handling COVID-19 precautions, as House Speaker Nancy Pelosi demanded that President Trump disclose the date of his last negative COVID-19 test.
“I actually haven’t been to the White House since August the 6th because my impression was their approach to how to handle this is different from mine and what I insisted that we do in the Senate which is to wear a mask and practice social distancing,” McConnell told reporters in Kentucky.
It was a rare tacit criticism of how Trump has handled the coronavirus outbreak, often flaunting his own administration’s guidelines on social distancing and mask-wearing, and came after dozens of people close to the White House contracted coronavirus in recent weeks.
Meanwhile, in her Thursday press conference, Pelosi was asked by a reporter whether she believed it was time to invoke the 25th Amendment, which lays out procedures for the transfer of power should a vacancy in the presidency arise or should the president become incapacitated.
“I’ll talk to you about that tomorrow,” she responded ominously. “But you take me back to my point: Mr. President, when was the last time you had a negative test, before you tested positive? Why is the White House not telling the country that important fact about how this spread?”
11:56 a.m.
Democratic nominee Joe Biden will hold event next week in lieu of debate, campaign says
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
In a statement issued shortly before noon Thursday, the Biden campaign said it would hold its own campaign event next week in lieu of the debate, and called on the Commission on Presidential Debates to move back the town-hall style debate on Oct. 22. The third debate is currently set to be similar in format to the first debate.
Next week’s debate was scheduled to emphasize questions from voters rather than a moderator.
“The voters should have a chance to ask questions of both candidates, directly. Every Presidential candidate since 1992 has participated in such an event, and it would be a shame if Donald Trump was the first to refuse,” deputy campaign manager Kate Bedingfield said in the statement.
10:07 a.m.
Trump touts progress in stimulus talks days after spiking them
By Bloomberg News
President Trump said talks on providing additional fiscal stimulus are now “starting to work out,” after he pulled his side out of negotiations earlier this week.
“I think we have a really good chance of doing something,” Trump said Thursday morning in a live interview with Maria Bartiromo on Fox Business. There are now “very productive talks” on coronavirus relief, he said.
Months of hard-fought negotiations on a stimulus package to shore up a slowing economic recovery came to an abrupt end Tuesday, when Trump pulled his team out of the talks. He then called on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to send him standalone assistance bills, including for airlines and individual stimulus checks.
9:52 a.m.
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows ignored virus rules at wedding, report says
By Associated Press
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows hosted a large wedding for his daughter that appeared to violate a Georgia order and city of Atlanta guidelines aimed at stopping the spread of COVID-19, an Atlanta newspaper reported Thursday.
Photos of the event show that social distancing guidelines were not followed during the May 31 nuptials at the Biltmore Ballrooms Atlanta, the Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported.
About 70 guests, including US Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, wore tuxedos and ball gowns but no masks at the indoor wedding, and photographs show groups of people clustered closely together in the same room throughout the evening, the newspaper said. Georgia had loosened some coronavirus restrictions by the end of May, but Gov. Brian Kemp’s orders at the time banned gatherings of more than 10 people.
8:44 a.m.
Trump says he won’t participate in ‘virtual’ debate with Biden
By Associated Press
President Trump vowed Thursday not to participate in next week’s debate with Democratic nominee Joe Biden after organizers announced it will take place virtually because of the president’s diagnosis of COVID-19.
“I’m not going to do a virtual debate” with Biden, Trump told Fox News, moments after the Commission on Presidential Debates announced the changes due to Trump’s diagnosis.
That cast serious doubts on whether the event will go forward, even as Biden’s campaign vowed that its candidate will participate.
7:48 a.m.
Next Trump-Biden debate will be ‘virtual’ amid concerns about Trump’s COVID-19, commission says
By Associated Press
The second presidential debate between President Trump and Democratic nominee Joe Biden will take place virtually amid the fallout from the president’s diagnosis of COVID-19.
The nonpartisan Commission on Presidential Debates made the announcement Thursday morning, a week before the two were scheduled to face on in Miami. The candidates will “participate from separate remote locations,” while the participants and moderator remain in Miami, the commission said.
Trump was diagnosed with the coronavirus a week ago and said he looked forward to debating Biden on stage in Miami, saying, “It will be great!”
Thursday, Oct. 8 4:05 a.m.
Trump hails antibody treatment, calls his COVID-19 a ‘blessing from God’
By Bloomberg News
President Trump credited Regeneron Pharmaceutical Inc.’s experimental monoclonal antibody treatment with his apparent recovery from the coronavirus, and announced Wednesday his intention to authorize emergency use of the therapeutic and provide it free to Americans.
“I want everybody to be given the same treatment as your president, because I feel great,” Trump said in a video posted on Twitter Wednesday evening. “To me it wasn’t therapeutic, it just made me better, O.K.?” he said. “I call that a cure.”
Trump added that he believed his brush with the virus was “a blessing from God” because it gave him first-hand experience with the Regeneron monoclonal antibodies, which he described as “key” to his recovery.
Trump took the experimental treatment alongside remdesivir, the Gilead Sciences antiviral therapy, as well as the steroid dexamethasone. But the president said he specifically asked doctors to give him the Regeneron treatment.
Trump asserted once again that he believed the U.S. would have a vaccine “very, very shortly” but said for the first time that it was not likely to come until after the Nov. 3 presidential election. The president blamed “politics” after the Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday released new standards that could delay authorization of a coronavirus vaccine until after the election.
Trump also claimed in the video, shot on the South Lawn of the White House, that he did not believe he needed to be hospitalized over the weekend at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, but that doctors insisted because of his office.
“I walked in, I didn’t feel good,” Trump said. “A short 24 hours later, I was feeling great I wanted to get out of the hospital. And that’s what I want for everybody.
A MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT! pic.twitter.com/uhLIcknAjT
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 7, 2020
8:30 p.m.
White House security official contracted COVID-19 in September
By Bloomberg News
A top White House security official, Crede Bailey, is gravely ill with Covid-19 and has been hospitalized since September, according to four people familiar with his condition.
The White House has not publicly disclosed Bailey’s illness. He became sick before the Sept. 26 Rose Garden event President Donald Trump held to announce his Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett that has been connected to more than a dozen cases of the disease.
A White House spokesman declined to comment on Bailey. He is in charge of the White House security office, which handles credentialing for access to the White House and works closely with the U.S. Secret Service on security measures throughout the compound.
A career federal employee who has seldom appeared in the news, Bailey was swept up in a controversy last year over security clearances granted to Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law Jared Kushner. Bailey privately testified to the House Oversight Committee that he didn’t face pressure from others at the White House to grant clearances, according to a report by The Hill.
6:13 p.m.
New England Journal of Medicine slams federal response to coronavirus pandemic
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
In a scathing editorial posted on Wednesday, the New England Journal of Medicine slammed the federal government for its response to the coronavirus pandemic in the United States, accusing the Trump administration of abandoning the response and leaving states to fend for themselves as deaths piled up.
It was a rare admonition from the storied medical journal, which publishes medical studies and scientific information for use by researchers and clinicians around the world. It was signed simply by “the editors.”
“We rarely publish editorials signed by all the editors,” Eric Rubin, editor-in-chief of the NEJM, told CNN on Wednesday.
The editorial described an abjectly failed national response to a viral pandemic that has killed more than 200,000 Americans.
“The response of our nation’s leaders has been consistently inadequate. The federal government has largely abandoned disease control to the states. Governors have varied in their responses, not so much by party as by competence. But whatever their competence, governors do not have the tools that Washington controls. Instead of using those tools, the federal government has undermined them,” the editorial, titled “Dying in a Leadership Vacuum,” said.
Though the article did not mention Trump by name, its authors urged Americans to vote him out of office.
“Reasonable people will certainly disagree about the many political positions taken by candidates. But truth is neither liberal nor conservative. When it comes to the response to the largest public health crisis of our time, our current political leaders have demonstrated that they are dangerously incompetent,” the authors concluded. “We should not abet them and enable the deaths of thousands more Americans by allowing them to keep their jobs.”
