Those in the media were quick to slam President Trump after he announced he will leave Walter Reed National Military Medical Center Monday evening after receiving treatment for COVID-19.
“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!” Trump tweeted Monday afternoon.
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The Washington Post’s Jennifer Rubin was one of the most vocal critics of the announcement, telling White House staffers to call in sick for the next month and predicting the move will cost him support from female and college-educated voters.
WH personnel, please do not endanger yourself. Call in sick for the next month. America will find you other jobs.
— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020
If Trump hadn’t lost every college educated and female voter in America, leaving Walter Reed with a deadly communicable disease might just do it
— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020
Oh, Walter Reed MD’s, is your malpractice insurance paid up?
— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020
WH should be evacuated if he goes back.
— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020
Congress might want to defund Walter Reed. It is a public health hazard.
— Jennifer ‘Vote Early’ Rubin (@JRubinBlogger) October 5, 2020
Other critics echoed Rubin in criticizing the announcement.
Trump announces he’s leaving Walter Reed today. Anyone who comes in contact with him should be fully prepared to catch this virus.
— Brian Tyler Cohen (@briantylercohen) October 5, 2020
He is telling the millions of stricken American families that Covid should not dominate their lives.
— Michael Beschloss (@BeschlossDC) October 5, 2020
200,000 Americans are dead. This is the message from the president who has the virus that killed them: “Don’t be afraid of Covid. Don’t let it dominate your life.” https://t.co/q9QltbXwfv
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) October 5, 2020
President Trump has access to the greatest medical care in the world. Most Americans do not. Lots of Americans have good reason to fear contracting a virus that could bankrupt them if it doesn’t kill them.
— Olivia Nuzzi (@Olivianuzzi) October 5, 2020
Trump is leaving Walter Reed this evening mid-treatment almost certainly against the advice of the doctors to put what few White House staff haven’t been infected in danger – all for the photo-op to show that he is back at work. This man’s irresponsibility is a national shame.
— Edward Luce (@EdwardGLuce) October 5, 2020
Trump’s message as he prepares to leave Walter Reed: “Don’t be afraid of Covid.”
Not sure how that will sit with the families of more than 210K Americans who are dead. https://t.co/XGmo0Wzc0z— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) October 5, 2020
@Twitter should take down @realDonaldTrump ‘s tweet telling people not to be afraid of #COVID19 – it is a public safety risk.
— Sam Vinograd (@sam_vinograd) October 5, 2020
200,000 Americans killed by this virus but @realDonaldTrump , who was lucky enough to receive the very best medical treatment in the world, says “Don’t be afraid of Covid.” How far back does a statement like that set the fight against this disease? https://t.co/amyxCXAzlt
— Cecilia Vega (@CeciliaVega) October 5, 2020
100% of survivors of covid live. wake up sheeple https://t.co/1B1m6A5s6V
— Elizabeth Bruenig (@ebruenig) October 5, 2020
tfw you’re experiencing steroid-induced mania https://t.co/rlxqbHM36A
— Matthew Yglesias (@mattyglesias) October 5, 2020
Also, a CNN push notification that linked to a story on Trump’s announcement read, “Trump irresponsibly downplays virus.”
Trump’s physician addressed the pending discharge during a press conference, saying doctors “support the president’s safe return” to the White House.
“Though he may not be entirely out of the woods yet, the team and I agree that all our evaluations, and most importantly his clinical status, support the president’s safe return home, where he’ll be surrounded by world-class medical care 24/7,” Dr. Sean Conley said.
