October 05, 2020, 11:16 AM
United States President Donald Trump paid a surprise visit to his supporters outside Walter Reed National Military medical centre on Sunday, Oct. 4, in a drive-by greeting.
Spur-of-the-moment action
The detour outside of the facility where Trump had spent the past two days came as a complete surprise as it was unplanned and spur-of-the-moment.
Prior to the drive-by, Trump tweeted a 74-second video of himself hinting that he would be making a surprise visit to his supporters.
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 4, 2020
"We're going to pay a little surprise to some of the great patriots that we have out on the street," Trump said.
"They've been out there for a long time and they've got Trump flags and they love our country, so I'm not telling anybody but you, but I'm about to make a little surprise visit."
Shortly after, Trump made his surprise appearance in a drive-by outside the hospital.
He waved at supporters, flashing a thumbs-up to the groups gathered there, before returning to the hospital after the brief appearance.
He was seen wearing a black face mask, while Secret Service agents were seen dressed in full medical gown, respirator mask and clear face shield, reported CNN.
Doctor criticises Trump's risky move
Trump's drive-by has been criticised by James Phillips, an attending physician from Walter Reed hospital, calling it "completely unnecessary".
Trump's actions put the lives of people who had to sit in the vehicle with him "for political theatre" at risk.
https://twitter.com/DrPhillipsMD/status/1312867868028141568
Phillips, the Chief of Disaster Medicine at George Washington University, added that the risk of Covid-19 transmission within the vehicle is "as high as it gets outside of medical procedures".
https://twitter.com/DrPhillipsMD/status/1312869454385229827
Trump's condition uncertain
Trump's blood oxygen level has twice fallen below 95 per cent, including a dip to 93 per cent temporarily on Saturday, White House physician Sean Conley said Sunday, Oct. 4 at around 12am Singapore time.
The 95 per cent level is considered an important threshold.
Trump is now being treated with dexamethasone, a steroid given for serious Covid-19 infections, numerous media reports have reported.
This was administered in response to the second blood oxygen level drop.
Dexamethasone is usually administered to serious Covid-19 cases.
Using this steroid on weak Covid-19 cases can cause complications.
However, his doctors insist the president is recovering well.
Trump's doctor, Sean Conley, said during a press conference that they are hoping to discharge the president “as early as tomorrow”, on Monday.
White House chief of staff Mark Meadows had given a contradictory assessment initially stating that "the president's vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning".
The statement appeared at odds with an assessment by White House doctors that the president was "doing very well".
Background
Trump was hospitalised on Oct. 3, 2020 (Oct. 2 U.S. time) after revealing that he was infected with Covid-19 on Oct. 2
The White House described the president's move to the Walter Reed National Military medical centre as a "precautionary measure".
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Top image via Alex Edelman/Getty
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