The journal’s editors said the Trump administration had squandered the United States’ many advantages in responding to such a pandemic, allowing countries around the world to mount more effective responses. They also wrote that Trump’s relentless campaign to sow mistrust in scientific facts and institutions has done lasting damage.
“Our current leaders have undercut trust in science and in government, causing damage that will certainly outlast them. Instead of relying on expertise, the administration has turned to uninformed ‘opinion leaders’ and charlatans who obscure the truth and facilitate the promulgation of outright lies,” the editors wrote.
1:42 p.m.
Conley: Trump has been fever-free for more than four days and symptom-free for over 24 hours
By Shannon Larson, Globe Correspondent
President Trump’s doctor said his physical exam and vital signs, including “oxygen saturation and respiratory rate,” all remain stable and in normal range as of Wednesday.
His physician, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, says in a new memo released by the White House that Trump — who tested positive for coronavirus last week — has been fever-free for more than four days and symptom-free for over 24 hours.
The president “has not needed nor received any supplemental oxygen since initial hospitalization,” Conley said in the memo.
A Wednesday update from President @realDonaldTrump’s physician: pic.twitter.com/IEn3Clv9yg
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) October 7, 2020
Conley said Trump told him, “I feel great!” earlier today.
Trump’s labs drawn Monday demonstrated “detectable levels” of coronavirus antibodies, as compared to late Thursday night, Conley said in the memo.
“We’ll continue to closely monitor, and I will update you as I know more,” Conley said.
12:09 p.m.
Tillis: I made a mistake taking off mask inside White House
By Associated Press
North Carolina Republican Sen. Thom Tillis says he made a mistake by taking off his face mask indoors last month at a White House event. Many attendees — including Tillis and President Trump — later tested positive for COVID-19.
The senator, who has been a strong supporter of wearing masks in public, was wearing one outside at the White House Rose Garden on Sept. 26, when Trump nominated Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. But photos showed him without one at an indoor reception later.
11:18 a.m.
In about-face, Trump seeks to salvage parts of virus aid
By Associated Press
The White House on Wednesday tried to salvage its favorite items lost in the rubble of COVID-19 relief talks that President Trump blew up, with his administration pressing for $1,200 stimulus checks and a new wave of aid for airlines and other businesses hard hit by the pandemic.
In a barrage of tweets, Trump pressed for passage of these chunks of assistance, an about-face from his abrupt and puzzling move on Tuesday afternoon to abandon talks with a longtime rival, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. The California Democrat has rejected such piecemeal entreaties all along.
Trump’s tweets amounted to him demanding his way in negotiations that he himself had ended.
11:10 a.m.
Harris, Pence test negative before debate
By Associated Press
Kamala Harris has again tested negative for the coronavirus.
The campaign reported her results on Wednesday, less than 12 hours before she is scheduled to debate Vice President Mike Pence. She took the test Tuesday.
Pence also tested negative on Tuesday, according to the White House.
Harris and Pence will appear on stage at the University of Utah for a 90-minute debate.
Wednesday, Oct. 7 9:56 a.m.
10:25 p.m.
Maine Sen. Susan Collins: Maskless Trump set a poor example at White House
By Associated Press
Republican Sen. Susan Collins said Tuesday she was “shocked” to see President Donald Trump discharged from the hospital so soon, and said Trump set a poor example by appearing at the White House without a mask.
“When I saw him on the balcony of the White House, taking off his mask, I couldn’t help but think that he sent the wrong signal, given that he’s infected with COVID-19 and that there are many people in his immediate circle who have the virus,” she said. “I did not think that was a good example at all.”
4:28 p.m.
Trump aide Stephen Miller tests positive for virus, reports say
By Peter Bailey-Wells, Globe staff
Stephen Miller, a senior adviser to President Trump, has tested positive for the coronavirus Tuesday.
A senior administration official said Miller had previously tested negative as White House officials have tried to contain an outbreak on the complex that has infected Trump, the first lady and more than a dozen other aides and associates.
NEW: Stephen Miller has tested positive for COVID, per senior administration official. Adds Miller has been working remotely for last 5 days, testing negative every day through yesterday, and is in quarantine after a positive test today.
— Hallie Jackson (@HallieJackson) October 6, 2020
Miller is an architect of the president’s “America First” foreign policy and restrictive immigration measures and is Trump’s speechwriter.
His wife, Katie Miller, who serves as communications director to Vice President Mike Pence, previously had the virus and tested negative after the last time she saw him. Katie Miller had been in Salt Lake City with Pence, where he is preparing to debate Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris, but she left as soon as she found out about her husband’s diagnosis.
4:28 p.m.
Biden tests negative again for COVID-19
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden on Tuesday again tested negative for COVID-19, the campaign told a pool reporter.
The campaign said the former vice president underwent a PCR test (also known as a molecular test) for the disease.
The latest test is at least the fourth since Biden shared a debate stage with President Trump a week ago. Trump announced he had tested positive for COVID-19 on Friday.
Biden pledged to release the results of any tests he undergoes for the coronavirus after Trump was criticized this week for failing to disclose when he last tested negative.
3:12 p.m.
Trump says he’s asked representatives to stop negotiating on COVID-19 relief bill until after election
The Associated Press
Washington (AP) — President Donald Trump said Tuesday that he has instructed aides to stop negotiating on another round of COVID-19 relief until after the election.
Trump tweeted that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was “not negotiating in good faith” and said he’s asked Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell to direct all his focus before the election into confirming his U.S. Supreme Court nominee, Amy Coney Barrett.
“I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business,” Trump tweeted.
Last week, the White House said it was backing a $400 per week pandemic jobless benefit and dangled the possibility of a COVID-19 relief bill of $1.6 trillion. But that offer was rejected by Pelosi.
…request, and looking to the future of our Country. I have instructed my representatives to stop negotiating until after the election when, immediately after I win, we will pass a major Stimulus Bill that focuses on hardworking Americans and Small Business. I have asked…
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020
1:05 p.m.
Trump reports ‘no symptoms’ of COVID-19 as he continues recovery, White House doctor says
By the Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s physician says the president is experiencing “no symptoms” of COVID-19 after returning home from the hospital Monday night.
His physician, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, says in a new memo released by the White House that the president’s medical team met with him in the residence Tuesday morning.
He says that Trump had a “restful first night at home” and that his vital signs remain stable, including his blood oxygen level.
11:15 a.m.
Trump says he is ‘feeling great’ and ‘looking forward’ to second debate scheduled for next week
By Shannon Larson, Globe Correspondent
Following a series of tweets early Tuesday morning, President Trump returned to Twitter a few hours later to declare that he was “feeling great” despite being infected with coronavirus and that he was “looking forward” to the second presidential debate, scheduled for late next week.
FEELING GREAT!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020
The second debate of the 2020 presidential election between Trump and former vice president Joe Biden is currently scheduled for Oct. 15 in Miami. The debate is set up as a town hall-style meeting, which emphasizes questions from voters, not a moderator.
Trump was discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Monday evening, where he received aggressive treatment for the disease that has killed more than 200,000 Americans.
I am looking forward to the debate on the evening of Thursday, October 15th in Miami. It will be great!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020
Biden told reporters on Monday that he would participate in next week’s debate if it was deemed safe to by “the experts.”
“I’ll do whatever the experts say,” Biden said. “I think we should be very cautious.”
Biden says he’ll debate Trump in Miami on the 15th if experts believe it’s safe. From the Biden press pool pic.twitter.com/OZ1qVheyG2
— David Smiley (@NewsbySmiley) October 5, 2020
10:10 a.m.
White House staff, Secret Service eye virus with fear, anger
By Associated Press
The West Wing is a ghost town. Staff members are scared of exposure. And the White House is now a treatment ward for not one — but two — COVID patients, including a president who has long taken the threat of the virus lightly.
