Trump has blamed China for a virus that now threatens his health. This will make Beijing nervous
Analysis from CNN’s James Griffiths
In his first presidential debate against Joe Biden, Donald Trump made clear who he blames for the coronavirus pandemic.
“It’s China’s fault, it should never have happened,” the President said, before referring to the virus as the “China plague.”
For months now, he has consistently played up initial failures by Beijing in controlling the pandemic to blame China for the global repercussions — particularly the catastrophic effects the virus has had in the United States, where it has killed more than 200,000 people and infected upwards of 7.3 million, including the President himself.
Trump’s rhetoric has angered Beijing, which has in turn highlighted Washington’s own mishandling of the virus through state media and in official comments. Many countries closer to China and exposed to the virus earlier have nevertheless handled it far better than the US, and most experts are critical of how Trump has responded to the pandemic.
Prior to Trump’s diagnosis, China’s ambassador to the US, Cui Tiankai, tweeted that a sound and stable relationship “is in the interests of both countries, and it is needed for achieving the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation.”
Beijing has always valued stability above all else. However, Trump’s diagnosis — whatever the outcome — threatens that stability, setting the stage for an uneasy period for China’s top leaders.
Trump went from diagnosis to hospital in 24 hours. “Something isn’t making sense,” physician says
It’s been a chaotic 24 hours since President Donald Trump announced he had tested positive for Covid-19 — and some gaps in the timeline are raising questions.
Early Friday morning, Trump tweeted that he had tested positive. His physician said shortly afterward that the President was doing well, and would continue his recovery at the White House.
Later that morning, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows spoke to reporters, saying Trump was experiencing moderate symptoms, but was very energetic and in high spirits.
Late in the afternoon, the President’s physician said Trump was fatigued, had received a dose of the experimental Regeneron treatment, and would be taken to Walter Reed hospital.
“That raises the question of what happened in that 18-hour period, and to what extent did the President’s symptoms develop to the point where his doctors felt he needed to be brought to the hospital?” said CNN’s White House Correspondent Jeremy Diamond.
“But not only that, but for the President himself to agree with those recommendations and to agree that the benefits of coming to the hospital far outweighed the negatives and projecting an image of weakness rather than the strength he likes to project.”
By Friday night, the physician announced Trump had also received the experimental remdesivir drug. Trump tweeted from hospital that it was “going well, I think!”
“We need more transparency than this,” said emergency physician Leana Wen. “There are so many missing pieces, I’m struggling to make sense of it.”
How infection develops: It usually takes five to seven days to develop coronavirus symptoms, then five to eight days to start showing severe symptoms like shortness of breath, Wen said.
For the President to reach the point of needing treatment and hospital stays within 24 hours of diagnosis — a process that usually takes two weeks — “isn’t making sense,” she added.
Trump campaign manager tests positive for coronavirus
From CNN’s Ryan Nobles
President Donald Trump’s campaign manager Bill Stepien has tested positive for coronavirus, according to a senior official — becoming the latest figure in the President’s inner circle to be infected with Covid-19.
Stepien received the results of the test on Friday night and is suffering from what the official described as “mild flu-like” symptoms.
Stepien traveled to Cleveland with the President and his team on Tuesday for the first presidential debate and was seen in close proximity to Hope Hicks, the President’s top aide who also tested positive.
Stepien was among a group of senior Trump campaign staffers who were tested, but was the only one whose results came back positive. Deputy campaign manager Justin Clark’s test results were negative.
Stepien attended debate prep sessions with Kellyanne Conway, who also announced late Friday that she had tested positive.
Politico was the first to report Stepien’s positive result.
Three attendees at Trump fundraiser say they have not been approached by contact tracers
From CNN’s Paul P. Murphy
Three people who attended the President’s fundraiser in New Jersey on Thursday told CNN they have not been approached by any contact tracers yet, and only received one email from the Trump campaign informing them of his diagnosis.
Two of the attendees flew home to Texas last night. They told CNN they took socially distant photos with the President at an indoor VIP reception hours earlier.
The attendees say they, and the President, were not wearing masks. They said they were tested for Covid-19 after hearing news about Trump and are self-isolating until their results came back.
CNN is not identifying them over privacy concerns, in light of the President’s positive coronavirus test.
New Jersey resident Katherine Hermes told CNN she was only present for the outdoor speech and would not quarantine or get tested, saying, “I was nowhere near the man.”
Here’s what we know about Trump’s Covid-19 diagnosis
President Trump remains in hospital after announcing he tested positive for Covid-19.
If you’re just reading in now, here are the latest developments:
- Hospital stay: Trump will be spending “the next few days” at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, according to White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany.
- Shaken by the illness: Trump was spooked after testing positive and became increasingly alarmed by his diagnosis as he developed symptoms, like a fever, overnight, according to a person familiar with his reaction.
- Fever and fatigue: Trump has had a fever since Friday morning, a person familiar with the matter said. The person said the fever remains consistent with the White House’s earlier description of “mild symptoms.” This is in addition to new information released by the White House doctor, which described Trump as “fatigued.”
- In the President’s own words: “I want to thank everybody for the tremendous support,” Trump said in a video posted to his official Twitter account. “I think I’m doing very well but we’re going to make sure things work out.”
- Treatment: Trump was administered a dose of Regeneron’s antibody cocktail for coronavirus, according to a memorandum from the President’s physician.
- Flurry of tests: Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden announced he received two Covid-19 tests Friday morning, according to remarks he made during a visit to Grand Rapids, Michigan. Vice President Mike Pence and the second lady also tested negative, according to his spokesperson.
- Well wishes pour in: Former President Barack Obama and Brazil’s President Jair Bolsonaro were among those to wish Trump well. “This is not a matter of politics. It’s a bracing reminder to all of us that we have to take this virus seriously. It’s not going away automatically,” Biden said in Michigan.
Trump tweets from Walter Reed: “Going well, I think!”
From CNN’s Aaron Pellish
President Donald Trump has tweeted for the first time since arriving in hospital to be treated for Covid-19, saying, “Going welI, I think! Thank you to all. LOVE!!!“
Trump sent the tweet from inside Walter Reed Military Hospital, where he was admitted earlier today.
The President has had a fever since this morning, according to a source. Trump’s physician confirmed that he has received a dose of the experimental Regeneron treatment.
Trump’s physician: President is “doing very well” and has been given Remdesivir
White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany has tweeted an update from the President’s physician.
The update reads:
“This afternoon, in consultation with specialists from Walter Reed and Johns Hopkins University, I recommended movement of the President up to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for further monitoring. This evening I’m happy to report that the President is doing very well. He is not requiring any supplemental oxygen, but in consultation with specialists we have elected to initiate Remdesivir therapy. He was completed his first does and is resting comfortably.
Remdesivir is an antiviral drug, developed by Gilead Sciences.
Earlier Friday, the physician announced that Trump was also taking the experimental Regeneron antibody cocktail.
Kellyanne Conway confirms she has tested positive for Covid-19
Kellyanne Conway has tested positive for coronavirus, the former White House counselor tweeted on Friday.
She is latest attendee of President Trump’s event announcing the Supreme Court nomination of Amy Coney Barrett last Saturday to test positive.
Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, and Notre Dame President Fr. John Jenkins also attended the event, and all have since tested positive.
“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,” she tweeted. “As always, my heart is with everyone affected by this global pandemic.”
