Love him or hate him, it’s difficult to hear this news about Donald Trump.

As you know, Trump has COVID-19, along with his wife Melania, and a handful of other White House staffers and those close to Trump and the White House.

And now, courtesy of the Washington Post, we have learned a great deal of what decisions were being made on Friday that led Trump to be admitted to Walter Reed Medical Center in Bethesda, Maryland.

White House staff made the decision to fly Trump to Walter Reed on Friday to ensure that he would still be able to walk to the Marine One helicopter on his own, The Washington Post reports.

Trump’s condition had reportedly begun to deteriorate following his positive coronavirus test Thursday. One adviser told the Post of the ramifications for the election, “We don’t want to be talking about coronavirus and now we’re talking about coronavirus. The hit writes itself: He can’t protect the country. He couldn’t even protect himself.”

With the President's condition deteriorating, they decided Trump would go to Walter Reed now in part because he was still well enough for the photo op walking over to the helicopter, WaPo reports. https://t.co/Ro0ueKnM0z pic.twitter.com/6t4FDAE2gq

— Orin Kerr (@OrinKerr) October 3, 2020

Trump’s age, 74, and several comorbidities put him at high risk for a severe case of COVID-19, a possibility at odds with how often he has downplayed the significance of the virus and the necessity of even basic public health measures. Trump’s physician has given no indication of the president’s condition beyond “fatigued but in good spirits.”

And Trump’s symptoms seemed to get more serious very quickly.

From WaPo:

By Friday afternoon, Trump’s condition had worsened, officials said, though they maintained he was “in good spirits.” The president had a low-grade fever, a cough and nasal congestion, among other symptoms, according to two people familiar with his condition who, like others interviewed for this story, spoke on the condition of anonymity to candidly discuss a sensitive matter.

Trump was transported about 6:16 p.m. Friday to Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for further treatment out of what the White House described as an abundance of caution.

As Trump’s condition deteriorated during the day Friday, the president and his team ultimately made the decision to send him to Walter Reed preemptively — and, from a public relations perspective, when he was still able to walk to Marine One on his own, according to one outside adviser in frequent contact with White House officials. They feared the possibility of a further decline, and what that might mean, both for the president’s health and his political optics.

Yes, seeing Trump wheeled out on a gurney would not be a good look for his campaign or the country, and Mr. TV wouldn’t allow that.

WATCH: A masked President Trump is seen walking to Marine One under his own power for transport to Walter Reed medical center. pic.twitter.com/WoDYmuFw8o

— MSNBC (@MSNBC) October 2, 2020

Late Friday night, we learned Trump had been administered the drug Remdesivir,

New statement from WH Physician Sean Conley MD reports Pres Trump “doing very well” tonight at Walter Reed.. “He is not requiring any supplemental oxygen,” and is receiving Remdesivir therapy, a drug the Pres himself has often trumpeted. Says he “is resting comfortably.” pic.twitter.com/SR1IIwmXrH

— Mark Knoller (@markknoller) October 3, 2020

Remdesivir has shown to reduce illness duration but not yet shown to significantly lower mortality so far.

WATCH:

It is "the most serious presidential health crisis since the attempt on Ronald Reagan's life nearly four decades ago," says @AndersonCooper, as he describes images of "President Trump being choppered by Marine One to Walter Reed." pic.twitter.com/bw0dtfQCHy

— Anderson Cooper 360° (@AC360) October 3, 2020