President Trump’s decision to return home from a military hospital despite his continued illness is putting new focus on the people around him who could be further exposed if he doesn’t abide by strict isolation protocols.
Throughout the pandemic, White House custodians, ushers, kitchen staff, and members of the US Secret Service have continued to show up for work in what is now a coronavirus hot spot, with more than a dozen known cases this week alone.
Trump, still contagious, has made clear that he has little intention of abiding by best containment practices.
9:32 a.m.
Michelle Obama goes after Trump in new video
By Associated Press
Michelle Obama is going after President Donald Trump in a scathing new video that accuses him of “willful mismanagement” of the coronavirus crisis and of racism. She calls on Black and all young voters not to “waste” their votes.
In the video, released Tuesday by Joe Biden’s campaign, Mrs. Obama notes that more Americans have died from COVID-19 than died in the Iraq, Afghanistan, Vietnam and Korean wars combined. She charges that with respect to the virus, “our commander in chief, sadly, has been missing in action.”
There’s no better person to convey what’s at stake in this election than my friend, @MichelleObama. Tune in to hear her closing argument. https://t.co/wc7mywLUHy
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 6, 2020
Mrs. Obama accuses Trump of being “racist” when he and other Republicans are “lying about how minorities will destroy the suburbs,” which she says is meant to “distract from his breathtaking failures.”
8:38 a.m.
In early-morning tweets, Trump again compares the coronavirus to the flu
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
President Trump again downplayed the coronavirus on Tuesday morning, just hours after he was discharged from Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and even as he was still receiving aggressive treatment for the disease that has killed 200,000 people.
In a tweet, Trump again compared the virus to the flu, though he has privately acknowledged it is much more deadly. He falsely stated that sometimes more than 100,000 die annually from the flu, while the CDC puts the number of annual deaths at around 12,000 to 61,000. He also said Americans are learning to live with COVID-19.
Flu season is coming up! Many people every year, sometimes over 100,000, and despite the Vaccine, die from the Flu. Are we going to close down our Country? No, we have learned to live with it, just like we are learning to live with Covid, in most populations far less lethal!!!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 6, 2020
In an interview with reporter Bob Woodward in February, Trump himself said that it was “more deadly than even your strenuous flus.” He later told Woodward he was intentionally downplaying the threat of the virus to avoid a panic.
7:02 a.m.
Northam has mild symptoms, scorns Trump for downplaying COVID-19
By The Washington Post
Virginia Governor Ralph Northam said Monday that he has developed “mild” symptoms of covid-19 more than a week after testing positive for the novel coronavirus, but he is continuing to conduct business remotely.
“I had a little bit of cold-like symptoms over the weekend and lost my sense of taste or smell, but other than that I feel fine,” Northam, a Democrat, said Monday afternoon in a telephone interview.
But Northam, who is a physician, said he was alarmed that President Donald Trump was playing down the severity of the disease while apparently suffering a more serious bout.
“Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life,” Trump tweeted Monday in announcing that he would soon be leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where he was hospitalized on Friday after reportedly suffering low oxygen levels and had received an aggressive series of treatments.
“That’s absolutely the wrong message,” Northam said, pointing out that more than 200,000 Americans have lost their lives to covid-19 and more than 7 million have been infected. “It’s irresponsible to make a statement like that.”
Tuesday, Oct. 6 1:05 a.m.
DC government unable to connect with White House on outbreak
By Associated Press
Officials with the Washington, D.C., Department of Health have been unsuccessful in trying to connect with the White House to assist with contact tracing and other protocols regarding the ongoing COVID-19 outbreak that has infected President Donald Trump and several senior staff members.
“We have reached out to the White House on a couple of different levels, a political level and a public health level,” Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser said Monday. She added that a D.C. health department representative who reached out to the White House “had a very cursory conversation that we don’t consider a substantial contact from the public health side.”
8:09 p.m.
Trump’s doctor leans on health privacy law to duck questions
By Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s doctor leaned on a federal health privacy law Monday to duck certain questions about the president’s treatment for COVID-19, while readily sharing other details of his patient’s condition.
But a leading expert on the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act said a more likely reason for Dr. Sean Conley’s selective disclosures appears to be Trump’s comfort level in fully revealing his medical information.
“That’s a little head-scratcher,” said Deven McGraw, a former career government lawyer who oversaw enforcement of the 1996 medical privacy statute. “It’s quite possible the doctor sat down with the president and asked which information is OK to disclose.”
At a press briefing at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Conley, the White House physician, reported the president’s blood pressure — a little high at 134/78 — and respiration and heart rates, which were both in the normal ranges.
But when reporters pressed for details on the results of lung scans and when Trump had last tested negative for COVID-19, the doctor demurred, citing HIPAA, as the law is commonly known.
7:37 p.m.
Trump, still infectious, back at White House — without mask
By Associated Press
WASHINGTON (AP) — President Donald Trump staged a dramatic return to the White House after leaving the military hospital where he was receiving an unprecedented level of care for COVID-19. He immediately ignited a new controversy by declaring that despite his illness the nation should not fear the virus that has killed more than 210,000 Americans — and then he entered the White House without a protective mask.
Trump’s message alarmed infectious disease experts and suggested the president’s own illness had not caused him to rethink his often-cavalier attitude toward the disease, which has also infected the first lady and several White House aides, including new cases revealed Monday.
Landing Monday night at the White House on Marine One, Trump gingerly climbed the South Portico steps, removed his mask and declared, “I feel good.” He gave a double thumbs-up to the departing helicopter from the portico terrace, where aides had arranged American flags for the sunset occasion. He entered the White House, where aides were visible milling about the Blue Room, without wearing a face covering.
The president left Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, where his doctor, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, said earlier Monday that the president remains contagious and would not be fully “out of the woods” for another week but that Trump had met or exceeded standards for discharge from the hospital. Trump is expected to continue his recovery at the White House, where the reach of the outbreak that has infected the highest levels of the U.S. government is still being uncovered.
6:46 p.m.
Trump pumps fist as he walks out of hospital
By Associated Press
President Trump pumped his fist as he departed a military hospital after a three-day stay for the coronavirus.
A masked Trump walked out of Walter Reed National Military Medical Center on Monday evening toward a waiting SUV that carried him to Marine One for the short flight back to the White House. He said, “Thank you very much,” to the assembled reporters.
Even before he walked out the doors, he tweeted that he’d be back on the campaign trail soon.
The 74-year-old Trump was expected to continue his recovery at the White House, where he will be cared for around-the-clock by a team of doctors and nurses. He announced his coronavirus diagnosis early Friday.
His doctor, Navy Cmdr. Sean Conley, told reporters earlier Monday that Trump remains contagious.
His return comes as the White House is still learning the extent of the outbreak that has sickened over a dozen close contacts of the president over the last week.
5:30 p.m.
‘I am enraged that he is minimizing the pandemic’ — doctors rip Trump for planned hospital exit
By Travis Andersen, Globe staff
Reaction from some medical experts was swift – and sharply critical – after President Trump tweeted Monday that he would leave Walter Reed in a matter of hours despite his COVID-19 diagnosis.
That didn’t sit well with Dr. Dara Kass, an associate clinical professor of emergency medicine at Columbia University.
“I don’t care that he is leaving the hospital at risk to himself,” Kass tweeted. “I am embarrassed that his doctors have been so clearly marginalized from making decisions. I am enraged that he is minimizing the pandemic that has killed over 200K and infected millions more.”
3:48 p.m.
Trump says he will leave Walter Reed Monday afternoon as doctors say he’s not ‘out of the woods’ yet
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
In a tweet Monday, President Trump said he’s leaving Walter Reed Monday at 6:30 p.m. and urged people not to be “afraid” of COVID-19, the disease that has killed more than 200,000 Americans since the spring, as his doctors told reporters that he met discharge criteria but is not yet out of the woods.
I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. 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!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2020
Meanwhile, Dr. Sean Conley said it had been more than 72 hours since his last fever and that his oxygen levels were normal.
