Fox News anchor Bret Baier grilled Vice President Mike Pence over a new book that claims he was told to be on “standby” to assume the presidency when President Trump unexpectedly went to Walter Reed hospital last November.
Though Pence dodged the question about the exact nature of Trump’s health, insisting that the president “is in excellent health,” Baier wouldn’t let the vice president off the hook, repeatedly pressing the issue on Special Report on Tuesday.
Baier read the president’s denial in response to New York Times reporter Michael Schmidt‘s book, saying, “The president tweeted today, ‘It never ends, now they’re trying to say that your favorite president, me, went to Walter Reed medical center, having suffered a series of mini-strokes. Never happened to THIS candidate — FAKE NEWS. Perhaps they are referring to another candidate from another party!'”
The anchor then said, “This refers to Michael Schmidt’s book, where he says the president went to Walter Reed, which in fact happened in November of last year. He says in the book that you were put on alert to take control, to take office essentially, if he went under for anesthesia. Is that true?”
“President Donald Trump is in excellent health,” Pence responded. “I’m always informed of the president’s movements, and whether it was on that day or any other day, I’m informed. But there was nothing out of the ordinary about that moment or that day. I just refer any other questions to the White House physician.”
Baier asked again as to whether he was “on standby?”
“I don’t recall being told to be on standby. I was informed that the president had a doctor’s appointment,” Pence said. “I’ve got to tell you, part of this job is you are always on standby if you are vice president of the United States. But the American people can be confident that this president is in remarkable, good health, and every single day I see that energy and high relief.”
Trump’s denial was in response to Schmidt’s book, Donald Trump v. The United States, a copy of which has been obtained by the Washington Examiner.
During Trump’s trip in November 2019, Pence was told that he should be “on standby to take over the powers of the presidency temporarily if Trump had to undergo a procedure that would have required him to be anesthetized,” the book claims.
Trump never had to be anesthetized, Pence never assumed the presidency, and “the reason for Trump’s trip to the doctor remains a mystery,” Schmidt said.
Schmidt never mentioned anything about “mini-strokes,” a claim that appears to have originated with author Don Winslow, who said he had received “three communications” saying the president had suffered several ministrokes, according to an article last month from the Inquisitr.
At the time, the White House released a memo saying that the visit was an “interim checkup” that had been kept secret because of “scheduling uncertainties.”
Following Trump’s subsequent tweet, Dr. Sean Conley, the physician to the president, released a statement affirming that the president is in good health. “I can confirm that President Trump has not experienced nor been evaluated for a cerebrovascular accident (stroke), transient ischemic attack (mini stroke), or any acute cardiovascular emergencies, as have been incorrectly reported in the media,” he said.
