Brianna Keilar Confronts Ex-Trump Spox With Clip of Her Evading Question on Trump Covid Test: ‘That Doesn’t Fly’
Alysa Farah Griffin appeared on CNN New Day to discuss revelations in Mark Meadows’ forthcoming book that former President Donald Trump had tested positive for Covid-19 days before he was admitted to Walter Reed Hospital.
The Guardian reported Wednesday morning how Trump tested positive days before his first debate with future President Joe Biden but tested negative later with an antigen test. This has raised serious questions about Trump’s actions and the lack of transparency about his health amid a global pandemic, just weeks before the general election.
Farah Griffin served as White House Communications Director in the last year of the Trump administration and was flatly asked by host Brianna Keilar what she knew about Trump’s health. To illustrate Griffin’s role in the lack of transparency surrounding the health of then-President Trump, New Day producers aired a clip that shows Farah Griffin’s obfuscation.
“I can’t reveal that at this time. The doctors would like to keep it private. My understanding is that it’s just private medical history” Farah Griffin said at the time.
Coming out of that clip, Keilar flatly said to her guest sharing the studio desk, “Ok say so, Alysa? That doesn’t fly. So tell us what’s happening there.”
Farah-Griffin replied by saying she had been asked by a “handful of dogged reporters, Maggie Haberman, Kristen Welker,” about when was Trump last tested and if he had ever tested positive. “They wanted a timeline, which to me seemed perfectly reasonable,” she added.
“I went to the chief of staff and to his doctor and said ‘we are being bombarded by requests for the timeline,” she continued. “They said that is his private medical records,” and later excused herself with “That was my chain of command.” She did add “In retrospect, it totally makes sense why I was told that, because they were hiding a false positive. Most of us had no idea.”
But fellow panelist David Gregory politely reminded Farah Griffin about the broader context at play.
“It’s also absurd of course because he’s the president of the United States,” he said. “All the privacy about his health, it is important that our commander in chief … he could fit into the rich history of other presidents who lied about medical ailments. He is the president during a pandemic, and is not telling the truth about testing positive.”
“I made that point,” Farah insisted though in a manner that felt like a student explaining missing homework. “I pushed back and said this is in the interest of public health, it is of vital public interest. This is a 74-year-old commander in chief. His health matters.”
Farah-Griffin later issued a statement, saying that “info was withheld me” regarding Trump’s positive test and that “In retrospect, I should’ve known that wasn’t a sufficient answer for a matter of vital public interest.”
I’ve worked for a Vice President, a Secretary of Defense, and a President. Anyone in the line of succession and/or chain of command has an obligation to disclose vital health information because of its potential implications for our nation.
— Alyssa Farah Griffin (@Alyssafarah) December 2, 2021
Watch above via CNN.
