President Trump, who was admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center on Friday for COVID-19 treatment, said in a four-minute long Twitter video on Saturday night that he is feeling “much better.” “I think I’ll be back soon,” he said.
But a source familiar with his health said earlier Saturday that his vitals over the past 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 added.
Mr. Trump’s status and the timeline of the progression of his symptoms remained unclear on Saturday. Two sources confirmed to CBS News’ Paula Reid that Mr. Trump received oxygen at the White House on Friday before he was transferred to Walter Reed.
Mr. Trump’s physician, Dr. Sean Conley, told reporters on Saturday that Mr. Trump was not currently on oxygen, but did not say whether he had been previously. Receiving oxygen may be standard medical protocol and is not an indication that Mr Trump was suffering shortness of breath.
Conley told reporters earlier Saturday that Mr. Trump is “just 72 hours into the diagnosis now,” indicating that the president may have known that he had contracted the virus as early as Wednesday. The president met in person with officials in Minnesota and appeared at a fundraiser at his club in Bedminster, New Jersey, on Wednesday. A memo from the White House attempted to clarify Conley’s comments, saying Mr. Trump was diagnosed the evening of Thursday, October 1.
Mr. Trump has started treatment with remdesivir, a drug that has shortened the recovery time for some patients with the virus. Conley said Mr. Trump is fever-free and in “exceptionally good spirits.”
Several other members of Mr. Trump’s orbit reported positive COVID-19 test results, including Trump 2020 campaign manager Bill Stepien, former senior adviser Kellyanne Conway, and former New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who was admitted to the hospital Saturday afternoon.
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