“Though he may not entirely be out of the woods yet,” Conley said, his status supports his “safe return home.”
Trump’s health team again refused to disclose the findings of his lung scans as they update the public on his condition. Conley, the president’s physician, said that he’s “just not at liberty to discuss” the findings.
1:31 p.m.
Trump fund-raiser ‘borders on reckless,’ N.J. Governor Phil Murphy says
By Bloomberg News
President Donald Trump’s fundraiser at his New Jersey golf club “borders on reckless,” Governor Phil Murphy said.
At least 206 people who attended the events in Bedminster potentially were exposed to Trump, who tested positive for the novel coronavirus. State and local health officials are “still in the throes” of contacting the event attendees to warn them of the potential exposure to Covid-19, but “we need more cooperation from the administration,” Murphy said Monday on CNN.
“It’s extremely frustrating,” Murphy said later on CBS-TV’s “This Morning.” He said “it could be days” for attendees and club staff to test positive for the virus, and said all should self-quarantine.
In a series of tweets later Monday, Murphy said 206 people attended the Trump events in Bedminster, and 19 staff members were also potentially exposed. State officials were notifying them that they may have been exposed to coronavirus. He also said the state is investigating reports that the events did not comply with social distancing requirements.
We continue to investigate reports that suggest the Bedminster event may not have complied with our current rules, which may have put others at risk.
Any failures to comply with our emergency orders will be referred to @NewJerseyOAG for a follow-up.
— Governor Phil Murphy (@GovMurphy) October 5, 2020
1:06 p.m.
Two others from White House communications shop have contracted COVID-19
By Christina Prignano, Globe Staff
Two of press secretary Kayleigh McEnany’s deputies have tested positive for coronavirus, CNN reported on Monday, shortly after news of McEnany’s positive test broke.
CNN’s Kaitlin Collins reported that the deputies tested positive, but did not identify them.
Two of Kayleigh McEnany’s deputies in the press shop have now tested positive as well, CNN has confirmed.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 5, 2020
CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta also reported Monday that many employees in the White House press shop were working from home amid the apparent outbreak.
The White House is facing criticism for its efforts in mitigating the growing COVID-19 outbreak. Axios reported last week that the White House did not implement a mask-wearing mandate, even as several senior Trump administration and campaign officials contracted the virus.
11:58 a.m.
Biden on participating in next debate: ‘I’ll do whatever the experts say’
By Liz Goodwin, Globe Staff
NEW CASTLE, DEL. — Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said Monday he’d leave it up to medical experts to determine whether it’s safe for him and President Trump to go ahead with their next scheduled debate after the president contracted COVID-19.
“I’ll do whatever the experts say is appropriate for me to do,” Biden told reporters before boarding a flight at New Castle Airport in Delaware for a campaign trip to Florida. Asked if there should be Plexiglas dividers between the candidates, he said, “I’m not an expert on it but I think we should be very cautious.”
Biden said if scientists determined that it’s safe to participate in the next debate, on Oct. 15 in Miami, then “that’s fine.”
He declined to discuss Trump’s health or his decision to take a short ride Sunday in an SUV outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, Md., to wave to supporters gathered outside.
“I’m reluctant to comment on the president’s health, what he’s doing or not doing,” Biden said. “I’ll leave that to the doctors.”
11:30 a.m.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany tests positive for COVID-19
By Christina Prignano, Globe Staf
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said Monday she has tested positive for the coronavirus.
McEnany is the latest member of President Trump’s inner circle to contract the disease. She said in a statement posted to Twitter that she tested positive Monday morning “while experiencing no symptoms.”
“With my recent positive test, I will begin the quarantine process and will continue working on behalf of the American people remotely,” she said in a statement.
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) October 5, 2020
9:17 a.m.
Meadows says Trump improved overnight; Doctors to evaluate him for possible release
By Bloomberg News
White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said that Trump’s condition continued to improve overnight, and that the president is ready to return to a normal work schedule.
“We’re still optimistic that, based on his unbelievable progress,” he will be released, Meadows said in an interview with Fox News, adding that “that decision won’t be made until later today.”
Meadows said Trump’s condition continued to improve overnight and “the doctors will have an evaluation sometime late morning.”
“Obviously this is an important day,” he said. “The president continues to improve and is ready to get back to a normal work schedule.”
Monday, Oct. 5 7:32 a.m.
From hospital, President Trump blasts out a campaign tweetstorm
By Rob DeCola, Globe Staff
President Donald Trump unleashed a bevy of tweets Monday morning, encouraging Americans to vote and posting a laundry list of issues seemingly central to his campaign.
It began shortly after 6 a.m. Monday, with a tweet highlighting a quote apparently from a voter featured on Fox News’ Fox and Friends morning show. From there, Trump warned voters that if they “want a massive tax increase” that will “shut our economy and jobs down” than they should “vote Democrat.”
Focusing next specifically on voters in Virginia, Trump cast himself as “the only thing between you and your Second Amendment.” He further stated Virginia voters “better vote for your favorite President, or wave goodbye to low taxes and gun rights!”
Virginia Voters! Your Governor wants to obliterate your Second Amendment. I have stopped him. I am the only thing between you and your Second Amendment. Working hard in Virginia. It’s IN PLAY. Better Vote for your favorite President, or wave goodbye to low taxes and gun rights!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2020
Then Trump began a nearly half-hour-long tweetstorm of campaign issues, followed by a plea to “Vote!”
“Stock market highs!” “Strongest ever military.” “Law & order.” “Religious liberty.” “Biggest tax cut ever, and another one coming.” “401(K).” “Best V.A. ever. 91% approval rating.” “Space Force.” “Massive regulation cuts.” “Pro Life!” “Better & cheaper healthcare.” “Protect preexisting conditions.” “Fight the corrupt fake news media.” “Save our Second Amendment.” “Peace through strength (bring our soldiers home).”
10:44 p.m.
President Trump didn’t disclose first positive COVID-19 test, Wall Street Journal reports
By Lauren Booker, Globe Staff
After taking a rapid COVID-19 test on Thursday evening, President Trump didn’t mention his positive result when he made an appearance on Fox News later that evening, according to The Wall Street Journal’s source.
Instead, Trump said, “I’ll get my test back either tonight or tomorrow,” during the interview.
The president went on to reveal on Twitter that he was positive for COVID-19 on Friday at 1 a.m.
10:06 p.m.
Presidential memorabilia shop introduces ‘Trump Defeats COVID’ art coins
By Brittany Bowker, Globe Staff
The White House Gift Shop, which is not affiliated with the US government or the White House, announced a new line of “commemorative art coins” to honor President Trump and his battle against COVID-19.
The art coins, which are formally known as “Historic Moments in World History Coin Art,” were created by designer Anthony Giannini as part of a series of coins that chronicles historic moments in the presidency of Donald Trump, according to the White House Gift Shop website.
The new coin design is informed by “superhero graphic art,” Giannini wrote in a statement. “President Trump, as you know, is a fan of boxing, and the new design includes more than a hint of superhero qualities … ”
The coin is considered the final coin in the phase of the collection “at least for President Trump’s first term,” the designer continued.
The coins, which are listed at $100, are available for pre-sale and orders ship on Nov. 14, according to the website. The first 1,500 orders receive a complimentary presidential blue PPE mask, and 20 percent of the proceeds will be donated to the Penn State Hershey Medical Center for COVID Prevention.
Clarification: This entry was updated to make clear the White House Gift Shop is not affiliated with the White House.
7:45 p.m.
Biden tests negative for third time after debate, campaign says
By The Washington Post
Joe Biden tested negative for the coronavirus for the third time since he was potentially exposed at last week’s debate, his campaign said Sunday.
The former vice president, 77, stood more than 6 feet from President Donald Trump for 90 minutes Tuesday night, two days before the president announced that he had tested positive. Studies suggest that people may be most likely to spread the virus during the 48 hours before they start to experience symptoms.
