45⬅ Donald Trump: Covid-19 Timeline

The covid-19 virus infected Trump in late September 2020. He tested positive on October 1, and, after news stories broke 1, announced his infection on October 2 2. Hours later -- after the stock market closed 3 -- national television showed Trump's helicopter evacuation from the White House to Walter Reed Hospital. There he was treated with experimental therapy before being released on October 5th.

A timeline of his illness is available SEE BELOW.

Author's note to self: Need to add doc records for Dooley, Redfield, Fauci.

The following timeline is abstracted from 4a. Occasional page numbers refer to that reference. A few additional references are included.

9-26 to 10-1: It is not clear how Trump contracted the virus. On 9-26 he hosted a reception where he announced a nomination to fill a vacancy on the Supreme Court. On 9-27 he attended an event with families of servicemembers killed in war. He engaged in debate preparations, golf outings, campaign rallies, and fundraisers. Mask and social distancing protocols were generally not observed at these events, after which more than 30 Trump aides and associates ultimately tested positive for covid [p311].

9-30: Travels to wealthy businessman's Minnesota home. Hope Hicks, feeling ill, is in a side room from Trump's location. That evening, feeling worse, she accompanies Trump to a rally in Duluth, where a raspy-voiced Trump speaks for 46 minutes (short, given that recent rally speeches lasted "well past an hour"). Hicks had tested negative for covid that morning; she now wondered if she had a cold. Dr. Sean Conley advises her to self-isolate on the Air Force One flight back to D.C. that night. She did. Unlike Hicks, Trump was not tested every day.

10-1: Hicks tests for covid. The PCR result, shortly after noon, is positive. There is alarm because Hicks and Trump had spent time with Trump. Trump and his chief of staff, Mark meadows, do not want Hicks' result disclosed publicly. Trump is scheduled to fly to a fundraiser in Bedford, NJ at 1 pm. Trump Hicks' contacts are removed from the flight. Marine One flies Trump to Andrews AFB for the flight to New Jersey. NOTE: "The decision to proceed with the fundraiser after the president's extended and recent close contact with an infected person flouted both the CDC recommendations and the advice the White House gave its own staff."

10-1: Trump holds intimate indoor gathering, with attendees -- many unmasked -- sitting around a large table with him. Speaks outdoors to a few hundred supporters. That night, in a video-call, says "I just want to say that the end of the pandemic is in sight."

10-1: That night, a White House official contacts the FDA commissioner, asking about getting then-experimental monoclonal antibodies for Trump, who is not mentioned by name. About 8 pm the news of Hicks' positivity breaks. About 9:30 Trump calls into a TV show to say he is awaiting his test results and to bemoan the difficulty he has in isolating himself. He has a mild cough, some nasal congestion, and fatigue [p304].

10-2: Just before 1 am Trump tweets that he and his wife both tested positive. Dr. Dr. Sean Conley's statement is: "The president and first lady are both well at this time, and they plan to remain at home within the White House during their convalescence. The White House medical team and I will maintain a vigilant watch, and I appreciate the support provided by some of our country's greatest medical professional and institutions. Rest assured I expect the President to continue carrying out his duties without disruption while recovering, and I will keep you updated on any future developments."

10-2: In the morning Mark Meadows announces the president is "in good spirits." But when Conley checks him that afternoon, he had a "high fever" and an arterial blood saturation less than 94%. At this time, Conley later said, "I was concerned for possible rapid progression of the illness.... I recommended [to] the president we try some supplemental oxygen, see how he'd respond. He was fairly adamant that he didn't need it. He was not short of breath. He was tired. He had the fever. That was about it. After about a minute and [an oxygen flow rate of] only two liters, his saturation levels were back over ninety-five percent. Stayed on that for about an hour, maybe, and it was off and gone." Conley did not disclose this information publicly at the time. Comment: Conley's summary of his patient's state omitted a key element: stethoscopic examination of the lungs, and he did not mention the cough (a possible sign of covid pneumonia).

