President Trump is fever-free and in “exceptionally good spirits,” doctors said Saturday, hours after the president was flown to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center following the announcement that he and first lady Melania Trump tested positive for COVID-19. It’s the most serious health crisis a president has faced since President Ronald Reagan was shot in 1981.
Dr. Sean Conley, the president’s physician, told reporters on Saturday that Mr. Trump was not on oxygen. However, he sidestepped questions about whether the president had received oxygen treatment at the White House on Friday.
Two sources later said Mr. Trump received oxygen at the White House Friday before heading to Walter Reed, although it was unclear whether he actually needed it. This may be standard medical protocol and not an indication that Mr. Trump was suffering shortness of breath.
A source familiar with the president’s health said his “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,” the source said Saturday.
On Saturday, Mr. Trump tweeted an update from the hospital, where the White House says he will spend the next few days. He said he is “feeling well” with help from doctors and nurses and everyone at Walter Reed, calling them “AMAZING.”
Mr. Trump has started treatment with remdesivir, a drug that has shortened the recovery time for some patients with the virus.
White House spokesperson Kayleigh McEnany said earlier that Mr. Trump had “mild symptoms” and was being transferred to Walter Reed “out of an abundance of caution and at the recommendation of his physician and medical experts.” White House sources said Mr. Trump had suffered from a low-grade fever.
On Saturday, former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who participated in debate prep with President Trump, announced on Twitter that he has tested positive for COVID-19. Late Friday, former Trump senior adviser Kellyanne Conyway said she had tested positive for the coronavirus. His campaign manager Bill Stepien has also been infected.
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Fin Gomez and Tucker Reals contributed to this report.