The Democratic nominee is not yet in the clear, however, because most people incubate the virus for two to 14 days before testing positive or showing symptoms. Johns Hopkins University researchers have reported that PCR, or polymerase chain reaction, tests for the coronavirus are most likely to come back positive eight days after exposure to the virus.
6:46 p.m.
Attorney General William Barr to self-quarantine
By Associated Press
Attorney General William Barr will self-quarantine out of caution after President Donald Trump and several other lawmakers and aides tested positive for the coronavirus.
Justice Department spokesperson Kerri Kupec said Sunday that Barr has had four COVID-19 tests since Friday, and all have come back negative. She said he will self-quarantine for several days out of an abundance of caution.
Barr attended one meeting at Justice Department headquarters on Friday and stayed home during the weekend, except to be tested. He plans to remain home for several days.
Barr attended the White House event for Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett last weekend and was seen on video having a conversation with former Trump aide Kellyanne Conway, who has tested positive for coronavirus. Neither was wearing a mask.
6:45 p.m.
Trump expresses interest in returning to the campaign trail
By Associated Press
President Donald Trump is itching to get back out onto the campaign trail — and even attend the second presidential debate — if his doctors clear him to travel.
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said on Fox News that Trump is “very hopeful about getting out there in short order when the doctors deem it appropriate.”
Trump tested positive for the coronavirus late Thursday, two days after debating Democratic nominee Joe Biden in Cleveland and two weeks to the day before their next scheduled face-off in Miami.
He has been hospitalized at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center since Friday afternoon. He briefly left the hospital Sunday, riding in a vehicle to greet supporters gathered outside.
5:36 p.m.
Trump briefly leaves hospital for drive-by greeting, waves at supporters
By Associated Press
President Donald Trump briefly left the military hospital where he is being treated for COVID-19, riding in a vehicle to greet supporters gathered outside.
Trump departed the hospital in an armored SUV and remained in the vehicle as he drove past a flag-waving and cheering crowd outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
Trump teased his surprise departure in a brief video posted to his Twitter page.
“I also think we’re going to pay a little surprise to some of the great patriots that we have out on the street,” he said, after thanking the doctors at the facility.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 4, 2020
Trump did not alert the pool of reporters who are supposed to travel with him before leaving the hospital.
More than seven months into the coronavirus pandemic, in which he has faced bipartisan criticism for playing down the disease, Trump said in the video that he had “learned a lot” about the virus getting it himself.
“I learned it by really going to school,” he said. “This is the real school, this isn’t the ‘let’s read the books’ school. And I get it and I understand it. And it’s a very interesting thing.”
1:54 p.m.
Pence tests negative for COVID-19
By Associated Press
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, have tested negative again for the coronavirus days after President Donald Trump and first lady Melania Trump were diagnosed with COVID-19.
A Pence spokesperson confirmed Sunday’s negative tests.
Despite the president’s hospitalization, Pence is expected to resume regular campaigning this week with no changes to protocols meant to keep him from getting infected.
Pence is set to debate Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris on Wednesday night in Salt Lake City.
Sunday, Oct. 4 12:54 p.m.
Trump’s doctor says he was trying to reflect president’s ‘upbeat’ attitude
By Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s physician said he was trying to “reflect the upbeat attitude” of the president and his medical team when he declined to share Saturday that Trump was placed on oxygen the day before.
Dr. Sean Conley was pressed Sunday on why his rosy picture of the president’s health was contradicted moments later by White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, who expressed that the medical team was very concerned with the president’s health Friday morning when he experienced a drop in his blood oxygen levels and had a high fever.
Said Conley: “I was trying to reflect the upbeat attitude of the team, that the president, that his course of illness has had.”
He added that he “didn’t want to give any information that might steer the course of illness in another direction. And in doing so, came off like we’re trying to hide something, which wasn’t necessarily true.”
11:55 p.m.
Director of Oval Office Operations Nick Luna tests positive for COVID-19
By Jennifer Jacobs and Justin Sink, Bloomberg
White House aide Nick Luna, who serves as a personal attendant to President Donald Trump, has tested positive for coronavirus infection, according to people familiar with the matter.
Luna’s diagnosis emerged a little more than 24 hours after Trump entered the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for treatment of COVID-19 following his own infection.
Known as one of Trump’s so-called body men, Luna is the latest member of Trump’s inner circle of White House personnel to contract coronavirus. Hope Hicks, one of the president’s closest advisers, fell ill on Wednesday while traveling with Trump to Minnesota.
Luna, who runs Oval Office operations for the White House, accompanied Trump on his trip to Cleveland for the presidential debate on Tuesday and was also aboard Air Force One on the Minnesota trip when Hicks first began experiencing symptoms.
Luna was one of the aides who had planned to accompany Trump on Thursday to a fund-raiser at the president’s golf course in Bedminster, N.J., but stayed behind because of recent close contact with Hicks.
The White House press office had no immediate comment.
Earlier this year, Luna married Cassidy Dumbauld, an assistant to White House senior adviser and Trump son-in-law Jared Kushner.
In his job as a body man, Luna travels closely with the president, holding papers and helping keep Trump’s schedule.
In addition to Luna and Hicks, the president’s reelection campaign manager Bill Stepien, 2016 campaign manager Kellyanne Conway, and a number of prominent Republican lawmakers and officials have tested positive since Thursday.
10:05 p.m.
Doctor says Trump ‘not yet out of the woods’
By Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s main doctor says in a health update that the medical team treating the president is “cautiously optimistic,” but also notes that the president is “not yet out of the woods.”
The latest assessment came Saturday night from Dr. Sean Conley. He reported that Trump had been up and around at his medical suite during the day and had been conducting business.
Medical experts say the disease caused by the virus, COVID-19, can become more dangerous as the body responds to the infection over time.
Trump is expected to remain at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for several more days. In a video Saturday from his hospital quarters, Trump says he is feeling better and hopes to “be back soon.”
7:16 p.m.
Trump says ‘I think I’ll be back soon’ in new hospital video
By Lauren Booker, Globe Staff
President Trump sent a tweet saying that he thinks he will “be back soon” on Saturday evening.
“I came here, wasn’t feeling so well. I feel much better now,” Trump said in the video. “We’re working hard to get me all the way back.”
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 3, 2020
He praised the doctors at the Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and called the therapeutics he was administered “miracles.”
He said he didn’t want to stay in the White House and that he wanted to be “out front.”
5:58 p.m.
Chris Christie enters hospital after testing positive for COVID-19
By Peter Bailey-Wells, Globe Staff
In a tweet Saturday afternoon, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie said he had checked into a New Jersey hospital following his positive test for COVID-19. Christie said in the tweet that the move was in part due to his history of asthma.
He wrote that he was “feeling good” but experiencing mild symptoms.
In consultation with my doctors, I checked myself into Morristown Medical Center this afternoon. While I am feeling good and only have mild symptoms, due to my history of asthma we decided this is an important precautionary measure.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) October 3, 2020
3:58 p.m.
Memo from the White House clarifies doctor’s statements
By Lauren Booker, Globe Staff
After the news briefing at Walter Reed hospital, the White House sent a memo that corrected remarks by Dr. Sean Conley, President Trump’s physician, saying that Conley’s use of phrases “seventy two hours” to “day three” and “forty eight hours” to “day two,” in reference to president’s diagnosis and when he was administered polyclonal antibody therapy.
“The President was first diagnosed with COVID-19 on the evening of Thursday, October 1st and had received Regeron’s antibody cocktail on Friday, October 2nd,” as stated in the memo sent Saturday afternoon.
3:40 p.m.
President Trump tweets that he’s “feeling well”
By The Associated Press
President Donald Trump says he’s “feeling well” and has voiced his appreciation for the medical professionals treating him for COVID-19 at a military hospital.
On Saturday, Trump tweeted, “Doctors, Nurses and ALL at the GREAT Walter Reed Medical Center, and others from likewise incredible institutions who have joined them, are AMAZING!!!”
