© 2024 All Rights reserved WUSF
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
What you need to know about the 2020 elections across the greater Tampa Bay region.

Trump's Doctor Says He's No Longer A 'Transmission Risk'

President Trump gave remarks at his first public event since testing positive for the coronavirus earlier this month.
President Trump gave remarks at his first public event since testing positive for the coronavirus earlier this month.

White House physician Dr. Sean Conley says the president is no longer contagious 10 days after the onset of symptoms, but did not give details on whether Trump has tested negative for the coronavirus.

President Trump on Saturday delivered remarks at his first public event since testing positive for the coronavirus on Oct. 1.

Public health experts have questioned the timing, so soon after his diagnosis and hospitalization.

From the White House balcony, Trump addressed supporters gathered at the South Lawn for what was billed as a "peaceful protest for law & order."

Deviating often from prepared remarks, Trump hit on his standard campaign rhetoric and political attacks before a mostly masked crowd that largely disregarded social distancing.

The president relitigated recent debate performances, mentioned immigration, called his political opponents "radical left" and attacked Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden.

"The other day in the debate Biden couldn't even use the words law enforcement," Trump told the crowd.

Trump said the politics of what he called the "radical socialist left" were alienating Latino and Black voters.

"Black and Latino Americans are rejecting the radical socialist left and they're embracing our pro-jobs, pro-worker, pro-police — we want law and order. We have to have law and order," Trump said.

Trump's remarks Saturday come nine days after he tested positive for the coronavirus. During his speech, Trump only briefly mentioned the subject of his health and his COVID-19 diagnosis.

He did tell the crowd he "was feeling great" and thanked supporters for their prayers, but neglected to say if he still had COVID-19.

The White House said this week that it would update when the president had tested negative for the coronavirus. But by Saturday's event, no such announcement had come.

White House physician Sean Conley, however, did say on Thursday that he anticipated "the president's safe return to public engagements" on Saturday.

More than two dozen coronavirus cases have been tied to the White House or people who spent time with Trump.

Trump plans to attend a campaign rally in Florida on Monday.

Copyright 2020 NPR. To see more, visit https://www.npr.org.

Jason Slotkin
You Count on Us, We Count on You: Donate to WUSF to support free, accessible journalism for yourself and the community.