Trump Hospitalized

“President Donald Trump said from his hospital room on Saturday that he felt ‘much better’ but the next few days will be ‘the real test’ of his treatment for COVID-19… A White House team of doctors said on Saturday morning that Trump’s condition was improving and that he was already talking about returning to the White House…

“Within minutes, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows gave reporters a less rosy assessment, telling them, ‘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.’ Meadows, whose initial comments were delivered on condition that he not be identified, altered his tone hours later, telling Reuters that Trump was doing ‘very well’ and that ‘doctors are very pleased with his vital signs.’” (Reuters)

“[Dr. Sean] Conley repeatedly refused to say whether the president ever needed supplemental oxygen… But according to a person familiar with Trump’s condition, Trump was administered oxygen at the White House on Friday morning… [Conley also] initially suggested that Trump was 72 hours into the diagnosis — which would mean that he was confirmed infected Wednesday. Conley later clarified that Trump was administered an accurate test for the virus on Thursday afternoon.” (AP News)

Both sides call for greater transparency:

“Some matters may need to be kept from the public for reasons of personal privacy, but then make that clear. That cannot include such basic issues as the status of Mr. Trump’s disease, the seriousness of his symptoms, and the details of his treatment regimen… Americans want to know the truth about the President’s health, which bears on current governance and the election in a month. The White House needs to reassure Americans not with happy talk but with daily medical briefings that are candid and complete.” (Editorial Board, Wall Street Journal)

Dr. Jonathan Reiner, a professor at George Washington University and longtime cardiologist for former Vice President Dick Cheney, states, “We've seen the President's physician omit key elements… [on Saturday] why did the President's physician not tell the public that the President was on steroids, that they had ministered dexamethasone to him?… Why did the President's physician not describe that his chest CT showed changes?” (Paul LeBlanc, CNN)