He also says, “With their help, I am feeling well!”
It comes as White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Trump went through a “very concerning” period Friday and the next 48 hours will be critical in terms of his care.
Trump’s doctors painted a rosy picture of the president’s health in a press conference at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. But the briefing raised more questions than it answered.
The White House says Trump is expected to stay at the hospital for “a few days” and would continue to work from the hospital’s presidential suite, which is equipped to allow him to keep up his official duties.
12:25 p.m.
Chris Christie says he has tested positive for coronavirus
By The Associated Press
Former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie tested positive for COVID-19, he tweeted Saturday morning — the latest in a string of virus cases connected to President Donald Trump’s inner circle.
I just received word that I am positive for COVID-19. I want to thank all of my friends and colleagues who have reached out to ask how I was feeling in the last day or two. I will be receiving medical attention today and will keep the necessary folks apprised of my condition.
— Governor Christie (@GovChristie) October 3, 2020
Christie said that he will be receiving medical attention and “will keep the necessary folks apprised of my condition.”
He did not say whether he had symptoms.
10:59 a.m.
Trump’s physician gives update on his condition, says he’s doing ‘very well’
By Christina Prignano
President Trump’s physician on Saturday said the president is doing “very well” and said his cough and fatigue are “now resolving and improving.”
Dr. Sean Conley, the president’s physician, gave an update on his condition outside Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, and raised questions about the date of the president’s diagnosis, telling reporters that it was “72 hours into the diagnosis.”
Conley denied reports that Trump has experienced difficulty breathing, telling reporters he had a cough but no trouble breathing.
Dr. Sean Dooley, another physician, said Trump was not experiencing any complications and has been fever-free for over 24 hours.
But a source familiar with the president’s health told the White House press pool painted a far less rosy picture of Trump’s health.
“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,” the person said.
Trump told doctors that, “I feel like I could walk out of here today.” Doctors would not say when he would be clear to leave the hospital, citing the need to monitor for any complications.
Doctors would not disclose the date of Trump’s most recent negative COVID-19 test.
9:56 a.m.
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson tests positive for COVID-19, according to report
Associated Press
Wisconsin Senator Ron Johnson says he’s tested positive for the coronavirus.
Johnson’s office announced the diagnosis in a statement Saturday morning. He’s the third Republican senator to report a positive test this week, following Utah Sen. Mike Lee and North Carolina Sen. Thom Tillis. Johnson’s announcement is adding to the swirl of tension in Washington since President Donald Trump announced his positive test Friday.
Johnson, a second-term Republican, had reported exposure last month to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, and quarantined for 14 days without developing symptoms. Johnson said he tested negative twice during that time. He returned to Washington on Sept. 29 and said he was exposed soon after that to someone who tested positive. Johnson said he was tested Friday afternoon after learning of the exposure, and tested positive.
Johnson said he feels healthy and doesn’t have symptoms, but will isolate until cleared by his doctor.
Saturday, Oct. 3 12:28 a.m.
Trump’s campaign manager tests positive for COVID-19
By Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s campaign manager, Bill Stepien, has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Campaign spokesman Tim Murtaugh has confirmed the news, which was first reported by Politico.
Politico said Stepien received his diagnosis Friday and is experiencing “mild flu-like symptoms.”
Ronna McDaniel, the chairwoman of the Republican National Committee, also announced Friday that she had tested positive, joining Trump, the first lady, top Trump aide Hope Hicks and numerous others.
Stepien, who joined Trump at Tuesday’s first presidential debate, plans to quarantine until he recovers.
11:47 p.m.
White House physician says Trump is doing ‘very well,’ is taking antiviral drug Remdesivir
By Amanda Kaufman, Globe Staff
In a statement released late Friday night, Sean Conley, President Trump’s physician, said the president is doing “very well” and is taking Gilead Sciences’ antiviral drug Remdesivir, having already completed his first dose.
The president “is not requiring any supplemental oxygen” since he was brought to Walter Reed hospital earlier in the day, the statement said.
An update from President @realDonaldTrump’s physician: pic.twitter.com/8xzB8FShkd
— Kayleigh McEnany (@PressSec) October 3, 2020
10:27 p.m.
Kellyanne Conway tests positive for COVID-19
By The Associated Press
President Trump’s former adviser Kellyanne Conway said late Friday that she has tested positive for the coronavirus, days after attending a White House event with several others who have since come down with COVID-19.
Conway tweeted Friday that she has a “light cough” and is “feeling fine.” “I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians,” she added.
Tonight I tested positive for COVID-19. My symptoms are mild (light cough) and I’m feeling fine. I have begun a quarantine process in consultation with physicians.
As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic. ❤️
— Kellyanne Conway (@KellyannePolls) October 3, 2020
Conway attended the Rose Garden announcement Saturday where President Donald Trump announced his nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court. Among the attendees, Republican Sens. Mike Lee and Thom Tillis, the president of the University of Notre Dame, as well as Trump himself and his wife, Melania, tested positive Friday for the coronavirus.
8:58 p.m.
GOP Sen. Tillis of North Carolina tests positive
By The Associated Press
Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina has tested positive for the coronavirus.
Tillis said in a statement Friday night that his rapid antigen test showed that he is infected. He issued the statement as President Donald Trump was being treated at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the same illness.
Tillis, who is up for reelection in November, is the latest person to be diagnosed with the infection after attending the Supreme Court nomination ceremony in the White House Rose Garden for Amy Coney Barrett. Tillis was wearing a mask at the ceremony.
He is the second member of the Senate Judiciary Committee to test positive. Just a few hours earlier, Republican Sen. Mike Lee of Utah announced that he, too, is infected.
Tillis is routinely seen on Capitol Hill wearing a mask. He says he has no symptoms but will be isolating.
6:53 p.m.
Trump arrives at Walter Reed, releases video
By The Associated Press
President Donald Trump has arrived at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and released a video saying that he thinks he’s “doing very well.”
Marine One landed near the military hospital on Friday evening, and Trump was driven to the large complex. White House officials say that the visit is precautionary and that Trump will work from the hospital’s presidential suite, which is equipped to allow him to continue his official duties.
When he walked out of the White House, he was wearing a mask and gave a thumbs-up to reporters. He also released a video on Twitter, saying, “I think I’m doing very well, but we’re going to make sure that things work out.”
White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said that Trump “remains in good spirits, has mild symptoms, and has been working throughout the day.”
Shortly before he departed for the hospital, his personal physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said in a memo issued by the White House that he had received an experimental antibody cocktail.
6:27 p.m.
Trump walks to Marine One, gives thumbs up
By The Associated Press
President Donald Trump has appeared in public for the first time since his COVID-19 diagnosis, giving a thumbs up before he boarded Marine One for a military hospital.
Trump walked out of the White House to the helicopter Friday evening on his way to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center.
The White House says Trump will spend a “few days” at a military hospital on the advice of his physicians after contracting COVID-19.
The White House says that the visit is precautionary and that Trump will work from the hospital’s presidential suite, which is equipped to allow him to continue his official duties.
Earlier Friday the White House said Trump remains “fatigued” and had been injected with an experimental antibody drug combination for the virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans and spread to the highest reaches of the U.S. government.
6:16 p.m.
Official: Biden campaign taking down attack ads
By The Associated Press
Joe Biden’s campaign is taking down its attack ads in the wake of President Donald Trump’s coronavirus infection.
That’s according to a Biden campaign official who spoke on the condition of anonymity on Friday to discuss internal planning.
The Democrat’s campaign is removing all its negative ads, although in some cases, it may take days for ads already in circulation to stop running. The official says Biden made the decision before news surfaced that Trump was being transferred to a military hospital for a “few days” of treatment.
At least so far, Trump’s campaign has not begun removing any of its attack ads against Biden.
The presidential election is just over one month away.
6:14 p.m.
Barack Obama sends his “best wishes” to the president
By The Associated Press
Former President Barack Obama is extending his “best wishes” to President Donald Trump following his coronavirus diagnosis.
