President Donald Trump says he will be leaving Walter Reed National Military Medical Center just days after he was hospitalized for COVID-19.
In a tweet on Monday afternoon, the president wrote, “I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid.”
He added, “Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!”
I will be leaving the great Walter Reed Medical Center today at 6:30 P.M. Feeling really good! Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life. We have developed, under the Trump Administration, some really great drugs & knowledge. I feel better than I did 20 years ago!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2020
Trump revealed early Friday morning that both he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the virus, as IJR reported. Later that day, he was transferred to Walter Reed for observation — however, it was unclear how long he was expected to stay there.
Earlier on Monday, White House Chief of Staff Mark Meadows said, “The doctors will actually have an evaluation sometime late morning and then the president, in consultation with the doctors, will make a decision on whether to discharge him later today.”
“We’re still optimistic that based on his unbelievable progress and how strong he’s been in terms of his fight against this COVID-19 disease that he will be released, but that decision will not be made until later today,” he added.
Despite Meadows’ optimism, there were concerns about Trump’s health due to reports that the president’s oxygen level dropped on Friday and Saturday.
Additionally, the president was given dexamethasone, a steroid that has been used to treat severe cases of the virus. Many health experts also noted that patients may seem to recover from the virus, but days later, see a return of symptoms.
However, the president was reportedly eager to leave Walter Reed and return to the White House.