10-2: In discussing Trump's case with Dr. Redfield, Conley he says he wanted to move Trump to Walter Reed Medical Center, for closer monitoring and for better access to critical care if Trump's condition rapidly worsened. Redfield and Conley agree it's likely Trump will require intensive care.

10-2: Trump resists going to Walter Reed, worrying it would make him look weak. In the afternoon Conley releases a memorandum saying Trump is "fatigued, but in good spirits" and authorizes a single eight-gram dose of Regeneron's mixture of two monoclonal antibodies, mistakenly calling it "polyclonal" in his memorandum. Trump is also taking zinc, vitamin D, famotidine (?to prevent ulcers), melatonin (?to help sleep), and aspirin (?to prevent clots and lower fever). Comment: At that time zinc and vitamin D were thought to have anti-covid effects.

10-2: In the evening, Trump begins taking remdesevir, an anti-viral medication, probably intravenously [p306]. Conley feels there is a high chance that Trump could die [p305].

10-2: Just after 6 pm, a Marine Corps helicopter flies Trump from the White House to Walter Reed. Trump walks from the White House to the helicopter, with a black mask over his face. He occupies Ward 71, "the palatial presidential suite," at Walter Reed.

10-3: Trump feels worse than the night before.

10-3: Trump gets dexamethasone, a steroid, that is normally given in more severe cases. Physician commentators ask if Trump is sicker than is being disclosed, or if over-aggressive measures are being used because he is president.'

10-3: Conley gives an "astoundingly rosy summary" of Trump's health at a morning press briefing, stating that Trump's Thursday cough, nasal congestion, and fatigue are improving, while dodging specific questions. Shortly afterwards, Meadows undercuts Conley by disclosing: "The president's vitals over the last twenty-four hours were very concerning, and the next forty-eight hours will be critical in terms of his care.... We're still not on a clear path to a full recovery." News that Trump received oxygen in the White House becomes public, as does the clear conclusion that Conley has been concealing medical facts.

10-3: About 7 pm, Trump releases a video thanking his healthcare team and saying he feels better than when he arrived.

10-4: Conley holds another news briefing, admits to concealing information. "It came off that we were trying to hide something, which wasn't necessarily true.... The fact of the matter is that he's doing really well." Conley does not mention that he can publicly say only what his patient authorizes, and that he has had to dance around several details of Trump's condition. Meanwhile, Trump is insisting that he must leave the hospital the next day, despite Conley's advice not to.

10-4: Trump continued to get IV remdesivir and, every two hours, checks of his vital signs.

10-4: Around lunchtime, Trump decides to go for a ride outside the hospital, which he did, just after 5 pm, in an armored SUV. Two Secret Service agents in the vehicle wore masks, protective eye visors, and a medical gown. Comment: Recall that the covid of this era was a deadly disease with no real treatment -- treatments used on Trump were still in the experimental stage -- so this unnecessary outing substantially endangered the lives of the Secret Service agents and led one to comment "He's not even pretending to care now."

10-5: In the morning, Trump's temperature is 98.1 (but steroids and aspirin both suppress fever), blood pressure 134/78, respirations 17 per minute (this is a little fast), and heart rate 68, according to Dr. Sean Dooley. Despite private feelings against, Conley says publicly that it is safe for Trump to leave the hospital. At about 6:30 pm Trump leaves Walter Reed and returns to the White House, saying "I feel better than I did 20 years ago." Comment: Baloney.

10-5: At dusk, Trump lands on the South Lawn of the White House, exits the helicopter, climbs stairs to the balcony, and theatrically removes his mask, still contagious 5a. Dr. Zebra noted that after he climbed the stairs he was clearly working hard to avoid breathing fast.

10-6: A shortened work day while the medical team continued to administer treatments and monitor him.

10-6: Late in the night and into the morning, Trump issues frequent, ferocious tweets that raised suspicions they were propelled by steroid effects or the coronavirous. (It is not clear how long he was on steroids.)