This past Friday, President Donald Trump was flown to Walter Reed Medical Center for treatment after he announced on Thursday that he and First Lady Melania Trump had tested positive for the virus that's killed over 200 thousand Americans.
As White House health officials confirmed that the President was on a cocktail of multiple drugs and had received supplemental oxygen, the President scrambled to paint himself as the picture of good health.
He posted photos of himself signing apparently blank sheets of paper while releasing Twitter videos assuring the public of his good spirits.
Most shockingly, as the President's supporters gathered outside Walter Reed with Trump flags and other memorabilia, the President and at least two Secret Service agents rode out in the hermetically sealed presidential SUV to greet them.
Trump's willingness to put those agents' lives unnecessarily at risk by potentially spreading the virus to them in the compact space sparked outcry, including from a physician at the same medical center Trump is currently occupying.
Dr. James Phillips, an attending physician at Walter Reed, called the move "insanity."
Every single person in the vehicle during that completely unnecessary Presidential “drive-by" just now has to be quarantined for 14 days. They might get sick. They may die. For political theater. Commanded by Trump to put their lives at risk for theater. This is insanity.
— Dr. James P. Phillips, MD (@DrPhillipsMD) October 4, 2020
That Presidential SUV is not only bulletproof, but hermetically sealed against chemical attack. The risk of COVID19 transmission inside is as high as it gets outside of medical procedures. The irresponsibility is astounding. My thoughts are with the Secret Service forced to play.
— Dr. James P. Phillips, MD (@DrPhillipsMD) October 4, 2020
In a later interview with ABC News, Phillips elaborated on the risks Trump's photo-op posed for the Secret Service agents.
Watch below.
"I have serious concerns that in any automobile, masks or no masks, there's a very high risk of transmission."
Walter Reed physician raises concerns about potential consequences of Pres. Trump's drive-by outside hospital. https://t.co/FxXgo7c9uz pic.twitter.com/vjjWFHExGv
— ABC News (@ABC) October 5, 2020
Phillips said:
"I have serious concerns that in any automobile, masks or no masks, there's a very high risk of transmission. And then add in to the mix that that's not any vehicle. That's a hermetically sealed vehicle that's designed to be impenetrable to chemical attacks, therefore the amount of circulation inside is even poorer than we would expect from a normal vehicle."
He continued:
"And as a physician, you look at the decisions we make has risks versus benefits, and I don't know what the benefits of this political stunt were, but I do know what the risks were, and my concern is perhaps the Secret Service agents that were inside don't know the full risk of what they were up against there and what the real threats were."
People sided with Phillips' expertise.
The ass does not care about others safety or health. He just wants to go wave to his adoring #cowards and #idiots. It's about him. https://t.co/XqqlF1ZAvT
— Sub (@BaylorMan) October 5, 2020
Republicans can't even keep themselves safe,how are they going to keep Americans safe?
— Narddog (@dagocean) October 5, 2020
You don't even need to be a doctor to know what Trump did yesterday was reckless and endangered so many people's lives. But most people have what Trump lacks: common sense, respect for life and decency.
— Coffee's on my mind (@CoffeeForever5) October 5, 2020
Phillips was far from the only one criticizing Trump for the stunt.
Do you think Trump understands he might have just killed some of his own secret service?
— Chip Franklin (@chipfranklin) October 5, 2020
Trump's ride will be talked about 30 years from now like it happened yesterday. It will be viewed as the worst photo op in Presidential History. It speaks perfectly to his sociopathy, recklessness, neediness and the extremes of his movement. @ProjectLincoln looks forward to
— Steve Schmidt (@SteveSchmidtSES) October 5, 2020
Exactly. Trump is deathly ill, and is supposed to be in isolation, but instead he's running around in public putting the lives of Secret Service agents at risk for a political photo opp. Thanks for reminding us of how little your party cares about anyone, Missouri GOP. https://t.co/s5WHOfJbn9
— John Aravosis 🇺🇸🇬🇷🏳️🌈 (@aravosis) October 5, 2020
Secret Service agents are speaking out and have said Trump is putting them and their families at risk by refusing to follow doctor's orders.
Trump is a fool and a dangerous one at that.
— Pesach Lattin פסח לטין (@pesachlattin) October 5, 2020
How ironic- trump supporters waving the blue lives matter flag, I guess secret service men and women don't count. #COVIDIOTS https://t.co/3czlzabT4q
— Martina Navratilova (@Martina) October 5, 2020
The Secret Service is trained to take a bullet for Trump, not from Trump.
— JeremyNewberger (@jeremynewberger) October 5, 2020
While the First Lady has the virus as well, she's elected to stay at the White House instead of at Walter Reed. The reason given by a member of her team was that "She has [the virus]. That would expose the agents who would drive her there and the medical staff who would walk her up to him."
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