Obama said Friday that even during “big political battles” it’s important to remember that “we’re all Americans, and we’re all human beings.”
He spoke during a virtual fundraiser with Democratic vice presidential nominee Kamala Harris.
Obama says he and his wife, Michelle Obama, hope for a speedy recovery for the Trumps and anyone who has been affected by coronavirus around the country. First lady Melania Trump also tested positive for the coronavirus.
Harris says she and her husband, Doug Emhoff, share their “deepest prayers” for the Trumps.
“Let it be a reminder to all of us that we must remain vigilant and take care of ourselves and take care of each other,” she said.
Their comments came amid news that Trump will be taken to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for a “few days” on the advice of his doctors.
5:26 p.m.
Trump going to hospital on advice of doctors
By The Associated Press
The White House says President Donald Trump will spend a “few days” at a military hospital on the advice of his physicians after contracting COVID-19.
Trump is to depart the White House by helicopter early Friday evening for Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. The White House says that the visit is precautionary and that Trump will work from the hospital’s presidential suite, which is equipped to allow him to continue his official duties.
Earlier Friday the White House said Trump remains “fatigued” and had been injected with an experimental antibody drug combination for the virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans and spread to the highest reaches of the U.S. government.
4:59 p.m.
Biden: Trump diagnosis demonstrates virus threat
By The Associated Press
Democrat Joe Biden says President Donald Trump testing positive for the coronavirus is a “bracing reminder” of the seriousness of the virus. He also says he’s received two tests, and both came back negative.
Speaking at an event in Grand Rapids, Michigan, on Friday, Biden said he received a test in Delaware and one from “the former White House doctor” who came up to Delaware to administer the test, “and everything’s clear.”
The president said early Friday that he and his wife, Melania Trump, had tested positive for coronavirus. Biden was tested after spending nearly 90 minutes onstage with the president during their debate earlier this week.
Biden said he wished the president and the first lady a full recovery and that “this is not a matter of politics.” Biden said it was a “reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It is not going away automatically.”
4:40 p.m.
White House doctor: Trump is receiving an experimental antibody cocktail treatment
By The Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s doctor says Trump is being treated with an experimental drug aimed at supplying antibodies to help fight his coronavirus infection.
Antibodies are proteins the body makes when an infection occurs. They attach to a virus and help it be eliminated. But it can take weeks for them to form. The drugs are purified versions of ones that seemed to work best in lab and animal tests.
Trump is receiving a two-antibody combo drug that’s currently in late-stage studies from Regeneron Pharmaceuticals Inc. The company previously developed a successful treatment for Ebola using a similar approach.
It’s given as a one-time treatment through an IV.
Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, said the drug was being given “as a precautionary measure,” and that Trump also was taking zinc, vitamin D, an antacid called famotidine, melatonin and aspirin. None of those have been proven to be effective against COVID-19.
Trump apparently is not receiving hydroxychloroquine, a drug he widely promoted that has been shown in many studies to be ineffective for preventing or treating COVID-19.
4:36 p.m.
Pelosi tests negative for COVID-19
By Lauren Booker, Globe staff
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi tested negative for COVID-19, according to deputy chief of staff to Pelosi Drew Hammill.
Hammill wrote on Twitter that Pelosi was tested “out of an abundance of caution.”
Out of an abundance of caution, Speaker Pelosi was tested for COVID-19 this morning by the Capitol’s Office of the Attending Physician. Dr. Monahan just informed the Speaker that she tested negative.
— Drew Hammill (@Drew_Hammill) October 2, 2020
3:24 p.m.
11 positive virus cases related to debate setup
By The Associated Press
Cleveland officials say they’re aware of 11 positive coronavirus cases related to the setup and planning for Tuesday’s presidential debate.
The city said in a statement Friday that it’s working with state and federal officials and is involved with interviewing those who tested positive.
Earlier Friday, President Donald Trump announced that he and the first lady had tested positive for COVID-19. Both traveled to Cleveland on Tuesday for the first presidential debate of the campaign. It’s unclear where they contracted the virus.
Cleveland officials say most of the cases stemming from the pre-debate planning and setup involved people from out of state. They say health officials are now looking into their travels.
3:21 p.m.
Sen. Elizabeth Warren wishes president and first lady a “quick and safe recovery”
By Lauren Booker, Globe Staff
On Twitter Friday afternoon, Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren shared her thoughts and well wishes for the recovery of the Trumps, White House staff, and those who have come into contact with the president.
She also sent her thoughts to Americans who have survived COVID-19 or been affected by the virus, and noted that the virus has taken more than 200,000 Americans lives, including a “disproportionate number in Black and Brown communities.”
Later in the message, she brought up President Trump’s previous comments and actions regarding the coronavirus.
“The President spent months undermining the work of our doctors and scientists, while he failed to help states and communities contain the outbreak,” Warren wrote.
She ended her message by emphasizing that “COVID-19 is deadly.”
My statement on President Trump’s COVID-19 diagnosis: pic.twitter.com/B4XWfpED9i
— Elizabeth Warren (@SenWarren) October 2, 2020
3:12 p.m.
White House virus protocol not changing despite diagnoses
By The Associated Press
The White House does not appear to be making any changes to current virus protocol, even after President Donald Trump and the first lady tested positive for COVID-19.
A senior White House official said Friday that masks will still not be mandatory at the White House, describing facial coverings as “a personal choice,” despite overwhelming evidence that they help to stop the spread.
And the White House is not planning to move to a different, more reliable testing system after the one it uses failed to detect that adviser Hope Hicks had the virus the day she began experiencing symptoms.
The president, his White House and his campaign have generally taken a lax approach to the pandemic, continuing to hold large events and failing to abide by social distancing recommendations.
The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal White House thinking, defended the current system.
3:11 p.m.
Vice presidential debate to continue as planned
By The Associated Press
The vice presidential debate between Mike Pence and Kamala Harris next week will go on as scheduled after President Donald Trump tested positive for the coronavirus on Friday.
An official with the Commission on Presidential Debates confirmed that no changes are anticipated to the Wednesday night debate in Salt Lake City. Both Pence and Harris underwent tests for the coronavirus on Friday and tested negative.
Pence’s physician said in a memo that the vice president was not considered a “close contact” of anyone infected with COVID-19 and was not required to quarantine.
“Vice President Mike Pence remains in good health and is free to go about his normal activities,” said Navy Lt. Commander Dr. Jesse Schonau in a statement.
2:33 p.m.
Pence’s physician says he doesn’t need to quarantine
By Lauren Booker, Globe staff
White House physician Dr. Jesse T. Schonau released a statement saying that vice president Mike Pence has tested negative for COVID-19, and that he “does not need to quarantine.”
The memorandum sent by Schonau says Pence “remains in good health and is free to go about his normal activities.”
“Under the guidelines of the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the Vice President is not considered a close contact with any individuals who have tested positive for COVID, including President Donald J. Trump. Vice President Mike Pence does not need to quarantine,” Schonau said in the statement.
The CDC’s guidelines say that those who have been in close contact with someone who has COVID-19 should quarantine, and defines “close contact” as being within 6 feet of someone with the virus for 15 or more minutes, being in direct physical contact with the person, or if the person has gotten respiratory droplets on them.
The center recommends that the person stay at home for 14 days after contact is made.
2:26 p.m.
Joe Biden to deliver remarks at 4:30 in Grand Rapids, Michigan
By Lauren Booker, Globe staff
Former vice president Joe Biden is scheduled to travel to Grand Rapids, Mich., on Friday at 4:30 p.m..
He is planning to talk about his plans for the economy.
2:18 p.m.
Chris Wallace, who moderated debate, will take a COVID-19 test, and urges Fox viewers to ‘wear the damn mask’
By Hayley Kaufman, Globe staff
Three days after the first presidential debate, President Trump has tested positive for COVID-19, while Joe Biden tested negative on Friday. But what of the third man on the stage Tuesday night, debate moderator and Fox News anchor Chris Wallace?
