Reporters Freak Out on Twitter Over Trump Covid Presser, Conflicting Statement
Brendan Smialowski/AFP/Getty Images
White House reporters and other journalists exploded with stunned and at times angry reaction to a press conference updating President Donald Trump’s COVID-19 status, and conflicting statements that emerged immediately thereafter.
Trump physician Dr. Sean Conley gave a very evasive update during a brief press conference, ostentatiously refusing to say whether Trump was ever given oxygen and laying out a new and damning timeline that put Trump’s initial positive test at sometime Wednesday afternoon. The overall message was that Trump is doing well and feeling ready to leave the hospital.
But following the presser, conflicting statements were issued anonymously by the White House correcting Conley’s timeline, and also giving a more grave assessment of his condition.
Reaction from the press corps and other journalists was fast and furious.
Trump’s doctor:
Said 72 hours into diagnosis (Trump told the public 35 hours ago)
Won’t say when his last negative test was
Was evasive on questions about oxygen
Won’t detail what heart and lung scans revealed
Won’t answer about steroids
Won’t reveal how high fever was— Katy Tur (@KatyTurNBC) October 3, 2020
The White House needs to clarify this immediately. On the record. Who gave the pool this comment — put your name on it and tell the public what is going on. https://t.co/MKwGYYklaG
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) October 3, 2020
Dr. Sean Conley is being coy and evasive, giving conflicting information on whether Trump has been on oxygen and when was he diagnosed. This is unacceptable. His credibility is in question.
— Josh Rogin (@joshrogin) October 3, 2020
The White House needs to clarify this immediately. On the record. Who gave the pool this comment — put your name on it and tell the public what is going on. https://t.co/MKwGYYklaG
— Jonathan Swan (@jonathanvswan) October 3, 2020
The WH sends a statement to the pool citing “a source familiar with the President’s health” that totally contradicts what his doctors’ said 10 minutes prior. Absolutely unacceptable.
We need to know who it was. https://t.co/kgTVIMGLWy
— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) October 3, 2020
Here’s the clean-up: https://t.co/xb26rebYVi
— Eli Stokols (@EliStokols) October 3, 2020
This is pretty much the opposite of what we were just told by the president’s doctor. Right? https://t.co/LQ3Vhu1KFa
— Jake Sherman (@JakeSherman) October 3, 2020
As we all saw on TV Mark Meadows was with the pool today in Bethesda.
— Ryan Lizza (@RyanLizza) October 3, 2020
The print pool received the quote as well. It’s astounding that this quote was put on background. WH needs to clear this up ASAP. https://t.co/IDFeREkGkb pic.twitter.com/WS4PNH6Ree
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 3, 2020
Q: “Has he also had difficulty breathing?”
Conley: “No. No, he has not. Never did. He had a little cough, had the fever. More than anything, he has felt run down.”
(That runs counter to what a person familiar with the president’s condition told reporters thereafter.)
— Steven Portnoy (@stevenportnoy) October 3, 2020
Moments after Trump’s doc paints a rosy pic, this comes form the pool via a WH Aide
“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.”
— Sam Stein (@samstein) October 3, 2020
Trump announced that he and First Lady Melania Trump tested positive for Covid-19 late Thursday night, hours after senior White House adviser Hope Hicks was diagnosed with the disease. Since then, a growing list of Republicans and individuals from the White House has also tested positive — many of whom attended or covered a Rose Garden event announcing the nomination of Judge Amy Coney Barrett, at which most did not wear masks.
And on Friday evening, Trump was airlifted to Walter Reed Medical Center aboard Marine One, where he is now being treated with Remdesivir.
