Donald Trump examined constructive for COVID-19 three days earlier than his first presidential debate in September 2020 with Joe Biden and days sooner than that prognosis was beforehand disclosed, based on a e book by Trump’s former chief of employees.
In “The Chief’s Chief,” obtained by The Guardian earlier than its Dec. 7 launch, Mark Meadows writes that the-president obtained a adverse check shortly after the constructive check and resumed his common actions, together with attending the talk towards his Democratic challenger. Trump on Wednesday denied Meadows’ declare.
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The revelation, if confirmed, would additional present that the Trump White Home didn’t take the virus severely though it unfold amongst White Home and marketing campaign employees and finally despatched Trump to the hospital, the place he required supplemental oxygen and experimental remedies.
The previous president mentioned that Meadows’ story “of me having COVID previous to, or throughout, the primary debate is Pretend Information. The truth is, a check revealed that I didn’t have COVID previous to the talk.”
The e book’s writer, All Season Press, didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
The White Home started a testing routine for Trump’s senior aides and those that would keep in touch with him after earlier constructive circumstances near him. However aides repeatedly refused to reveal when Trump was examined the week of the talk, resulting in hypothesis that he might have had COVID-19 whereas on stage with Biden.
Moderator Chris Wallace of Fox Information had mentioned beforehand that he believed Trump might have had COVID-19 on the time of the talk due to the virus’ incubation interval. It sometimes takes a number of days between the time an individual is uncovered to the virus to when there’s sufficient viral load to be detected.
Trump was 74 and Biden was 78 on the time, placing them at increased danger of significant issues from the virus. COVID-19 vaccines weren’t then obtainable.
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Trump introduced in a tweet early on Oct. 2, 2020, that he and first girl Melania Trump had examined constructive for the coronavirus. He was admitted to Walter Reed Nationwide Army Medical Middle later that day.
However Meadows writes that Trump first examined constructive on Sept. 26, three days earlier than the talk and the identical day that he held a Rose Backyard ceremony for his remaining Supreme Courtroom nominee, Amy Coney Barrett. Trump traveled that night to a rally in Pennsylvania.
Meadows, Trump’s fourth and remaining chief of employees, writes that he obtained a name from the White Home physician as Trump’s helicopter was lifting off from the White Home for the rally. Meadows says he was knowledgeable that Trump had examined constructive and was instructed to cease the president from departing.
When Meadows informed Trump of the end result, the president’s reply, based on The Guardian, “rhyme(d) with `Oh spit, you’ve gotta be trucking lidding me.”’
However Meadows mentioned the check had been carried out with an previous mannequin equipment and he informed Trump it could be repeated with a more recent model. After “a quick however tense wait,” Meadows reported that the second check had come again adverse.
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Trump took that end result as “full permission to press on as if nothing had occurred,” Meadows wrote. In subsequent days, he held information occasions, met with Gold Star households on the White Home, attended a number of fundraisers and appeared on the debate.
On the day of the talk, Sept. 29, Meadows wrote that Trump seemed barely higher _ “emphasis on the phrase barely.”
“His face, for probably the most half a minimum of, had regained its common mild bronze hue, and the gravel in his voice was gone. However the darkish circles underneath his eyes had deepened. As we walked into the venue round 5 o’clock within the night, I may inform that he was shifting extra slowly than common. He walked like he was carrying a bit additional weight on his again,” Meadows was quoted as writing.
Meadows famous that each candidates had been required to check adverse for the virus inside 72 hours of the talk, however wrote that, “Nothing was going to cease (Trump) from going on the market.”
Dr. Anthony Fauci, President Biden’s prime medical adviser, who additionally served within the Trump administration, mentioned that he was not conscious of the check outcomes however that anybody who exams constructive ought to isolate from different folks.
“I’m not going to particularly discuss who put who in danger, however I might say as I mentioned, not just for any particular person, however all people, that in the event you check constructive you need to be quarantining your self,” he mentioned at a information briefing Wednesday.
Biden disregarded the report. “I don’t take into consideration the previous president,” he informed reporters.
© 2021 The Canadian Press
