Politics - News Analysis

Chief of Staff Mark Meadows: The Next 48 Hours ‘Will Be Critical’ For Trump

It has been a very difficult and confusing 24 hours, with a range of information coming from the White House concerning the health of President Donald Trump.

Just minutes after Trump’s physician presented a relatively rosy picture of his COVID-19 condition, a source familiar with the president’s health gave a much more concerning picture.

“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,” the source said in the statement, which was sent to members of the White House pool.

And we now know that source is none other than White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows. In a rookie move at best, the ex-Congressman was captured on camera earlier today walking over to reporters right after the doctors’ press conference and asking to be “off the record.”

Additionally, the New York Times and the AP are reporting that sources tell them Trump was given “supplemental oxygen” at the White House on Friday before being choppered over to Walter Reed Medical Center later that day. The question of oxygen being administered was deflected by Dr. Sean Conley during the brief presser in front of Walter Reed this morning when he did everything in his power to NOT answer the question being asked:

From the Associated Press:

President Donald Trump went through a “very concerning” period Friday and the next 48 hours “will be critical” in his care as he battles the coronavirus at a hospital, White House chief of staff Mark Meadows said Saturday. Meadows’ comments contradicted the rosy assessment of Trump’s condition offered by his staff and doctors, who took pains not to reveal the president had received supplemental oxygen at the White House before his hospital admission.

“We’re still not on a clear path yet to a full recovery,” said a weary Meadows. It was a dramatically different picture than the one painted by the White House staff since Trump revealed his diagnosis as well as by his doctors, who updated the public at a press conference at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center. White House officials, including Meadows, had insisted Friday that Trump had only “mild symptoms” as they tried to project an image of normalcy.

Why is Mark Meadows revealing this rather important news? Bill Kristol has an idea:

So, is Trump sicker than his doctors are leading us to believe?

Twitter seems to think so:

And of course, Trump says everything is peachy keen:

meet the author

Nicole Hickman James is a lifelong Democrat and political activist who first cut her teeth as a teenager volunteering for Mike Dukakis’ presidential campaign. She has worked and volunteered for John Kerry, Hillary Clinton, HFA (Hillary For America), and Organizing For Action. She’s passionate about liberal and progressive causes and considers President Obama her favorite president ever. She holds her Bachelor’s from Boston College in Economics and her Master's from Columbia, also in Economics. When not working as a writer, she enjoys traveling and spending time with her three college-aged children.

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