Now he’s getting tested, too.
“You can bet — I’ve already been asked by a lot of people — I’m going to have to get a test,” Wallace said Friday on “Fox & Friends.”
2:10 p.m.
Amy Coney Barrett was diagnosed with COVID-19 this summer but since recovered
Supreme Court nominee Amy Coney Barrett was diagnosed with the coronavirus earlier this year but has since recovered, three officials familiar with her diagnosis told The Washington Post.
Two of the officials said she tested positive for the virus in the summer. All of the people spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to disclose her medical condition. The White House declined to comment on Barrett’s earlier diagnosis.
As the Supreme Court nominee, Barrett is now tested daily and most recently had a negative diagnosis for COVID-19 on Friday morning, according to deputy White House press secretary Judd Deere.
1:51 p.m.
1:37 p.m.
Will COVID-19 outbreak derail Trump’s Supreme Court pick?
By Victoria McGrane, Globe staff
The coronavirus outbreak gripping the White House spread to Capitol Hill on Friday morning, raising the prospect that the virus could disrupt Republican plans to push forward with plans to confirm Amy Coney Barrett to the Supreme Court before the November election.
Senator Mike Lee, a Republican from Utah and a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, reported via Twitter Friday that he had just tested positive for the potentially-deadly disease.
Lee vowed in his statement that he would isolate for 10 days and “be back to work in time to join my Judiciary Committee colleagues in advancing the Supreme Court nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett.”
1:30 p.m.
President of Notre Dame tests positive for coronavirus
By Christina Prignano
The president of Notre Dame, Rev. John Jenkins, announced on Friday that he has tested positive for coronavirus, according to several news reports. Jenkins attended the White House event announcing Amy Coney Barrett as Trump’s Supreme Court pick on Saturday, and was seen shaking hands with other attendees without a mask.
Jenkins has since apologized for his actions. Notre Dame officials said he recently learned a colleague he had been in contact with had tested positive, and sought a test. According to the statement, Jenkins has mild symptoms and will isolate.
BREAKING: Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins, who was at the WH SCOTUS announcement on Saturday and was criticized for not wearing a mask and shaking hands, has tested positive for COVID-19.
This was just sent out to the campus.
Unclear if he had it during the WH event. pic.twitter.com/2cR4eaVMzb
— Jack Jenkins (@jackmjenkins) October 2, 2020
12:22 p.m.
Joe Biden tests negative for COVID-19
By Christina Prignano
Former vice president Joe Biden has tested negative for COVID-19, just days after he stood on the same debate stage with President Trump, who has tested positive.
According to a statement from Dr. Kevin O’Connor, Biden’s personal physician, Biden, and his wife, Jill, have each tested negative.
“Vice president Joe Biden and Dr. Jill Biden underwent PCR testing for COVID-19 today and COVID-19 was not detected,” a statement from O’Connor said. Biden also tweeted the news.
Earlier Friday, Biden released a statement offering thoughts and prayers to the first family.
I’m happy to report that Jill and I have tested negative for COVID. Thank you to everyone for your messages of concern. I hope this serves as a reminder: wear a mask, keep social distance, and wash your hands.
— Joe Biden (@JoeBiden) October 2, 2020
Biden is moving ahead with his campaign schedule, according to a pool report. He is scheduled to make a campaign stop in Michigan as part of a swing through the midwest.
11:52 a.m.
Senator Mike Lee of Utah says he’s tested positive for COVID-19
Senator Mike Lee said that he was experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and said he would isolate for the next 10 days after receiving a positive test. Lee, who serves on the Senate Judiciary Committee, met with Judge Amy Coney Barrett earlier this week. Barrett has tested negative for COVID-19, according to several reports.
— Mike Lee (@SenMikeLee) October 2, 2020
10:00 a.m.
‘The next few days are going to be really important’: Doctors weigh in on Trump’s diagnosis and risk
By Hanna Krueger, Globe staff
President Trump may be at higher risk of complications from COVID-19 given his age and weight, though doctors caution that the effects of the virus can be variable. The 74-year-old announced early Friday on Twitter that he and his wife, Melania Trump, had both tested positive for the coronavirus.
The president is so far experiencing mild “cold-like” symptoms, according to the New York Times. But before announcing his positive test result, Trump had been keeping to his campaign schedule. On Thursday, he flew to New Jersey, where he delivered a speech at a fund-raiser at his golf club. Upon returning to the White House, Trump participated in a call-in interview with Sean Hannity on Fox News.
“The course can be highly variable,” explained Dr. David Hamer, an infectious disease specialist at Boston Medical Center. “I suspect that he’s having daily testing so he likely went from negative to positive overnight. Given his age and obesity, the next few days are going to be really key.”
9:57 a.m.
RNC chairwoman Ronna McDaniel tests positive for virus
By Christina Prignano, Globe staff
Republican National Committee chairwoman Ronna McDaniel has tested positive for the coronavirus, according to the New York Times, which also reported that she is showing “mild symptoms.”
The Times’ Maggie Haberman reported that McDaniel, who is Mitt Romney’s niece, was in contact with President Trump last Friday.
Several members of Trump’s cabinet have recently been tested for COVID-19, including Vice President Mike Pence, Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin, and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, all of whom tested negative.
9:48 a.m.
8:52 a.m.
Joe Biden offers thoughts and prayers for President Trump, but gives no information about his own health
By John Ellement, Globe staff
Former vice president Joe Biden offered thoughts and prayers for President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump, but the Democratic presidential nominee did not say if he was getting tested for COVID-19 Friday.
“Jill and I send our thoughts to President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump for a swift recovery. We will continue to pray for the health and safety of the president and his family,” Biden tweeted shortly before 9 a.m. Friday.
The brief comment did not directly address the major question raised by the fact that Biden stood on the same stage Tuesday night with Trump during the first presidential debate in Cleveland.
8:30 a.m.
Vice President Pence tests negative for COVID-19 and ‘remains in good health,’ White House says
By the Associated Press
Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen Pence, tested negative for COVID-19 Friday morning, hours after President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump were diagnosed with the coronavirus.
Spokesman Devin O’Malley said Pence “remains in good health and wishes the Trumps well in their recovery.”
Pence is tested every day for the virus, O’Malley confirmed.
4:24 a.m.
Thoughts, prayers, and politics: Here’s the early reaction to President Trump’s COVID-19 announcement
By Joshua Miller and Christina Prignano, Globe staff
President Trump’s stunning announcement overnight triggered swift and wide-ranging reaction early Friday, as the country and the world struggled to comprehend the enormous ramifications of the leader of the free world contracting COVID-19 just weeks before an election.
Thoughts and prayers and political calculations poured in, from expressions of good wishes for the health of the president and First Lady Melania Trump, who also tested positive, to speculation about the future of the presidential campaign, to concerns about national security.
“There’s the political story obviously, a White House that has minimized the virus and not done the basic things to protect itself and staff,” said Juliette Kayyem, a homeland security expert who served as an assistant secretary at the Department of Homeland Security during the Obama administration.
But she said the president testing positive for COVID-19 doesn’t make her worry about the broader operations of the United States government.
Friday, Oct. 2 1:10 a.m.
Trump makes stunning announcement that he has COVID-19
By the Associated Press
President Donald Trump said early Friday that he and First Lady Melania Trump have tested positive for the coronavirus, a stunning announcement that plunges the country deeper into uncertainty just a month before the presidential election.
Trump, who has spent much of the year downplaying the threat of a virus that has killed more than 205,000 Americans, said he and Mrs. Trump were quarantining. The White House physician said the president is expected to continue carrying out his duties “without disruption” while recovering.
Still, Trump’s diagnosis was sure to have a destabilizing effect in Washington and around the world, raising questions about how far the virus had spread through the highest levels of the US government. Hours before Trump announced he had contracted the virus, the White House said a top aide who had traveled with him during the week had tested positive.
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